BELLEVILLE – On Saturday, June 6, 2026, Downtown Belleville will once again come together for Rock the Blue, a community fundraiser benefiting BackStoppers and supporting the first responders who serve and protect our region every day.
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The event will take place from Noon to 11:00 PM and expand to two blocks of East Main Street, featuring live music, BBQ, bourbon tastings, family-friendly activities, raffles, vendors, face painting, and community gathering spaces. Rock the Blue was created to honor first responders while raising funds to support them and their families. In 2025, the event raised more than $20,000 following the Fairview Heights tragedy, helping support injured officers and their families during recovery.
For 2026, organizers have set a specific and meaningful goal: raising enough money to cover the annual BackStoppers membership dues for every Belleville Police Officer. Currently, many officers pay these dues personally. Any funds raised beyond that goal will be donated directly to BackStoppers, allowing the organization to continue supporting first responders and their families throughout the region.
“Rock the Blue is about more than fundraising,” said event organizer Renae Eichholz, co-owner of Copper Fire. “It’s about showing our police officers, firefighters, EMS personnel, and first responders that their community stands behind them before tragedy strikes. We want every Belleville Police Officer to know their community appreciates their service and is willing to support them in a tangible way. If we can cover every officer’s BackStoppers dues through Rock the Blue, that would be an incredible accomplishment for our community.”
This year’s theme, BBQ • Bourbon • Blues, will feature BBQ from Copper Fire, Casa Maria, participating downtown businesses, and several specialty food vendors including The Donut Den, Spud Shack, and Whirli-Gigs Shaved Ice. Guests can also enjoy curated bourbon tastings and live music throughout the day and evening.
Entertainment begins at Noon with Blue Moon Blues Band featuring Great Day St. Louis host Kent Ehrhardt and continues throughout the day with Harmony Grits and The Jorrells. Additional attractions include inflatables and obstacle courses for both kids and adults, face painting, a Dunk the Cop booth, a 50/50 raffle, Rock the Blue merchandise sales, specialty food vendors, and numerous raffle prizes. Among the featured raffle items is a premier Gulf Shores golf getaway package donated by Gulf Shores Chief of Police Dan Netemeyer, a Metro East native, his wife Julie Netemeyer, and Copper Fire. The package includes accommodations for four in a Gulf Shores Airbnb, golf for four, and a $600 Visa gift card to help cover airline travel expenses. Organizers expect the package to be one of the event’s most sought-after raffle prizes and a highlight of this year’s raffle lineup.
Another major fundraiser is the Rockin’ Blue Golf Cart Raffle, sponsored by Kennedi Golf Cart & Repair. Only 500 tickets will be sold at $50 each, giving attendees a chance to win a custom blue golf cart while supporting the cause. Additional raffle prizes include an electric bike, lottery package, and other high-value items donated by local businesses and community supporters. Rock the Blue directly supports BackStoppers and first responder families throughout the Metro East and St. Louis region while helping ensure Belleville Police Officers have access to the protection and support BackStoppers provides.
Event Details: Date: Saturday, June 6, 2026 Time: Noon – 11:00 PM Location: East Main Street, Downtown Belleville, Illinois Theme: BBQ • Bourbon • Blues Beneficiary: BackStoppers Community members interested in attending, sponsoring, volunteering, or donating raffle items are encouraged to contact Copper Fire for additional information.
About BackStoppers: BackStoppers provides ongoing financial assistance and support to the families of first responders who lose their lives or suffer catastrophic injuries in the line of duty. Their mission helps ensure that first responder families receive help when they need it most.
