Rock Out in the Park will return to Alice Pleasant Park on June 13, bringing live music, family activities and community support to downtown Craig from 1 to 9:30 p.m.

Now entering its third year, the festival has grown from a grassroots music fundraiser into a summer event that organizers say residents and peformers have come to anticipate. Hosted by Partners for Youth, Rock Out in the Park supports local youth programming while creating a space for families, musicians, businesses and volunteers to gather around a common cause.

“When Rock Out In The Park first launched, the goal was simply to create something unique for our community that combined great live music with a meaningful cause,” said Nick Cocozzella, event organizer and Partners for Youth board member. “Over the last three years, it’s really grown into something people genuinely look forward to each summer, and that’s been rewarding to watch.”

This year’s event will feature live music across two stages throughout the day. Performing artists include Wordan Jilson and The Wild Bunch, Graveyard Choir, Elektric Animals and Jorden Harms, along with additional local, regional and national performers.

Cocozzella said the expanded lineup is one sign of the festival’s growth.

“What I’m probably most proud of is the quality and depth of this year’s lineup,” he said. “We’ll have 10 bands performing across two stages, which means there will be live music happening throughout the entire event. No matter what time someone shows up, there’s going to be a band playing somewhere in the park, and that creates a really fun energy all day long.”

While Rock Out in the Park is built around music, its purpose remains tied to Partners for Youth and its work with young people across in Routt and Moffat counties.

Funds raised through the festival directly support the organization’s School-Based Mentoring program and Moffat County Youth Action Council. According to Partners for Youth Development and Marketing Manager Emory Keel, that support helps cover weekly meetings, meals, youth activities, supplies and events offered at no cost to youth or families.

“These experiences create safe, supportive spaces where youth can build positive relationships with peers and trusted adults, strengthen mentor-mentee connections and develop a greater sense of belonging within their schools and communities,” Keel said. “Rock Out In The Park helps ensure local youth continue to have access to meaningful opportunities that support their well-being, confidence and resilience.”

Youth leadership also will be visible throughout the festival. A member of the Moffat County Youth Action Council is expected to perform as part of the lineup, and several MCYAC members have helped shape activities for the event, including the return of the popular dunk tank and new youth-led options for attendees.

Keel said the event gives the community a chance to see young people participating as well as leading.

“Rock Out In The Park is a great opportunity to showcase the leadership, creativity and impact of MCYAC youth,” Keel said. “Youth voice is at the center of MCYAC. Members identify the topics, projects and community engagement efforts they want to pursue, including their recent youth-led adult education classes.”

MCYAC has recently focused on issues such as tobacco use, anxiety and depression, which youth members identified as important areas for community discussion and support. The group recently completed a series of youth-led adult education courses on those subjects.

This year’s presenting sponsor is RAS-Col, a partnership Keel said is especially meaningful because of the organization’s work around substance use prevention and education. Keel said sponsorships and community partnerships are essential not only for staging the event, but for sustaining youth-focused work throughout the year.

“They not only sustain events like Rock Out In The Park, but also demonstrate a shared commitment to helping local youth thrive, build resilience and face life’s challenges with support and connection,” Keel said.

Local businesses, sponsors and volunteers also help make the festival possible through financial support, donated items, setup, cleanup and event activities. Attendees can participate in a silent auction featuring donations from local businesses and community partners.

The event also will include vendors, food options and family-friendly attractions.

Cocozzella said the atmosphere is designed to allow people to experience the festival in different ways, whether they stay all day, stop in for a few bands or bring their families for part of the afternoon.

“At its core, Rock Out In The Park is a live music festival,” he said. “The focus is creating a fun, high-quality music experience where people can enjoy great bands and a great atmosphere in a safe environment.”

Last year’s event drew more than 500 attendees. While organizers expect attendance to be similar or slightly larger this year, Cocozzella said keeping the experience intimate and accessible remains important.

“Part of what makes this festival special is the experience people have being so close to the music and the performers,” he said. “That intimate atmosphere is really the heart of Rock Out In The Park.”

For Cocozzella, whose music industry background helped shape the festival, the event’s growing reputation is tied to authenticity.

“When artists have a good experience here, word spreads pretty quickly,” he said. “A festival like this takes a tremendous amount of work behind the scenes, so it feels good to see something being built that both the community and the performers are genuinely proud to be a part of.”

For first-time attendees, Keel said organizers hope the takeaway is that Rock Out in the Park is both a celebration and a reflection of the community’s investment in youth.

“Most importantly, we hope people see the positive impact of Partners for Youth programming through the youth-led activities, community involvement and strong sense of connection present throughout the event,” Keel said.

For more information, visit PartnersYouth.org/Rock-Out-In-The-Park.