Vinyl Day returns to WXPN on Thursday, April 9, and this year the station is going bigger — expanding from 18 hours to a full 24-hour marathon of records, turntables, and analog sound. Starting at midnight and running through midnight on April 10, WXPN shuts off its computers and CD players entirely, spinning music solely from vinyl for an uninterrupted day of radio the way it used to sound. With a live vinyl cam streaming the action, local band Catbite on the schedule, and participation from nearly every corner of the station, Vinyl Day 2026 is the most expansive edition yet.
WXPN Program Director Jim McGuinn explains what the event has grown into: “Vinyl Day started as a throwback in 2025 — turntables only, no computers — but it’s become something bigger: from our on-air hosts to inviting artists, record store owners, listeners, and now almost the entire XPN staff to bring in their faves to spin and share. And this time we’re expanding to 24 hours — midnight to midnight — celebrating the sound, the community, and the joy of playing records live on the air.” That growth from novelty to genuine community event is what makes Vinyl Day worth paying attention to.
What Makes Vinyl Day 2026 Worth Tuning Into
The Vinyl Day format is deceptively simple: no computers, no digital playback, just staffers and guests pulling records and putting needle to groove in real time. But what the format reveals is genuinely interesting — it’s an inside look at the people behind WXPN that regular programming doesn’t offer. The participants this year go well beyond the on-air hosts. Engineering, marketing, business support, development, and web teams are all represented, each bringing their personal record collections to the turntable. The live vinyl cam streams it all, making the behind-the-scenes visible in a way that radio rarely allows.
Philadelphia band Catbite joins the lineup in the morning, spinning from 9:10 to 9:35 a.m., one of several guest spots woven throughout the day alongside WXPN Vinyl Club member Chas Lockard and an appearance from John Stanley at the $1 Bin slot at 6:00 p.m. — a detail that will mean something to longtime WXPN listeners.
Full Vinyl Day Schedule
The full Vinyl Day schedule runs from midnight through midnight on April 9–10. Stars End host Chuck Van Zyl opens with an overnight session from midnight to 6:00 a.m., setting an appropriately cosmic tone for the marathon ahead. Kristen Kurtis takes over from 6:00 to 10:00 a.m., with Mike Vasilikos running from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
David Dye holds the 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. slot, followed by Robert Drake from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Dan Reed takes the afternoon from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., Eric Schuman handles 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., and Jim McGuinn steps in from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. Amber Miller closes out the marathon from 10:00 p.m. to midnight, with IT Director John Bartol making a late appearance from 11:10 p.m. to close.
Guest spots are woven throughout: Zach Maupin (5:10–5:45 a.m.), Nick Bisaccia (7:25–7:45 a.m.), Bob Bumbera (8:25–8:50 a.m.), Catbite (9:10–9:35 a.m.), Lucy Briggs (11:20–11:45 a.m.), Vinyl Club Member Chas Lockard (12:20–12:50 p.m.), Abby Nixon (2:20–2:45 p.m.), Noreen Scott Garrity (3:20–3:45 p.m.), Brian Divver (5:20–6:00 p.m.), Paige Walter (8:10–8:35 p.m.), Jared Styles (9:10–9:35 p.m.), Christiane Johnston (10:10–10:35 p.m.), and John Bartol (11:10 p.m.–midnight).
How to Listen to Vinyl Day on WXPN
Vinyl Day airs live on WXPN 88.5 FM Philadelphia on Thursday, April 9, beginning at midnight. The live vinyl cam streams at xpn.org, where you can watch hosts and guests cue up records in real time throughout the full 24 hours. If you’re a Philadelphia music fan who has been following what WXPN has been building lately, this is a natural companion to the station’s live event programming — see our coverage of WXPN Homegrown Live! 2026 for more on what the station is doing for local artists this year.
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