SALEM, Ore. — On Sunday, August 31, 2025, Riverfront Park hosted the fourth annual Punx in the Park festival, drawing over 1,000 attendees. The nonprofit Punx With Purpose hosted the free, all-ages event, which combined the raucous energy of punk music with direct outreach by providing more than 50 community resource booths for at-risk youth, food, and clothing.
The festival’s move to the larger Riverfront venue from its original home at Marion Square Park reflected its steady growth since launching in 2021. From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., the grounds became a hub of music, art and social services, complete with live performances from five youth-selected bands, including headliner Bazooka Sharkz. Attendees picked up free school supplies, clothing and shoes, while also accessing information from local nonprofits and agencies.
For founder and CEO Hailey Kelley, the event grew out of her own life. When asked what first sparked the idea, she said she started Punx in the Park “because there was no resource targeted for youth. Having experienced homelessness myself, I understood how they must feel and wanted to help them.” Kelley explained that although she never identified as a punk herself, she grew up surrounded by that culture and saw how it created a sense of belonging. “I grew up around punks, although I’m not a punk myself. That community offered acceptance to those who felt out of place—and I knew that spirit would resonate with youth who feel overlooked,” she said.
The scale of this year’s event underscored that vision. Kelley described the sight of Riverfront Park filled with families and teens as a milestone, noting that “it feels like accomplishment and pride—a really cool moment. At the event held on Sunday, August 31, 2025, we gave over 1,000 school supply kits, over 1,800 hygiene items, and were able to help so many kids directly. That impact, in that moment, makes it all worth it.”
Community leaders said the services provided were as vital as the music. Ryan Tribbett, a local business and civic leader, explained that he was impressed by how the organization connects with those who often fall through the cracks. He said, “I was drawn to them because of how they meet at-risk youth and homeless kids where they’re at. They make sure these kids know there are resources, opportunities, and people who want to see them succeed. Some of these kids don’t have anyone at home encouraging them or showing they care. Creating that kind of positive support is important, and I believe everyone deserves an opportunity to succeed.”
Tribbett added that the festival delivered more than good music. “This weekend we handed out 2,000 hygiene kits, 1,000 articles of clothing, 75 pairs of shoes, and 1,000 back-to-school kits. We also had more than 50 resource tents—everything from Acres of Hope to DHS—so kids could connect with services they may not even know exist. To make it fun, we gave them passports to collect stamps at each booth, and once they filled it up, they were entered into raffles for prizes. My firm even designed and built custom skateboards for the raffle. It’s really about giving them tools, resources, and a chance to learn how to navigate systems that can feel overwhelming.”
Punx in the Park is the signature program of Punx With Purpose, which also operates Stormie’s Place, a downtown resource center for youth navigating homelessness, poverty and trauma. Founded to create safe and inclusive spaces for young people, the nonprofit builds its outreach on the principle of empowerment through lived experience. By connecting punk culture’s ethos of acceptance with direct support, the festival has become a growing fixture in the region’s community calendar.
