Five bands, one winner and bunch of free stuff is awaiting you Friday at Central Park.

“Rock the Park,” a live music show sponsored by NS*Radio and the Northern Star, will showcase local up-and-coming bands at 5 p.m.

The groundwork for the event began April 1 on the Star’s Web site, where 13 bands competed for five slots. The five winners will be performing on Friday.

Ten thousand votes later, the NIU community chose who they would like to see perform at “Rock the Park.”

“With this event, we are hoping to provide many different musical styles to please the vast audience at NIU,” Star Online Editor Jeremy Norman said.

The competition also is being sponsored by Culligan Water, Molly’s, Papa John’s and The Phone Store, to name a few.

“We’ve been lucky enough to get great support from the community,” Norman said. “There is something in it for the audience besides the free music. We are giving away a DVD player, cash, free CDs and gift certificates to local establishments.”

Norman said that with the success of the competition, it could become an annual event.What: Rock the Park