UPDATE: Rock the Block Organizers Cancel Summer Events

The organizers of Rock the Block, which moved its events to the Sunrise Mall this summer from downtown Casper last year have canceled the rest of its season. according to a statement they posted on their Facebook page on Tuesday.

"Rock the Block is an event for the community," the organizers wrote.

"We rely on the financial contributions of our sponsors to make this event possible. When key sponsors fail to meet their obligations, we are put in a difficult position," they wrote.

"Due to the failure of our key sponsors at Boomtown Blast and the Sunrise Shopping Center to meet their obligations with us, we can not financially continue to put on this event, and it will be canceled for the foreseeable future," they wrote.

Their statement did not offer any details about the "failure of our key sponsors."

Chuck Hawley, owner of Boomtown Blast and Matt Hawley of Property Management, said in a prepared statement that it was disappointed to hear about the cancellation.

But it was not responsible for the not-for-profit Rock the Block organizers' decision, they said, adding he was speaking for the Sunrise Shopping Center, too.

"As a community gathering space, we agreed to host this community event by providing a no-cost venue, facilities, restrooms, and related infrastructure, as well as coordinate permitting for the event.

"Boomtown Blast was not informed nor agreed to any additional requirement to serve as a major sponsor to pay for services such as sound and lighting staffing, rental equipment and ancillary services provided a separate, private 'for-profit' company associated with Rock the Block that supported the facilitation of the event, which has led to the unfortunate cessation of our relationship with Rock the Block," they said.

Even so, they wished Rock the Block the best.

Rock the Block had taken its share of knocks in recent years including the COVID-19 lockdown and the ownership change of the Yellowstone Garage Bar, Grill and Venue.

But on May 1, its organizers announce that it would relocate to the Sunrise Shopping Center, 4000 S. Poplar St.

Its first event on May 31 with music, vendors, food trucks and a bouncy house attracted about 1,200 people, according to the Rock the Block Facebook page.

But the success was short-lived, and Rock the Block announced the cancellation "for the foreseeable future."