Rock Out in the Park Returns to Craig on June 13

Nick Cocozzella didn’t start Partners for Youth to build a festival. He started it to create something unique for Craig that combined live music with a meaningful cause. Now, that cause is drawing crowds to Alice Pleasant Park.

Rock Out in the Park returns on June 13. It’s the third year the event has taken over the downtown park, running from 1 to 9:30 p.m. What began as a grassroots music fundraiser has matured into a summer staple. Residents and performers alike anticipate it. It’s no longer just a concert; it’s a community anchor.

Let’s look at the scale. This year, the festival features 10 bands across two stages. That’s not a background playlist. That’s continuous live music from noon until close. Cocozzella, who is both an event organizer and a Partners for Youth board member, says the quality and depth of the lineup are what he’s most proud of. You show up at 2 p.m., and there’s a band. You show up at 8 p.m., and there’s still a band. The energy doesn’t dip. It sustains.

The lineup includes Wordan Jilson and The Wild Bunch, Graveyard Choir, Elektric Animals, and Jorden Harms, alongside other local, regional, and national acts. But the music is the vehicle, not the destination. The engine is Partners for Youth, an organization serving young people across Routt and Moffat counties.

The money raised here isn’t going into a general fund or a CEO’s bonus. It goes directly to specific, tangible programs. The festival supports the School-Based Mentoring program and the Moffat County Youth Action Council (MCYAC). Emory Keel, the organization’s Development and Marketing Manager, breaks down exactly where those dollars go: weekly meetings, meals, supplies, and activities. All of it offered at no cost to the youth or their families.

This isn’t abstract charity. It’s operational funding.

Keel notes that these funds create safe, supportive spaces. They build positive relationships between peers and trusted adults. They strengthen mentor-mentee connections. The goal is simple: give local youth access to opportunities that build well-being, confidence, and resilience. In a rural county where resources can be stretched thin, that access is the difference between isolation and engagement.

Youth leadership isn’t just a slogan on a press release. It’s visible on the ground. A member of the Moffat County Youth Action Council is set to perform. That’s not a token appearance. MCYAC members helped shape the activities, including the return of the popular dunk tank and new youth-driven initiatives. The young people aren’t just the beneficiaries; they’re the architects of the event’s culture.

The logistical footprint is manageable but significant. Alice Pleasant Park is the venue. It’s central. It’s accessible. It’s where Craig gathers. The event relies on volunteers, local businesses, and the community’s willingness to show up. There’s no massive corporate sponsorship model being highlighted here. It’s a community-funded ecosystem.

For context, consider the alternative. If this funding dried up, who pays for the meals? Who pays for the supplies? Who pays for the mentors to meet with the kids every week? The festival covers those recurring costs. It turns a one-time donation into sustained programming.

The bottom line is straightforward. You pay for a ticket or a beer, and that money keeps the School-Based Mentoring program running. It keeps the youth council active. It ensures that when a kid in Moffat County needs a mentor or a safe place to hang out after school, the resources are there. It’s not just a party. It’s a funding mechanism with a live band. And for the kids in the park, it’s the difference between having a voice and being ignored.