Dolphin Subsidiary Clients Shape the Summer 2026 Season With Culture-Defining Festivals and Events
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / May 6, 2026 / Leading entertainment marketing and content production company Dolphin (Nasdaq: DLPN) and its marketing division - consisting of marketing and public relations powerhouses 42West, The Door, Shore Fire Media, Elle Communications, Special Projects and The Digital Dept. - is shaping the sights and sounds of summer in 2026 with a full slate of client events and activations. From large-scale, multi-format festivals and conferences to concert series and sporting competitions, the Dolphin companies represent a wide range of clients hosting culture-defining events across the country this summer.
Shore Fire Media
Providing creative communications services for leaders in the arts, culture and entertainment, Shore Fire supports a diverse roster of over 12 genre-spanning music and arts festivals, concert series and purpose-driven cultural events this summer:
Celebrating its 58th anniversary, the nine-day Summerfest 2026 will take place across three weekends: June 18-20, June 25-27 and July 2-4. As an independent music festival, Summerfest is well known for its multi-genre lineup - which consistently features hundreds of performances across 12 stages, throughout its permanent 75-acre festival grounds along Lake Michigan in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - and is recognized as one of the most affordable music festivals in the world.
The return of the CBGB Festival is taking place on Saturday, Sept. 26 at Under the K Bridge Park in Brooklyn, New York. Building on last year's raucous inaugural success and punk's 50th anniversary, this year's stacked line-up of generation-spanning acts connects punk's originators with its fiercest future voices. Festival-goers can expect a full day of music, vintage and new merch, expanded local food and drink options, and immersive CBGB installations - including Hilly's office, the famous bar and the original stage from the club.
Bon Iver's Eaux Claires Festival returns for the first time in eight years this summer. At the heart of the lineup is music, but along with an incredible roster of musicians, Eaux Claires will feature its inaugural class of Writers In Residence - presenting readings, discussions and collaborations from some of the most intriguing names in the literary world - as well as a full program of fair activities and added fun across its new home of Carson Park in Eau Claire, Wisconsin on July 24 and 25.
Prince Celebration, the annual gathering of devoted Prince fans from around the world, announced its 10th Anniversary Celebration of Life - a major five-day event taking place June 3-7. Marking 10 years since Prince's passing, this extraordinary global gathering will feature concerts, panels, screenings and special events across Paisley Park, downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Rooted in the spirit of Pete and Toshi Seeger's folk picnics, the Hudson River Music Festival is set to return for its second year at Croton Point Park in Croton-on-Hudson, New York for Father's Day on Sunday, June 21. This all-ages day aims to bring together music lovers, environmental advocates and families for a vibrant celebration. From musical performances to community-driven experiences, the festival continues to carry the torch of a beloved tradition in the Hudson Valley area.
Miles Davis 100, an ambitious celebration of Miles Davis is underway - honoring one of the most influential artists in history with cultural initiatives, brand collaborations, archival releases and global live events tied to his centennial. Premiering for Davis' birthday on May 26 at National Sawdust in Brooklyn, The Voice of Miles: A Symphonic Celebration - an upcoming collaboration with Park Avenue Artists - will pair the acclaimed documentary "Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool" and some of Davis' seminal live performances with newly commissioned orchestral arrangements. The centennial also features an international tour by M.E.B. (Miles Electric Band) - founded and led by Emmy and GRAMMY Award-winning drummer and producer Vincent Wilburn Jr., Davis' nephew - including four nights at SFJAZZ and an appearance at the Big Ears Festival. The Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and the recent Montreux Jazz Festival Miami, Newport Jazz Festival and Summerstage are also participating with tributes and special programming.
In 2026, the estate of John Coltrane is marking the 100th anniversary of the musician's birth with Coltrane 100 - an ambitious, year-long global celebration honoring an artist whose work permanently reshaped the language, ambition and purpose of music. Coltrane 100 will unfold across recorded music, live performance, visual art and institutional partnerships. On Sept. 23, Coltrane's birthday, the Hollywood Bowl will host the L.A. premiere of Coltrane 100: Legacy - a symphonic celebration with new arrangements of Coltrane's popular and groundbreaking works. TD Pavilion in Philadelphia will host a Coltrane 100: Legacy concert on July 22 as well. Additionally, communal listening experiences will be celebrated through dedicated "A Love Supreme" vinyl events in New York and Los Angeles with The Record Club, a monthly series known for immersive, audiophile-focused listening sessions.
