The second annual benefit for United Fund of Surry, Downtown Rocks!, will feature an area just for kids and those who are kids at heart.

The benefit, which will take place Saturday from 7 to 11 p.m. at 400 Franklin St., will bring attendees music, food and plenty of entertainment for the $10 admission price for those 11-years-old and up.

The Kids Rock Yard should be a popular place during the evening with 50-cent tickets buying people a go at the dunking booth, a chance at a basketball throw, a chance to try their luck at gold “fishing” and a number of arts and crafts projects. It will also help to separate the kids’ activities from the beer and wine garden and the stage area.

A fire truck, police car, National Guard Armory vehicle and one of the new Charger’s used by the Surry County Sheriff’s Office will be on display, something that usually draws a crowd.

“It’s more than just music this time,” said Sonia Dickerson, one of the coordinators of the event.

The dunking booth may be a popular spot not just for kids as the sign up list for a turn in the wet seat includes Surry County Sheriff Graham Atkinson, Surry County Schools Superintendent Dr. Ashley Hinson, North Surry High Principal Bill Goins, Mount Airy Middle Principal Joey Hearl, Jones Intermediate Principal Chad Beasley and Mount Airy High Coach Donald Price.

A few of the numerous organizations served by United Fund of Surry will be volunteering the area with booths dedicated to arts and crafts.

“We are doing something very simple and something that all kids love — we are doing tattoos,” said Surry SCAN Director Melissa Hiatt. “We have hippie tattoos and flowers and sports and many other things.”

Surry Stop Child Abuse Now receives funding from United Fund of Surry to help with its Thursday morning coffee group, which provides parents with group peer counseling, as well as for the parent aide program, which actually sends people into the home.

“Kids are our business and we love spending time with kids. I think kids are what United Fund is about anyway,” said Hiatt. “It’s about strengthening the community. I think that any event that supports the United Fund is a great thing.”

Surry Friends of Youth will also have a booth at the event in the Kids Rock Yard. The organization receives money from United Fund of Surry to match state funding in order to operate its programs.

“We’re doing I guess what you would call party masks,” said Director Clyde Stewart. “They’re blank and kids can color on them and glue things like feathers on them. Since we work with kids, we thought we’d do something for them. United Fund has always been very generous to us over the years.”

The Children’s Center of Surry will have a booth set up for kids to make their own sand art.

“It just seems like kids really like making their own unique things,” said Santana Zurita, administrative assistant. “We like working with kids and making them happy. I hope there will be a huge turnout since all ages can do stuff there.”

Organizers of the event and volunteers hope to see a big turnout for the event, which will also feature the music of NF52, Mid-life Crisis and Mediocre Bad Guys, and will be held rain or shine.

Food and drinks, including BBQ sandwiches, hot dogs, popcorn, chips and snow cones, will be on sale for $1 each. There will also be a beer and wine garden available for $2 per serving.

“I know last year was a big success, and I feel like this year will be, too,” said Hiatt. “Maybe the community can learn more about United Fund. It’s a good family fun event that will not cost you very much. The kids area will make it a little more family-friendly.”

Chase Crossingham and Keith Seivers with Wells Fargo Advisors are providing free T-shirts to the first 240 attendees ages 11 and up. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. and attendees are encouraged to bring a chair.

Contact Morgan Wall at mwall@mtairynews.com or 719-1929.