Two Carbon County traditions raising money for the American Cancer Society will resume on Monday at the Lehighton Outdoor Center.

The annual ZooStock music festival in Lansford celebrated a successful 20-year run, raising tens of thousands of dollars for ACS each year. And before that, an annual charity whitewater rafting race would draw crowds of rafters to the Lehigh for the same cause.

On Labor Day Monday, the inaugural LOCStock festival will pick up where both events left off, and the event organizers hope to build on their success.

The event benefits ACS through cancertelethon.org.

Nine local bands will take the stage on the grounds of the Lehighton Outdoor Center starting at 11 a.m. and continuing into the evening, donating their talent to benefit the cancer society. The music will get underway as the teams complete the charity raft race.

Parking and admission for the festival is free.

The outdoor center is located along Sgt. Stanley Hoffman Boulevard in Lehighton.

Lehighton Outdoor Center Owner Jerry McAward was a young rafter when the race was in its heyday. McAward can recall dozens of rafts taking to the Lehigh each Independence Day for those races. When he decided to carry the torch from ZooStock, he wanted to bring it back.

“People would train for months. It was a cool Lehighton-Jim Thorpe event. Our hope is that it will gain that momentum again,” he said.

Since the race ended, the number of people using the Jim Thorpe-Lehighton stretch of the Lehigh on a summer day has grown significantly, so they decided to hold the race early in the morning instead of the traditional afternoon.

“That section is heavily rafted and tubed,” McAward said.

The outdoor center is donating its services and equipment to put on the race.

Teams of four to six rafters will be released onto the river one at a time and race against the clock. The water is expected to be lower than a normal dam release weekend. Entries are $50 per person, and rafters are also collecting pledges to raise even more.

Rafting teams can join the race right up until the start on Monday, but McAward said the earlier they sign up, the better.

A cyclist is also seeking pledges to sponsor him for a 65-mile ride which will take place during the festival. Gary Gray is continuing an annual tradition of riding his age in miles to mark his birthday.

Supporters can pledge funds to Gray and the raft race at cancertelethon.org.

The “finish line festival,” which includes the concert, will get underway just as the raft race concludes. Admission and parking is free.

Dale’s Concessions will be offering food and Gombert Amusements will have activities for kids including a bounce house and petting zoo.

“It will be more than just a concert,” McAward said. “The main objective is more money for the Cancer Society.”

Beer and wine will be served, and promotional Yuengling cups from the event will be available.

Guests can bring chairs and umbrellas/pop-ups to set up on the grounds of the outdoor center.

Throughout its 20 year run, ZooStock was known for food, fun, and tie-dye T-shirts. ZooStock T-shirts can be seen year round in Carbon County. McAward said that tradition will continue as well. The new shirts are LOCstock themed, but pay homage to the ZooStock tradition with the slogan “New zoo, same animals.”

Nine local bands will take the stage starting at noon for an hour set. The lineup includes Sterling Koch and the Freeway Jam (11 a.m.), Damian Walck (noon), Lyle Mantz (1 p.m.), Fallen Pride (2 p.m.), Ricky and the Ricardos (3 p.m.), Guilty by Choice (4 p.m.), The Local Boys (6 p.m.), Senile Delinquents (6 p.m.), and Flowers for Tacos (7 p.m.).

The event has the support of the dedicated volunteers who put on ZooStock, as well as founding platinum sponsor, Hiles Brothers Companies of Summit Hill.

Platinum sponsors of the event include St. Luke’s Gnaden Huetten Campus and Silberline Manufacturing. Additional support comes from the Carbon Chamber & Economic Development Corp. and the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. Yuengling is a promotional sponsor.