As the first in a series of special events honoring late American icon John Prine's 80th birthday in 2026, the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts will present Songwriters Celebrate John Prine on June 9. Produced by the Wolf Trap Foundation with the Prine family and the Hello In There Foundation, and commemorating America250 in the National Park for the Performing Arts, this creative collaboration pays tribute to Prine's legacy through the artists inspired by his enduring influence. The one-night-only concert event will feature an all-star lineup of musicians and songwriters performing beloved Prine songs, all backed by his longtime live band.
An extension of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, The Momentary has announced an expanding slate of 2026 music programming - further cementing its role as a premier destination for live music and culture. Spanning major festivals, outdoor concerts, indoor concerts and a monthly electronic pop-up, the Momentary continues to attract globally recognized artists and emerging talent alike - offering audiences unparalleled live music experiences in a uniquely immersive setting.
Growing from one of Europe's preeminent dance destinations into an international celebration of excellence and experimentation, on May 8, Italy's 25-year-old C2C Festival returns to New York City's Knockdown Center for its second-ever U.S. edition - furthering its commitment to cross-genre aesthetic and transglobal scenes. Following a 2025 debut, the next iteration of C2C Festival NYC brings both an expanded production and stellar lineup and will now take place over three stages across the extraordinary breadth of the venue, indoors and outdoors.
The Warm Love Cool Dreams Music and Arts Festival is returning for its highly-anticipated second edition on May 23-24, taking over 16 On Center's Salt Shed in Chicago. Beyond music, attendees can explore the fantastical Oddball Market - featuring a variety of local artists and vendors offering records, vintage clothing, jewelry, books, flash tattoos and more - alongside the Arts of Life Studio Sale, supporting over 80 artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
In 2026, Secretly is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its founding. To mark the occasion this summer, Secretly has announced What Comes After the Blues: Secretly 30 in Bloomington, Indiana - featuring special performances from those who have and will continue to shape its past, present and future. Taking place from Aug. 27-29, each night will take over a local venue essential to the story of both Secretly as well as the city where it first began and is still headquartered.
Alanis Morissette will headline the next Wells Fargo Autograph Card Exclusives concert - an intimate concert experience exclusively for Wells Fargo credit cardholders. Fans will have the rare opportunity to see Morissette at White Oak Music Hall in Houston, Texas on May 29. The special concert is presented as part of Wells Fargo's Autograph Card Exclusives series, which offers eligible credit cardholders access to performances by major artists in intimate venues.
42West
One of the entertainment industry's leading full-service public relations firms, 42West is working on several press junkets, parties and conferences for TV, film and music projects:
MPTF NextGen Summer Party is hosting its annual event on May 31, supporting the Motion Picture & Television Fund's mission to care for and assist members of the entertainment community. Miramax will serve as a sponsor of the evening, which brings together emerging talent and established industry leaders for a celebration of philanthropy, connection and the future of the industry - highlighting ongoing efforts to provide critical healthcare, housing support and social services to those who power film and television.
Berklee College of Music will host a full lineup of keynote speakers, panelists, workshops and topics for its expanded AIMS (AI Music Summit) - the annual symposium hosted by the Berklee Emerging Artistic Technology Lab (BEATL) - taking place June 3-5 on Berklee's Boston campus. The multi-day gathering of musicians, technologists, researchers, educators and legal experts from all corners of the music and tech industries will offer a variety of perspectives on how artificial intelligence is actively reshaping music creation, production, performance, education and rights infrastructure as well as explore how it is entering everyday creative practice - with an emphasis on workflows, artist impact and the ethical questions shaping the future of creative work.
HBO will host a press junket for Madison Wells' "Miss You, Love You" on May 7 at The London West Hollywood, featuring interviews and press opportunities with stars Allison Janney and Andrew Rannells along with writer and director Jim Rash. That evening, a premiere and FYC screening will follow at The Hammer Museum ahead of the film's May 29 debut on HBO and HBO Max.
Paramount+ will host a global junket for "Dutton Ranch," directed and executive-produced by Christina Alexandra Voros, at The Plaza in New York City on May 11 - bringing together press and talent in support of the highly-anticipated upcoming series.
