Stereotype Nation are part of the lineup of Seattle kids planning to rock Volunteer Park (Image: Stereotype Nation)

This Sunday’s forecast is calling for a sunny 72 degree day, perfect conditions to lay out a blanket in Volunteer Park and listen to some free (family friendly) music. Seattle Teen Music is hosting their third annual Party in the Park this Sunday at the Volunteer Park amphitheater. The concert will feature at least eight young bands starting at noon and wrapping up around 6 PM.

Jon Sherrer co-founded Seattle Teen Music with his daughter in 2008 with the aim of getting more young musicians on professional stages. The two started Party in the Park as an end-of-the-summer showcase for bands who played STM shows throughout the year. This year Seattle Teen Music has put on over 100 concerts with some 500 teen musicians.

Sherrer said the mostly rock/indie bands will play at least half original songs. He said the park’s amphitheater will be outfitted with a top notch sound system for a loud and clear performance. Here’s a list of this year’s confirmed line-up:

School of Rock
Sophia Duccini
SevenDials
Bleach Bear
Eleven o7
Dead End Friend
Destination Unknown
Stereotype Nation

The Party in the Park is also STM’s only major fundraiser of the year. While funded entirely on its own, the Party in the Park is run in association with the Seattle Peace Concerts. STM is a 501(c)(3) non-profit supported by the local arts group Shunpike.

Sherrer and his daughter Megan launched STM in 2008 when Megan was just 14. The project came out of a conversation Sherrer had with Megan and  his younger son, who wanted to start a rock band and put on a show.

“I told them if you can pull off a professional 24 song set, I’ll throw a party in the back yard and I’ll even pay you for the entertainment. But it’s got to be professional,” Sherrer said.

The party was a hit, and his kids were itching for their next gig. Sherrer said he started looking around at venues, but soon realized there were very few that would host teen musicians. He and his daughter, now a senior at Seattle University, launched STM to get more under-21 bands up on stage.

“Like anyone, if you give teens the vision of where you want to go, they’ll get it done,” Sherrer said. “We set a table, they bring the music.”