DERRY — What was first intended to be a one-time gathering of rock bands and close ones has stacked the pizza boxes for a decade, becoming one of the town’s signature summer events.
Pizzastock took the stage Saturday, celebrating its 10th anniversary beside Pinkerton Academy’s football field. Live music, community organizations and local residents shared the green as well as a commitment to supporting mental health awareness.
The annual event, held from noon to 6 p.m., capped a milestone for the town’s beloved festival and the largest fundraiser for the Jason R. Flood Memorial, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting suicide prevention among local youths.
The music continued nonstop throughout the afternoon, with 12 bands rotating between two stages, keeping a steady bass line over the festival grounds as visitors wandered among food vendors, nonprofit tables and family activities.
Groups such as Punching Pedestrians, Spectrum, Paradox, The Hand Me Downs and Rite of Passage played for the crowd. Southern New Hampshire band Suckerpunch energized festivalgoers early in the day, covering classics like “Zombie” by The Cranberries and “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac.
Hungry customers lined up for a slice of Kendall Pond Pizza while others grabbed frozen treats from Just Chill’n Cool Treats. Heaven’s Kitchen dished out trays and plates of chicken wings, smash burgers, whoopie pies and, of course, pizza.
At Karthasville Gameland, a backyard-style recreation area created specifically for Pizzastock, kids kept busy tossing cornhole bags and swinging wiffleball bats.
Other tents showcased regional businesses and vendors such as NH Guitars and Pumpkin Wall Farm.
Beyond the entertainment, the festival’s mission was visible with a Community Service Row that featured about 20 organizations offering mental health and wellness resources. This included groups such as NAMI New Hampshire, Stay; For Life, Salem Family Resources and New Futures.
Merchandise tents and raffle baskets helped raise additional money for organizations, including Sonshine Soup Kitchen and the Boys & Girls Club.
Pizzastock was founded by Douglas and Danielle Flood through the Jason R. Flood Memorial to honor their son Jason, who died by suicide at age 18 in 2016.
Now in its 10th year, Douglas Flood said the family never expected the memorial concert to grow the way it has.
“It was supposed to be just one and done,” he said. “It was something that we knew Jason and his friends wanted to do in high school.”
After Jason’s death, Flood said his son’s friends approached the family about organizing an event in his memory – a bash filled with local bands rocking out and loved ones splitting large pizzas. The gathering took off much faster than expected, however.
Floor described the first event as a “perfect healing moment,” prompting him and his wife to bring it back the following summer and the stages grew even larger.
“Each year, it kept growing and there was just no way to say no when people kept asking for it,” he said.
One stage has since expanded into two, and a handful of bands have flipped to a strong lineup of local acts playing into the evening.
Flood added that one of the biggest moments of growth for the foundation came through a documentary created by filmmaker Devin Chaganis, one of Jason’s childhood friends.
“Pizzastock: It takes a Village,” released in 2022, covers the festival’s origin and other events organized through the Jason R. Flood Memorial while shining a spotlight on Jason’s life. The film has made its rounds through screenings in schools and community groups in New Hampshire.
Along with Pizzastock, the parents also host a monthly open mic series, a battle of the bands, and award scholarships to students pursuing careers in mental health, athletics and the arts.