Summer is just warming up in the City of South Euclid, as organizers prepare for the 10th anniversary of Rock the Block—the city’s signature summer music and food festival known as “South Euclid’s biggest party.”

Rock the Block, presented by Röchling, will be held on Friday, Aug. 23 and Saturday, Aug. 24 in the St. John Lutheran Church parking lot, 4386 Mayfield Road, and on Mayfield Road in South Euclid’s downtown district.

To celebrate 10 years, Rock the Block is expanding its footprint and taking the party to the street.  

“Since this is our big 10 year anniversary, we're going big,” says Daniel Subwick, South Euclid director of parks and recreation. “Typically, we just shut down a portion of the street for Saturday, but we’re closing three lanes of Mayfield Road between Victory Drive and Sheffield Road. We will use it as an all-encompassing event space with St. John Lutheran Church being the focal point.”

The event brings non-stop live music from seven local popular bands on two stages, a fleet of food trucks, games, exhibits, and activities for all ages.

Subwick says Rock the Block has evolved into a can’t miss event over the past decade, which now attracts upwards of 3,000 people over the two days.

Apostle Jones - South Euclid Rock the BlockThe sights and sounds

Subwick says Rock the Block has grown so popular because, at least in part, of the local restaurants and food trucks and musical acts.

“Pretty much from beginning to end of the event is a ton of fun,” he says. “We have some of Cleveland's best artists, we really do. And we have some of Cleveland's best food trucks—we keep bringing them back because they're great community partners.”

Subwick boasts that the event has “nonstop music.”

“We have a main stage and then we have a side stage—so once one band is done on one of the stages, the other one starts,” he says. “So we really are able to provide attendees nonstop music.”

The bands this year include Apostle Jones and LoConti on Friday night; Hubbs Groove, The Michael Weber Show, and Discovery Band, which has roots in South Euclid, playing Saturday afternoon; Burning River kicking off the evening, followed by headliner Carlos Jones and the P.L.U.S. Band.

Subwick says Carlos Jones has played Rock the Block many times over the years, but this will be the band’s first time as headliner. “They always bring such a fun, positive vibe to the event,” he says. “They have an incredible following. Carlos has been around for years and he’s really keeping reggae alive in Cleveland. It's been great working with them, and we love having them.”

Another musical highlight occurs at 6:15 p.m. on Saturday, when  Black Forest Bar and Grill, South Euclid’s oldest bar, will host the Black Foret Karaoke Contest, with a $1,000 prize for the winner. Subwick adds that a silent disco under the main tent closes out the music for the evening on Saturday night.

Antonelli's - South Euclid Rock the BlockAll the dancing to these great bands is sure to work up an appetite, so a wide array of food trucks will be on site, including Carter's BBQ, Celestial Treats CLE, D'Antonelli's handcrafted pizza, Squash the Beef vegan cuisine, and The Urban Wrap Co. There will also be a full bar serving beer, wine, cocktails and other beverages.

"We have everything to satisfy all appetites and allergies," promises Subwick, adding that the event strives to be family-friendly with activities like inflatables, face painting, a rock climbing wall, gaming truck, bubbles, and a reptile exhibit.

Additionally, Subwick says a South Euclid resident who owns and operates a gaming truck—complete with televisions and different gaming systems—will be on site. “Kids love that opportunity to get out of the sun and go hang out and play some video games together,” Subwick says.

A sense of community

Rock the Block began in 2014 when Tony Caroscio, a lifelong South Euclid resident, former City Council member, and South Euclid Browns Barkers founder, approached South Euclid planning and development director Michael Love with the idea of bringing a festival to the city’s Downtown District at Mayfield and Green Roads.

“At the time, the city had not done Home Days, our former big festival, since 2008, due to the financial climate that we were in,” Love recalls. “By 2015, we were just beginning that recovery, and we really wanted to bring back community events—specifically a signature community event.”

Love was sold on the idea. “Tony and I approached the mayor and the city administration,” Love recalls, “and we said, ‘let's find a way to do this. Let's find a way to bring an event to Mayfield and Green.’”

Rock the Block began that summer and has grown exponentially over the past decade—beginning with about 600 attendees that first year to nearly 3,000 today.

“It's really amazing how much the event has grown and how much it's expanded beyond not only being a signature event for South Euclid, but really a signature regional event for northeast Ohio,” says Love, “This is what we always really wanted to see. It was the vision of Tony Caroscio, his vision of the city coming together. The biggest takeaway is we really wanted to focus on bringing that energy to downtown South Euclid, having a signature event, and creating a sense of community.

South Euclid Rock the BlockLocal business support

Röchling is the presenting sponsor because the plastic fabrication company, located in South Euclid’s industrial district on the north side of the city, has such an important presence, Subwick says.

“They’ve expanded their operations and added more jobs to our local economy,” he says, “and they were very generous in their donation to Rock the Block.”

Nonprofit CDC One South Euclid is the fiscal sponsor of Rock the Block, and NextDoor Urgent Care and Dollar Bank are platinum sponsors, among other sponsoring organizations.

As the fiscal sponsor, One South Euclid is responsible for securing resources and sponsorships, as well as working to elevate Rock the Block and interact with residents, says executive director Annette Iwamoto.

“It's probably our best opportunity to engage with the community,” she says of Rock the Block. “Last year, we asked people for their thoughts on how we can improve placemaking in the Mayfield-Green District.”

She says the feedback prompted One South Euclid to improve the pocket park at the corner of Mayfield and Green and begin bringing public art into the community. She says she and her staff will be asking for feedback again this year.  

One South Euclid also brings local makers, vendors, and nonprofit groups to Rock the Block to sell their crafts and promote their causes.

“It's great to see not just the music, but all of the vendors that are there who are selling local crafts as well as some of the community organizations that come out,” Iwamoto says. “It's just an overall great community event, and we're glad that we're able to support it.”

Sheya Lewin, founder of the Indie Green Market, which residents know from its presence at Bexley Park on Wrenford Road the last Sunday of the month, has been a critical part of bringing vendors to Rock the Block.

“Sheya really helps us reach high quality artisan vendors,” says Subwick. “They just have a great reach and great marketing. We're happy that we're able to collaborate with them.”

Time for change

Although Rock the Block will be taking over Mayfield Road, as well as St. John’s Church this year, Subwick says it is time for a change.

“This year will be the final Rock the Block at the St. John Lutheran Church location before moving to the South Euclid Food Truck Park on Rushton Road,” he says. “We're very grateful for everything St. John’s has done over these past ten years. We're excited to have one final big party.”