The Door
The Door's culture-forward public relations division, DISRPT, is involved in multiple community-centered summer events in the beauty, creative and sports industries:
Camille Rose's Beauté Noire will return for its sixth year as a cornerstone cultural celebration in Atlanta, marking a new chapter as the multi-day experience moves to late summer for the first time. Rooted in the vision of founder Janell Stephens, this evolution expands the festival's footprint with even more programming, performances and immersive beauty activations designed to honor Black creativity, community and legacy. The weekend kicks off with an intimate dinner celebrating activists and cultural leaders before opening into a larger public celebration that brings together music, beauty and storytelling under one roof. As Beauté Noire grows in scale and impact, it continues to create space for reflection, recognition and connection, bringing culture and beauty to the forefront in a way only Camille Rose can.
CultureCon Collective expands into CultureCon Café, a year-round platform designed to support creatives through education, access and community. CultureCon Café serves as an intimate, in-real-life extension of the brand's mission - creating space for connection, conversation and tangible opportunity for emerging and established creatives alike. As part of this next chapter, the CultureCon Café Summer Tour will bring these curated, city-to-city experiences directly to communities nationwide - with stops across New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago and more. Taking the platform on the road matters: it removes geographic barriers to access, meets creatives where they are and deepens CultureCon's role as a national connector of talent and culture.
The U.S. SailGP Team will bring its high-performance racing energy off the water and into a dynamic series of cultural moments surrounding its upcoming Grand Prix weekends in Bermuda and New York. In partnership with the Bermuda Tourism Authority, the team will host a marquee experience in Bermuda during the May 9-10 Apex Group Sail Grand Prix, welcoming notable celebrity guests alongside the on-water competition - positioning the island as both a premier racing destination and a cultural hub. Building on this momentum, the Mubadala New York Grand Prix on May 30-31 expands into a weeklong city takeover - anchored by an immersive pop-up experience that brings fans directly into the world of elite sailing. Designed as the ultimate kickoff to summer, the activation will feature unmatched programming - from interactive model boat racing to curated cultural moments and surprise celebrity appearances. Blending sport, culture and entertainment, the experience will extend U.S. SailGP far beyond the racecourse - creating a must-attend summer moment where fans, creatives and industry leaders converge.
The Digital Dept.
Influencer marketing and talent management firm The Digital Dept. is hosting its own BRANDEdit experiences in the music and creator spaces:
The Digital Dept. is heading to Nashville for the BRANDEdit Nashville Experience - a two-day event taking place June 3-4 during CMA Fest. Designed to connect brands with top creators, the experience focuses on driving awareness, generating high-quality content and building meaningful buzz. A curated mix of fashion, beauty, wellness and lifestyle brands will engage with 150-plus creators across both days.
For the first time, VidCon is offering brands an exclusive opportunity to connect directly with the world's top digital creators through a premium gifting experience powered by BRANDEdit. This unique activation allows brands to showcase and gift products to 200 of the biggest creators in the world, providing unparalleled exposure and engagement. The gifting lounge will be located in the VIP Village, VidCon's designated zone for top creators, offering a curated and intimate environment for meaningful interactions. This experience is a turnkey solution for brands looking to connect with top creators, amplify their presence at VidCon and build meaningful relationships in the digital creator space.
ABOUT DOLPHIN
Dolphin (NASDAQ: DLPN) is where cultural creation meets marketing execution. Founded in 1996 by Bill O'Dowd, Dolphin operates as both a venture studio - developing and investing in breakthrough content, products and experiences - and a marketing consortium, featuring leading agencies across every communications discipline.
At its core, the venture studio creates, produces, finances, markets and promotes new businesses and cultural ideas - ranging from acclaimed film, television and digital content to consumer goods, live events and partnerships that define entertainment and lifestyle. Surrounding this entrepreneurial engine, Dolphin's marketing prowess brings together best-in-class firms including 42West, The Door, Shore Fire Media, Elle Communications, Special Projects and The Digital Dept. Together, this collective delivers unmatched cross-marketing expertise and relationships across every vertical of pop culture - from film, television, music, influencers, sports, hospitality and fashion to consumer brands and purpose-driven initiatives. Dolphin marketing has been the recipient of many accolades, including No. 1 Agency of the Year on the Observer PR Power List in 2025, The PR Net 100 and the PRNEWS Agency Elite Top 120.
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Investor Contact:
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SOURCE: Dolphin Entertainment
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