Summer Meltdown, a one-day music festival put on by the nonprofit Yes I Can “Unity Through Music & Education” is returning to Santa Clarita to celebrate art and music while raising funds for autism awareness.

The Summer Meltdown will feature musical artists on two main stages in Central Park, along with live painters creating one-of-a-kind art pieces inspired by the music they hear.

The full lineup of musicians includes Unified Highway, Z-Trip, Katchafire, Zion I, Wakrat, Through the Roots, Chali 2na, R- Mean, KrookedTreez, DJ Soulman, Ontronik, Arise Roots, Stranger, True Press, Brewfish, Black Salt Tone, Ital Vibes, Magic Bronson, Arise Roots, Bad Neighborz, Janelle Phillips, J Ra’s, Irie Fuse, Synrgy, Roots Covenant, Thicker Than Thieves, Between California & Summer and Johnny Love.

The live painters for the event include Al Scholl, Kirk O Hara, Tara Nichole, David Marple, Jimmy Olveda, George Utrilla Angulo, Ryan Combs, Cameron Schulyer, Amber Jahn, Ricky Evans, Amber Crouch, Christian Soto, Gilbert Bernal, Selena Zontos, Elizabeth Randolph, Anna Randolph, Ryan Davis, Rick Rodriguez, Christopher Morphis, Enrique Gallegos, Katie Hermasura, Michael Vee, GegNoli, Krystal Dyer and Amber Brady.

Food trucks and hand-crafted goods will also be set up for sale at the event.

Summer Meltdown will be held at Central Park, located at 27150 Bouquet Canyon Rd, on Saturday, April 30. Gates open at 10:30 a.m. and the festival will last until 10 p.m.

Tickets are $30 for general admission, but at the gate, the price will rise to $40. Event organizers encourage residents to buy tickets ahead of time, as they are expected to sell out.

About Yes I Can

The Yes I Can, or YIC, Unity Through Music, Art & Education program at Canyon High School partners students with a range of disabilities, primarily students on the Autism Spectrum, with general education peer mentors. Most students on the Autism Spectrum have Asperger’s Syndrome, often referred to as high-functioning Autism.

This is a neurological disorder that is characterized by significant challenges in communication and social interaction. While often gifted academically, students on the spectrum struggle socially and find it difficult to foster relationships and communicate with peers.

The goal is to build healthy peer relationships, develop social, communication and transitional skills, while fostering an appreciation of art and diversity. YIC uses the Summer Meltdown as an annual event to test the skills they have acquired throughout the school year. Over the past 13 years, YIC has touched the lives of close to 2,000 students.

During the school year, the YIC program invites professionals in the music business to teach lessons on production, booking, logistics, merchandising, security and promotion.

Students get to spend direct time in front of some of the industry’s most elite and get to ask every question they can think of. Students then put those methods into practice during the planning and execution of the Summer Meltdown.

Throughout the school year, the YIC program also invites professional painters and illustrators to hold socially inclusive art workshops. The artists work hand-in-hand with the students to mentor them and to help them create both individual and collaborative art pieces.

The goal is to visually and artistically promote socially-conscious messages aligned with the YIC motto of Unity through Music, Art, and Education and to proudly celebrate Autism Awareness in their school and community, leading up to the month of April: Autism Awareness Month.

Through the art workshops, the YIC students are taught transitional and life-skills necessary for future success: effective communication, goal setting, self-determination and the benefits of collaboration. The students accomplish these by learning and developing social and communication skills while working as a team.

The students collaborate and brainstorm images and themes such as anti-bullying messages, quotes of acceptance, unity, diversity and autism awareness to be created and displayed for their peers and community.

The students are challenged to sometimes work together, learning to accommodate all personalities and ability levels, to use their imaginations and creativity. Sometimes they are challenged to work alone, forcing the students to be independent and original.

It takes patience, clear communication and teamwork to effectively complete the projects.

These workshops target a significant number of students with and without disabilities, 75 YIC students and over 2,000 peers within the high school, providing the ultimate goal of teaching students to be successful by using creativity to effectively work both collaboratively and independently.