Ocean City native Jimmy Charles headlines an uptempo Jellyfish Festival

If last weekend’s Memorial Day holiday crowds were any indication, the 2022 tourist season at the beach may turn out to be as big and boisterous as 2021, and those who venture out in the days ahead will find a lot of outdoor music waiting for them.

In Ocean City, the third annual Jellyfish Festival will take place on the beach at Caroline Street on Saturday and Sunday, June 4-5.

There will be live music both days, and the event will be augmented by the Shore Craft Beer Festival on Saturday. There are various ticket packages, with day passes starting as cheap as $15 for Saturday and $10 for Sunday (for music only).

Jimmy Charles will headline the first day of the June 4-5 Jellyfish Festival in Ocean City on Saturday. The former local country singer, who now lives in Nashville, will shoot video footage for his new song “It’s A Maryland Thing.”

The debut Jellyfish Festival in 2019 featured national acts. The 2020 edition was scrapped for obvious reasons, and the 2021 event highlighted acoustic music.

Things will be more uptempo this year, with local and regional performers from different genres. Country singer and Ocean City native Jimmy Charles, who now lives in Nashville, will headline Saturday and shoot footage for a music video for his single, “It’s A Maryland Thing, You Wouldn’t Understand.”

Washington, D.C.-based R&B vocalist Cheakaity will headline Sunday evening. He credits influences such as Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, Coldplay and Radiohead for his unique lyrics and music.

Washington, D.C. R&B vocalist Cheakaity will headline the Sunday portion of the June 4-5 Jellyfish Festival in Ocean City.

Congrats also go out to Rehoboth Beach singer-songwriter Tyler Greene, who won a talent competition that has awarded him a Sunday afternoon slot from 2:15-3:35 p.m.

In other OC concert news, music fans have been snatching up tickets in droves for this fall’s inaugural Oceans Calling rock festival, which went on sale May 25.

Some high rollers were surprised at how quickly some top-dollar VIP packages disappeared for the event, which takes place at the Inlet Friday, Sept. 30 through Sunday, Oct. 2.

Hotel rooms for that weekend have also become rather scarce, as thousands of people are traveling from far and wide to see famous names including Alanis Morrisette, Cyndi Lauper, the Lumineers, Cage the Elephant and Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds.

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Tickets have also gone on sale for the 33rd annual Rehoboth Beach Autumn Jazz Festival. It will kick off in high fashion Thursday, Oct. 13, with Grammy-winning headliner Sheila E. at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center ($89 to $129).

Tickets are on sale now for Grammy winner Sheila E.’s return to the Rehoboth Beach Autumn Jazz Festival. The singer-percussionist will headline the event’s kickoff at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center on Thursday, Oct. 13.

The singer-percussionist is known for her solo hits “The Glamorous Life” and “A Love Bizarre,” as well as for playing drums in Prince’s band. She played the Rehoboth event once before in 2013, and more recently stole the show on the 2020 CBS television special “Let’s Go Crazy: A Grammy Salute to Prince.”

The jazz festival will continue through Sunday, Oct. 16, with other names including Peabo Bryson, John Pizzarelli and more.

In the more immediate future in coastal Sussex County, The Freeman Arts Pavilion in Selbyville has plenty of tickets left to see KC & the Sunshine Band play its catalog of disco hits at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 3.

More:  ‘A Maryland Thing’: Ocean City native Jimmy Charles releases summer song

More: Dave Matthews, the Lumineers, Alanis and more in Ocean City? Yes, in Oceans Calling lineup

There will be some sections with fixed seats, and others with “bring your own chair” general admission ($39 to $64). Don’t forget to wear your boogie shoes.

Back in Ocean City, the Seacrets complex has a fun band set to perform out on the beach stage at 5 p.m. Saturday, June 4. The New Jersey-based Frankie Goes to Dollywood describes itself as “the best dang bluegrass-Americana ’80s cover band y’all ever did see.”

The group’s members will use banjos, kazoos and other acoustic instruments to interpret pop classics by the likes of Duran Duran, Whitney Houston and the Talking Heads.

Email Roger Hillis at rogerhillis@gmail.com

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Ocean City’s Jimmy Charles headlines an uptempo Jellyfish Festival