COMMUNITY News:

The Inaugural Co-op Summer Showcase opens at 6 p.m. Friday, May 15, with local rock band Baggage Claim. All concerts will be held at Co-op Park adjacent to the Los Alamos Schools Credit Union at 1010 Central Ave.

This free concert series offers music from local musicians at an outside venue as opening acts for the main Friday summer concert series.

This is a true community concert series that features only local musicians. The purpose of this series is to build community spirit and to raise awareness for a new non-profit organization that will bring local music events such as this series and the Winter Rock Festival.

Shows are typically 5:45-6:30 p.m. on Fridays. A short walk will bring attendees from this stage to Ashley Pond Park in time for the larger concerts. Everyone is invited to enjoy local music and support the food and vendors at this community venue.

Anyone interested in supporting the organization, performing at the series, being a vendor, or helping with the shows, please contact Paul Peterson at ppeterson2112@gmail.com.

Visit “Los Alamos Co-op Summer Showcase” on Facebook.

Co-op Summer Showcase Details

Introduction

The summer of 2026 is the inaugural season of the Los Alamos Co-op Summer Showcase

This summer launches a new summer concert series on Friday evenings. The goal of this series is to provide local talent a chance to perform on Friday evenings at an outside venue. Each act performing throughout the summer has a direct tie to Los Alamos. The music planned will be diverse in nature in style, performers, and size. Performers include seasoned musicians, new rock bands, jazz bands, singer-songwriters, and others. Another goal of this first season is to build relationships with the community, especially with local businesses and organizations, so that this series can grow. All shows will be at the Co-op Park next to the Los Alamos Schools Credit Union and across from Boomerang.

First Year Goals

We want to form relationships and possible partnerships with local businesses and organizations

The management is looking for potential sponsorships and business partnerships to help boost this event. The ask is modest for this first year since it is not known how this series will be received. The hope is that the community will come see the acts and then walk down to see the main shows at the Pond. Co-op Park is less than a 10-minute walk from Ashley Pond. The organization managing this series is also responsible for the Winter Rock Festival, which was held for the first time this past February.

What Will Sponsorships Be Used For

Sponsorship funds will be used for: advertising, musician compensation, and logistical assistance. The aim is to provide each act with compensation of $300. This is to attract future talent and to encourage continued performances from local musicians. Advertising includes social media exposure, press releases, and photography.

Why Sponsor?

Helping this series is helping the community. For many local musicians, it is difficult to get venues to perform. This series is specifically designed to give local acts a chance to perform and to grow a following. We aim to get a combination of established musicians as well as novice musicians and new acts.

This series is a great opportunity to advertise your business through social media, newspaper, and perhaps radio. Vendors and food trucks are permitted to sell on-site, and we can offer additional space
for vendors that cannot find space at the main concert series. This is an opportunity for new food trucks and vendors to boost their own sales. This series can boost local traffic downtown on Fridays earlier in the evening, which may expand options for businesses, especially in between the Co-op show and the Ashley Pond show. We are in process of building a website. This website can also be used to boost
advertisements and interest for the concert series. The organization that brings this summer event also hosts the Los Alamos Winter Rock Festival. This festival is a separate event that includes multiple acts performing. for local charitable organizations and youth programs.

Sponsor Benefit Summary

• Inclusion on all advertising and marketing materials including company logos, vocal call outs, and signage
• Inclusion on new website with hyperlinks to your business
• Inclusion on social media promotional events
• Inclusion on print media
• Supporting local musicians
• Promotion throughout the concert series at the venue itself

Other Benefits

You will have a direct say on future acts for subsequent shows, including at the Winter Rock Festival, which will be in February 2027. For events that involve fundraising for charities, sponsors get free tickets and early access including additional advertising.

Venue

The co-op stage is located at 1010 Central Avenue in Los Alamos, NM next to the Los Alamos Schools Credit Union. The stage resides in an 80’ x 80’ green space that is less than a 10-minute walk from
Ashley Pond. Shows will be finished by 6:30 p.m. to allow plenty of time for the audience to go to the main show. Shows will start at 5:45 p.m. and the shows will last about 45 minutes.

