City of Rochester
News Release
(Monday, June 20, 2016) – Lovely A. Warren announced today that Rochester will be rockin’ again this summer with ROC THE PARK Music Festival at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park. In its third year, this family-friendly series features the finest local and regional talent over three days this summer: Saturday, July 23; Saturday, August 6; and Saturday, September 3.
New this year, the City, Carlton Wilcox Live and the Rochester’s Hispanic Heritage Committee will kick off the festival with “Latino Family Night.” This event features salsa, merengue and Latin jazz coupled with local Latino cuisine on July 23. Patrons will enjoy music by the Luis Carrion Trio and Sammy Pressure, and headliners Next Level and Afrikando will keep the crowds dancing with their blend of funk R&B and salsa soul.
“ROC THE PARK is becoming a Downtown event that families look forward to in the summer and we’re happy to bring the music festival back again this year, with a few new additions,” said Mayor Warren. “The Latino Family Night is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, along with two other music-filled days featuring tributes to R&B, Motown and soul. I invite the community to come out and experience the music, dance and have a good time. Special events such as this bolster our efforts to create more jobs, safer, more vibrant neighborhoods and ultimately better educational opportunities for our children.”
The August 6 concert brings back the “ROC Rhythm & Groove R&B Tribute” with performances by Becca Nyerges, Brian Christopher and 2015 Roc Award-winning artist Joy Little. The newly-formed Prince Tribute Band, comprised of a collection of artists, will perform music of the late icon. The Suburban Plaza and Buffalo’s “The Trinity” will headline this event. The Trinity is the backing band for Jazz Legend Najee and its musicians are some of the most sought after in the nation.
To celebrate the end of the summer, the highly anticipated, “Motown & Soul Tribute” happens Labor Day weekend, September 3, and is bigger and better than ever. Patrons will celebrate Motown favorites and soul music paying tribute to such artists as James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Earth Wind & Fire. ROC THE PARK invites you to a musical experience like no other with local favorites Mitty & The Followers and the return of “Mr. Roc The Park” himself, saxophonist Will Holton. Headlining this event will be Rochester’s premier party band Shine and the Roc City Soul All Stars with The Carlton Wilcox Live Band.
Gates open at 5 p.m. for all events and the music starts at 6 p.m. General admission tickets are $6 and VIP tickets, which include admission and dinner, are available at the gate only for $20. Kids ages 12 and under are free. Guests may bring chairs and one sealed bottle of water per person. Smoking is not permitted in the park.
ROC THE PARK is sponsored by the City in conjunction with Roc Music Entertainment, Carton Wilcox Live, 103.9 WKDX and Vickers Design Studio.
For ticket information and more details, call (585) 966-9650 or (585) 503-6270, email carltonwilcoxlive@gmail.com, or visit www.rocthepark.com.
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Media contact: Press Officer Jessica Alaimo, (585) 428-7135.