OUR HEARTS HEROES Get ready to rock and roll in Port Aransas this weekend at Sandstock.

The one-day family-friendly Christian music festival is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 26, at Jerry McDonald Field from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Nationally recognized bands as well as regional and local bands in a variety of genres whose music and way of life reflect a Christian lifestyle will be featured. Eleven bands are scheduled to perform, but more may participate.

Among bands scheduled to perform are Our Hearts Hero, Guest (a brother and sister duo who are former members of Jump Five, one of the first Disney pop groups), and The Museum, as well as Silhouette of the Savior (SOS), Scripture 11, Debra Scott and Prophecy, Ozias, Steven Hansen and the Wounded Dog Choir, the James Roots Band, Young Proph, and two Port Aransas bands, The Core and Alias Harte and Jones. Music will start at 10:15 a.m.

The festival is free, although an admission ticket will be required. Tickets are available at www.sandstock.com and at the gate the day of the festival. Ticket registration online has already exceeded expectations, according to organizer Ken Yarbrough. Attendance may exceed 1,000. People have registered from all over the state, including El Paso, Amarillo and Beaumont. As of press time, 628 tickets had been registered through the Website. Add to that the number who have expressed interest on Facebook and attendance could be more than 1,200.

Registration for tickets online includes a printable coupon for $2 off the purchase of a Sandstock t-shirt.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Port Aransas Helping Hands Food Pantry as well as youth and winter programs sponsored by Community Presbyterian Church. Yarbrough said he hopes some of the funds raised will help to jumpstart a community teen afterschool program.

Fees will be charged for food and beverages, amusements, and festival merchandise.

In addition to the music, Sandstock will offer rides, arts, crafts, food areas, a free children’s tent for ages 12 and under, “bouncy houses,” a Velcro® wall, a rock wall, an obstacle course, a puppeteer, face painting and more.

The free children’s area will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Two special activities are scheduled for that area; fish prints at 1 p.m. and seashell art at 3 p.m. Continuing activities will include a variety of crafts, a “duck pond,” fishing and face painting and much more.

22 vendors of arts, crafts and food will participate.

Eight speakers are scheduled, including Rev. Doug Schwertz of Trinity-bythe Sea in Port Aransas; Pastor William Campbell of the First Baptist Church in Port Aransas; Wade Grassianado from Young Life; Rev. Richard Safford of the Community Presbyterian Church in Port Aransas; Billy Adams from Teen Challenge, and Pastor Dave Lescaleet from City Church.

The Coastal Bend Blood Center mobile unit will also be at the festival all day, accepting blood donations.

Visitors to the festival may bring lawn chairs and blankets, but no ice chests. No outside food or beverages will be allowed.

Two Sandstock t-shirts with autographs from all of the performing bands will be given away in a prize drawing at the festival.

Four levels of sponsorship, from $2,500 to $250, are available. Businesses or individuals that would like to become a Sandstock sponsor may contact Lisa Shelton at (361) 249-6792, or Mike Jones at (361) 232-8615. To make smaller donations, visit the website and click on the “angel button.”

Volunteers are needed for everything from taking tickets and directing traffic to driving shuttles. Volunteers should fill out the volunteer registration form on the Web site or call the church office, 749-5319.

Sandstock will be live-tweeting the event from http://twitter.com/sandstockporta. Updates with times as bands take the stage, kids’ events and other information will be available all day.

Those without Twitter can find live updates on Facebook or signup for text messages from the Web site http://sandstock. com

For more information, visit www. sandstock.com.