Cannon Township Welcomes More Than 150 Attendees to Second Annual Oh, Cannon Kids Rock!

Rockford, MI — More than 150 children, parents, grandparents and community members gathered at Cannon Township Center Park on Thursday, August 13, for the second annual Oh, Cannon Kids Rock! event.

The free, open house-style event was organized by Cannon Township Trustee Jessica Gutowski-Slaydon with support from community partners and volunteers. The event gave local children an opportunity to paint rocks that will become part of a growing community art installation in the park.

Local artist Jeff Grill, who developed the concept, prepared the rocks and guided young participants throughout the afternoon. More than 100 rocks were painted!

In addition to rock painting, families enjoyed a variety of educational and interactive activities. The Cannon Township Fire Department assisted with event setup and cleanup and provided a sprinkler for children to cool off. Prein & Newhof hosted an educational station focused on the Earth’s layers, while the Grand Valley Metropolitan Council provided a safety booth featuring light-up and reflective safety items for youth and adults.

The afternoon also included a free raffle, with iChiro Clinics generously donating raffle items.

Kids who attended also got to check off a box on their Youth, Summer Lingo, BINGO card, a fun summer activity organized by the Cannon Township Invasive Species Committee. The program runs through Labor Day weekend and encourages kids to complete a variety of outdoor activities throughout the community. Completed cards can be turned in at the Cannon Township Fire Department for a free sticker and an ice cream voucher to Cowlicks. BINGO cards can be downloaded at Cannontwp.gov.

Cannon Township extends its sincere appreciation to Jeff Grill, the Cannon Township Fire Department, Prein & Newhof, the Grand Valley Metropolitan Council, iChiro Clinics and everyone who attended for helping make the second annual event a success.

Oh, Cannon Kids Rock! was created to provide children with a fun, hands-on way to engage with their community while contributing to a lasting public art project. The painted rocks will be sealed and incorporated into the park’s growing labyrinth installation, allowing participating children to return in the future and see their own contribution as part of the larger project.

If you’d like to get involved for the 2027 event, kindly contact Jessica Gutowski-Slaydon at jslaydon@cannontwp.gov.