People from across Canada and the United States will converge on Red Deer starting on Thursday for a show that is the second largest of its type on the continent.
Hundreds of people will descend on Canada’s Gospel Music Celebration at Red Deer’s Westerner Park on Thursday, Friday and Saturday for a full lineup of professional and semi-professional music groups.
The Daae Family, Singing Hills, Roset, the Amundruds, Chaplaires, Keepers of the Faith, the Banksons, 3 and Company, the Generations and Double Portion are some of the Canadian groups that will hit the gospel stage for the 14th edition of the show.
The Centrium, set up to accommodate 6,000 people, will be full, says Westerner Park general manager John Harms.
“This event usually draws about 4,000 people per day for the three days that they are here,” he said.
“And they come from all over place and we very often have 300 to 400 RV’s on our site for people from Alberta and other provinces who travel here for the event.”
Harms says their main job setting up for the event is making sure the Centrium is clear of debris from the recent construction. They will also begin setting up the stage on centre ice and setting out chairs for floor seating.
The annual Gospel Celebration is the fifth largest draw for the facilities, behind Rebels hockey, Westerner Days, Agri-Trade and the equestrian-based Mane Event.
Wayne Dyck of Chilliwack, B.C., co-owner of the show, says it will be a great weekend.
“We’ve got some real top names and talent and we are really excited about the quality of the event. It looks like we will have good attendance,” he said.
“This is still creating a buzz amongst the Christian and church family who like to get together for some real uptown music.
“People are coming from Texas, California, Colorado, Washington, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Colombia, we have bus coming from Oregon,” Dyck said.
What is special about the event, explains Dyck, is that anyone 18 and under can attend the event for free. Dyck and other co-owner Gordie Reimer decided to make this change about three years ago to accommodate more families.
Canada’s Gospel Music Celebration features afternoon showcases and evening performances.
Tickets are $15.75 plus handling fees for Friday and Saturday’s showcase spectacular.
Single tickets for the evening performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday are $38 plus fees. Tickets are available at TicketMaster.
jjones@www.reddeeradvocate.com