By Jason Schoonover, Austin Daily Herald

AUSTIN — The Austin ArtWorks Festival is turning to some familiar faces to help rock the third annual festival this August.

For the second year in a row, indie rock band Cloud Cult is playing at Marcusen Park at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday of this year’s festival, which is Aug. 23 and 24. Last year, Cloud Cult played with Austin natives Martin Zellar and Nick Ciola of the Gear Daddies.

This year, they’ll be joined by contemporary bluegrass band Pert Near Sandstone of Minneapolis. History Paramount Theatre Executive Director Jennie Knoebel compared them to Trampled By Turtles.

“It’s two pretty different bands, which is similar to what we did with Zellar and Cloud Cult last year,” said Knoebel, the Austin Area Commission for the Arts executive director.

Last year’s festival was the first to feature a large-scale Saturday night concert, which attracted about 1,100 people, many coming from out of town to see Cloud Cult.

“I know that there were people who traveled hours to see the show last year,” Knoebel said.

Knoebel is also hoping the out-of-towners attend the festival after several people came for last year’s show without knowing about the festival until that day.

The band could draw more Austin residents too, as Knoebel said she expects more local residents to be excited.

Last year, Knoebel said many people who hadn’t heard Cloud Cult were blown away by their performance, and the band has gained a positive reputation around town.

The idea to bring Cloud Cult back dates to last year, as band members expressed interest in returning after the show. Many local residents also asked organizers to bring Cloud Cult back.

Cloud Cult has been busy since last year’s show. The band recorded a live acoustic album late last year — an idea the band spoke about on their trip to Austin. “Unplug” was released April 15.

Cloud Cult violinist and backup singer Shannon Frid-Rubin grew up in Austin, and singer Craig Minowa, painter Scott West and Craig’s wife, Connie, a painter and backup singer, all grew up in Owatonna. Frid-Rubin and Craig still have family in the Austin area.