The Co-op Park opened in 2021 through the efforts of the Keep It Co-Op organization, which includes six organizations: Bathtub Row Brewing, Del Norte Credit Union, Little Forest Playschool, Los Alamos Coop Market, Los Alamos Schools Credit Union, and Zia Credit Union. This group has worked to make this park a reality through extensive fundraising and community support. This concert series is only possible through their efforts. This series is a community event that fits into their scope of having this park be used for community purposes.

Host

The co-op stage is located next to the Los Alamos Schools Credit Union on Central Ave. in dwntown Los Alamos. They have been providing high quality financial services to the educational community in Los Alamos County. They are a $21 million financial institution that serves nearly 1,800 members. As a financial cooperative, Los Alamos Schools Credit Union provides financial products and services that features attractive rates with less fees than what is generally offered at other financial institutions. Since the Credit Union is member-owned and Los Alamos County in their home, they are actively involved in school and community related projects.

We are exceedingly grateful to Matt Schmidt, CEO of Los Alamos Schools Credit Union for hosting this series. Their website is: www.lascu.org.

Program

The program for the first series is shaping up very quickly and is still in progress.

This is the program as of Friday:

• May 15: 6–7 p.m. Baggage Claim (rock band) (kick-off event)
• May 22: 5:45–6:30 p.m. Lane Stevens (singer/songwriter)
• May 29: 5:45–6:30 p.m. LA Jazz Project (Quemazon group)
• June 5: 5:45–6:30 p.m. Los Alamos Jazz Quartet
• June 12: 5:45–6:30 p.m. Kiss My Chaos (rock band)
• June 19: 5:45–6:30 p.m. OPEN
• June 26: 5:45–6:30 p.m. Set In Stone (rock band)
• July 3 NO SHOW
• July 10: 5:45–6:30 p.m. OPEN
• July 17: 5:45–6:30 p.m. Set In Stone (rock band)
• July 24: 5:45–6:30 p.m. Escape on a Horse (rock band)
• July 31: 5:45–6:30 p.m. Baggage Claim (rock band)
• Aug. 7: 5:45–6:30 p.m. OPEN
• Aug. 14: 5:45–6:30 p.m. New Beginnings Worship (choir)
• Aug. 21: 5:45–6:30 p.m. OPEN

There are several music acts still in discussion for booking. Concerts will go through August. The program may change due to weather and availability.

Vendors / Food Trucks

There is space available for food trucks and vendors. We ask for a $50 donation per food truck per event and a $20 donation from vendors to set up at the park per event. Vendors should provide their own tables or tents. These funds will be used to help support the concert series. See the map below for food truck and vendor locations.

Food trucks and vendors should be ready for business by 5:20 p.m. The area will be coned off in the early afternoon. Please contact Paul for more information. When multiple food trucks or an expected overflow of vendors are scheduled, a county permit will be necessary.

Other Ways to Help

Volunteers are also needed to help run the shows in terms of logistical and technical support. This includes assistance with advertising, stage setup, musician interactions, and stage cleanup. Please contact Paul for more information.

How to Sponsor / Contact Information

All sponsorship discussions will go through Paul Peterson at ppeterson2112@gmail.com or call/text at 850.570.3674. We have a modest goal of raising $5,000 for this concert series. This will support advertising, logistics, compensation for the musicians, and support for the venue.

About Us

The goals of this organization are:

• Provide local musicians and artists with performance venues and opportunities;
• Use musical events to raise funds for charitable purposes; and
• Assist in musical education by helping musicians find instructors, providing space for band practices, and providing performance opportunities.

This organization will operate the Co-op Summer Showcase to highlight local music, enable new followers for musicians, and build community spirit. The Winter Rock Festival will also be operated by this organization and will feature multiple musicians and be used exclusively as a fundraiser for local charities and organizations. This organization is run by Paul Peterson, a member of the band Baggage Claim, and an employee at LANL. One goal this summer is to submit this organization as a new non-profit and to obtain 501c3 status. He is looking for potential partners to form a board for submission and to assist in running. This organization is in talks to host a large charitable fundraising music festival at the Bridge
at Santa Fe Brewing in the summer of 2027.

The co-op stage adjacent to Los Alamos Schools Credit Union at 1010 Central Ave. Courtesy image

Map of Co-op Park adjacent to the Los Alamos Schools Credit Union at 1010 Central Ave. Courtesy image