Rock the Block

Rock the Block is back and bigger than ever! This year, NBA star Chris Paul is teaming up with the city and the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership to stage Rock the Block with Chris Paul, Winston-Salem’s biggest end-of-summer street party yet, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, in downtown Winston-Salem. “I'm excited about supporting Winston-Salem’s signature event,” Paul said. “The Chris Paul Community Stage will showcase the best in local Hip-Hop, Gospel, R&B, and comedy talent.” In sponsoring the Chris Paul Community Stage, Paul is building on the relationship he formed with Rock the Block organizers in 2006, when he helped open the Jazz/R&B stage while he was in town for a fund-raiser for his charitable foundation. Moving Rock the Block to Saturday this year will give people more things to do, allow more vendors to participate and provide more opportunity for families to attend. The children’s area is expanding and moving to the lower level of the Benton Convention Center, allowing kids to play in climate-controlled comfort, rain or shine. Kids can still play as much as they want for just $1. Upstairs, the convention center will have a free craft show with more than 30 local and regional crafters, cooking and fitness/dance demonstrations by Lowes Foods and Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center's Best Health, and in the evening, a ticketed ($10) beach music concert featuring the Phase Band and the Catalinas. Along Fourth, Marshall, and Fifth Streets, Rock the Block will offer a free music on the Chris Paul Community Stage as well as three other stages presenting Rock & Blues, Country, the best Latino music in the Triad, a free BMX Bike show, a ticketed ($5) wine tasting festival, and food and merchandise vendors throughout the event.

Look for the Buffalo Gal's Soap & Dinner Time Chimes (our web-nanny) booth upstairs in the Benton Convention Center!