Those who were downtown on Thursday likely heard the sounds of hard rock coming from the Ironton Farmers Market.

The square was host to the Summer Rockfest Tour, bringing with it five Christian -themed artists, veteran band Seventh Day Slumber, GFM, Random Hero, Spoken and Zahna, an artist just breaking into the top 40.

The event was organized by Iron Town Entertainment, a new production company founded by Cody Chaffin and Josh Wheeler.

The two said their goal is to provide a family-friendly atmosphere downtown and give youth in the region options for entertainment.

As Wheeler pointed out, in many metropolitan areas, when officials and local leaders have focused on providing an outlet and activities for children and teens, delinquency and many of the problems that accompany it have decreased.

The artists they brought in focused on a positive message, and not just through religious faith, though that was the uniting thread of the show. Many spoke of overcoming personal issues and turning their lives around.

They served as great examples to young people dropping by Depot Square who heard the message.

Chaffin and Wheeler said they hope to organize more events, focusing on different genres, using a variety of locations around the region.

Ironton and the surrounding area could use more of this. Not only do entertainment events provide activities for attendees, but it also draws traffic and visitors to the city and helps out businesses.

We commend Chaffin, Wheeler and their sponsors for their organizing of last week’s event. We look forward to seeing what they have planned for the future.

Their efforts will be a worthy addition to the other groups and organizations trying to bring a variety of entertainment offerings to the region.