Contact: Craig Chastain, 503-939-5535
NASHVILLE, May 20 /Christian Newswire/ -- One of the largest faith celebrations ever presented in Tennessee wrapped Sunday night, May 20th, at Riverfront Park in downtown Nashville after two days of the Luis Palau Nashville CityFest. Festival organizers set the weekend attendance at 90,000+.
World evangelist and author Luis Palau joined with over 300 churches, dozens of local and national businesses, and more than 3,000 volunteers to bring the “Great music & Good News” festival to Middle Tennessee. Some of the top entertainers in country, pop, gospel and contemporary Christian music performed, including LeAnn Rimes, TobyMac, Jeremy Camp, Tye Tribbett, Craig Morgan, El Trio de Hoy, Israel and New Breed, Steven Curtis Chapman, and BarlowGirl.
Palau’s festival format also featured the Livin It Action Sports Tour with skateboarding, BMX and freestyle motocross hosted by actor/filmmaker Stephen Baldwin, as well as a Family Fun and Sports Zone featuring players from the NFL’s Tennessee Titans. The festival was designated by Mayor Bill Purcell as an official event of the “Celebrate Nashville” Bicentennial.
An extensive community service component was implemented under the banner Operation Compassion that included health and fitness screenings and a food drive. Other projects included a “Helping Hands” weekend that brought churches together for dozens of acts of service, and outreach events that drew 700 attendees to a business and civic leader’s luncheon and 1500 women to a unique function staged on the Titans playing field.
Palau, whose team has worked with the church and business communities of Middle Tennessee for over two years, was thrilled with the city’s response to Nashville CityFest.
“It’s clear why Nashville is ‘Music City USA’ with so many of our musical artists based right here,” he said. “The cooperation of city officials, the partnership with churches across denominations, the support of businesses and key leaders…what a tribute to this city that so many would come together on the streets of downtown Nashville to celebrate God’s love for all of us.”
The $2.25 million festival budget was funded entirely by contributions from corporations, churches, businesses and individuals under the leadership of co-chairs Stuart McWhorter and Louis Upkins and Honorary Chair and NASCAR star Darrell Waltrip. No collections or offerings are ever taken at Palau festivals.
Palau’s next U.S. festival is set for July 14-15 in Omaha. He will also be the featured speaker at major Christian music celebrations in Dallas and Atlanta, and on the worldwide broadcast of the Global Day of Prayer on May 27th.
The Oregon-based Luis Palau Association has brought the Gospel message to over 25 million people face-to-face in 70 countries. Luis Palau's daily radio broadcasts are heard by tens of millions of listeners on 2600+ radio stations in 42 nations. He is the author of close to 50 books, and his counsel on issues of faith has been shared with political leaders and heads of state around the world. Since 1999, his festivals have reached over 6.5 million people.
