Gospel Fest Set to Lift Spirits at Heritage Port
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WHEELING -- The sounds of inspiration will rise from Wheeling's Heritage Port when "Gospel Fest" takes over the stage later this month.
The fourth annual event is set to start at 10:30 a.m. July 19 at the outdoor venue.
"Come with your lawn chairs. Come prepared to do some foot-stomping," Bishop Darrell Cummings of the Bethlehem Apostolic Temple said. "Come sing along with us. Stand up and dance and have a great time.
"One thing we are praying is that you leave different than when you came -- that you leave happier than when you came, and that you have hope for what's ahead. We're looking for a foot-stomping good time."
Some local churches will not host their regular Sunday services so their congregations instead may come to Gospel Fest.
"It's the time for us to come together," Cummings explained. "Several churches are closing down so they can be with us, and we are quite honored.
"We think it’s unique in that it's several churches coming together with several genres of (Christian) music to try and lift people."
It is a time of inflation when people are struggling financially, and there are many other challenges facing the world, according to Cummings.
"Gospel music is one of those things that lifts you up, that hopefully makes you feel better and puts some joy in your heart," he said.
What is different this year is that there will be food trucks at "Gospel Fest."
"In past years, people were asking us why don't you have any food or drinks down here? So we investigated that," Cummings continued. "We are doing it."
Another difference is there will be a gospel rapper, Amir Stafford of Weirton, taking the stage this year.
"It's not something I would do, but it's something young people would like," he said. "Even though it's a different form, if you're still uplifting people it's still gospel.
"We're excited about him coming.... He might inspire me. I might try to do some rap."
Cummings noted that each year it seems more and more acts want to participate.
"We're praying for good weather. We never know what the weather is going to be," he said. "We've never had rain in the past. We do have a rain option if God forbid it does (rain)."
He hopes the festival will be allowed into the hallway area of nearby WesBanco Arena if necessary.
Other pastors slated to participate are Clarissa L. Speaker of Greater Zion Temple in Steubenville; Pastor Matthew Zuivers of Apostolic Faith Temple in Martins Ferry; Minister Anthony O'Neal of Cleveland; and the Bethlehem Apostolic Temple Praise Team Ministry of Wheeling.