The second annual BrookeStock Music Festival will take place on Friday and Saturday, August 28th and 29th, at Camp Living Waters in Schellsburg (Bedford County). The festival is a fundraiser for the Secret Santa Society, a non-profit organization that was started in honor of Brooke Leppert, who was Bedford’s downtown Santa who did numerous things to help the community before passing in July, 2024.
Brooke’s wife, Janice, said of him: “He played our downtown Santa, and he loved anything to do with kids, and to help dogs, the animals and stuff. He played Santa for our local rescue, Abby’s Angels (Animal Haven), where they had a photo shoot with Santa…Literally he would do anything, if he saw somebody broke down along the road, he’d stop and make sure he could help them in any way…He participated with “Shop With a Cop” and donated with them. That’s an organization who provides shopping opportunities for kids who have had some interaction with law enforcement. He would always dress up as Santa and be in the lead car to go to the WalMart to do the shopping…Just anything that was needed, he just really enjoyed giving back to the community.”
Following Brooke’s passing, Janice spearheaded the creation of the Secret Santa Society to continue her husband’s legacy of giving to the community. As Brooke was a fan of music festivals, the idea of a music festival in his honor was conceived, with proceeds helping out the Bedford area community. The first BrookeStock event on Labor Day weekend in 2025 raised more than $30,000 to be distributed back to the community.
Recalling last year’s event, Janice said, “I think the biggest thing we experienced from it, it was just so much of a feeling of community. All these groups that were more than happy to donate their time toward the event, and so many of the bands – it was a small community, so many of the artists knew each other and performed with each other. At the end of the day that Coltt (Winter Lepley) played, everybody – all the artists that day – came up on to the stage and performed together, and it was just a feeling of peace and community. And I hope that’s what people came away with.”
One of the chairpersons of BrookeStock and a board member of the Secret Santa Society, John Pawuk said about last year, “People that did perform volunteered their time to come back, and we had other performers calling and asking to perform. It’s a great event, very family friendly.”
This year’s BrookeStock will feature 16 performing acts over its two days. The music will begin on Friday at 5 p.m. with performances by the Brambley Family Band, MC Union, Patrick Kelly, Trading Paint, the Laurel Lowlifes and Coltt Winter Lepley. Saturday’s musical slate will feature performances from Alison Borek, Acoustic Alliance, Alyssa Hankey, TJ Simpson, the Hickory Bottom Band, Jimmy and the Tone Kings, Dave Howsare & Nev Hostetler, Jackson Monsour, Main Road and The Zillion Dollar Combo.
The event will also feature food vendors, merchandise and craft vendors, plus children’s activities including a playground, games, a rubber duck race in the venue’s creek and more. Saturday morning will kick off with yoga on the stage, featuring Devin Sherman (of Trading Paint) playing guitar while participants do their yoga routines.
The BrookeStock venue, Camp Living Waters, is a picturesque camp with a wide open flat area, and plenty of space for parking and camping. Situated a mile west of Schellsburg, it is located in the valley just below Lincoln Highway (Route 30).
Several ticket options are available for attending BrookeStock. Single-day tickets are $20 for Friday and $25 for Saturday; a two-day ticket is $40, and a two-day ticket plus dry camping is $75. Tickets can be obtained online via a QR code and by visiting the website: https://give.nonprofit-partners.org/event/2026-brookestock-music-festival/e782876/register/new/select-tickets Tickets can also be purchased in person at Bedford area locations such as Olde Bedford Brewing Company, The Golden Eagle Inn, The Whiskey River Pub, Cork & Compass Craft Spirits, Composition Art & Wine and The Union Hotel (in Everett). For more information, visit the websites of Community Foundation of the Alleghenies (https://www.cfalleghenies.org/event/brookstock-music-festival/) and the Secret Santa Society’s Facebook page. For additional questions, email secretsantasociety64@gmail.com.
BrookeStock’s organizers are looking forward to a bigger and better event this, their second year. Janice and John expressed appreciation and thanks toward the community in general, the sponsors, the volunteers from the Secret Santa Society, all who attended last year and will attend this year, and all those who provided encouragement and have been so generous with the whole organization, and especially BrookeStock.
Two of last year’s performers look forward to again being a part of BrookeStock 2026. According to Bedford-based singer and songwriter Coltt Winter Lepley, “The folks who run and organize Brookestock do a really good job; they did it right up front, and they take the music seriously. It feels good to be at a place that does that. Not everybody does that, and they do it right.”
From Keyser, West Virginia, singer and songwriter TJ Simpson looks forward to more Bedford hospitality and friendship. According to TJ, “I’m looking forward to just meeting everybody…I started playing up toward Bedford…Everybody’s just super nice and welcoming, so I look forward to seeing everybody.”
To everyone reading, Janice said, “I hope people will come out and enjoy – Join us, and have fun!”
In the spirit of what Brooke Leppert represented, John Pawuk said of BrookeStock, “It’s all about giving back.”
