By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

(April 9, 2026) Music is set to pour out of Berlin’s downtown later this month, when the town celebrates Record Store Day with lineup of performances, food and drinks, and vendors selling books, clothes and home decor all aligned with the vintage spirit of the vinyl-inspired festival.

Saturday, April 18, marks Record Store Day, an international semi-annual event celebrated by independent vinyl shops. The intent is to bring together fans and small businesses through the release of special and limited-edition records, fostering appreciation for music and vinyl, a more vintage method of play.

For the third year in a row, the Town of Berlin will recognize the celebration with an all-day musical event kicking off at 11 a.m. and winding down around 4 p.m.

According to Berlin’s Economic and Community Development Director Ivy Wells, the musical lineup will begin with The Papers, a duo out of Salisbury, followed by JOURNOS featuring Brian Russo.

Next up is Sketchbook, Gavin Hades’ new band. Hades is an Ocean City local and young artist who has played with musicians such as Brett Michaels. The slate of talent will then wrap up with a performance by national recording artist Brian Sella of The Front Bottoms.

Wells added that this is the first year the festival will be expanded into a “full downtown event.”

“We’re closing the streets, adding beer and drinks and a full day of live music,” she said. “Bringing in a national act like Brian Sella is also new for us, and we were able to do that with support from the Maryland State Arts Council. It just feels like a much bigger experience this year.”

Beer, drinks, and food will be available, and vintage vendors will be set up along Pitts Street with clothing, home decor, books, and other items. Wells added that many of the shops will have sidewalk sales.

“You can spend the whole day downtown and not run out of things to do,” she said.

Parking will be available at the West Street lot and Stephen Decatur Park. While there is no shuttle service this year, everything is within walking distance once attendees arrive downtown.

Wells said that the event celebrates Berlin’s musical and artistic scene. Particularly, the festival recognizes the turntable format, often praised for its authenticity and superior sound quality.

“Music has always been a big part of Berlin, and there’s something special about vinyl; it’s how music was meant to be heard,” the community development director said.

She maintained that Berlin has multiple shops that sell new vinyl, “which isn’t something every small town can say.”

“For us, it makes sense to celebrate that, support those businesses, and build an event around something people genuinely love,” Wells noted.

The event is free to enter and made possible by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council and sponsored by the Berlin Main Street Arts and Entertainment District.

Organizers hope that the festival further promotes the spirit of downtown’s artistic nature and supports Berlin’s economic and cultural development.

“[Record Store Day] supports our small businesses, brings new visitors into town, and gives locals something to be proud of,” Wells said. “It’s also an opportunity to highlight our arts and music scene, which continues to grow. When people come for an event like this, they don’t just stay for the music, they shop, they eat, they explore, and they come back again.”