Featuring contemporary Christian music with artists and ensembles of both national and local fame, the Awakening Music Festival is coming to Bull Run Regional Park.
It's slated for Saturday, June 12, from noon-10 p.m. (gates open at 11 a.m.), rain or shine. Performers include Big Daddy Weave, Everman, Ransom, The Melanie Moore Band, Seek, Saul to Paul, The CrossCurrent Band and The Josh Einwechter Band.
To purchase tickets in advance for $10 each, see CCAuthority.com, call 1-877-777-4TIX or go to the Family Christian Store in Fair Oaks Mall. Tickets at the door will cost $15. Children 10 and under are free, and group discounts are available prior to the event. See www.awakeningfest.com.
"It's our first music festival here, and we hope to make it an annual event," said Mike Stansbury, organizing it all with friends Danielle and Paul Reid of Leesburg. "We felt a calling to do this."
ABOUT A year ago, said Stansbury, a structural engineer for Cates Engineering in Sully Station, "We came up with the idea of putting together a Christian music event as an outreach ministry to the youth and young adults of the Northern Virginia area." They were inspired by the book, "The Purpose Driven Life — What am I Here For?"
Knowing that young people today are often adversely influenced by so many negative issues around them, he explained, "The book caused us to think, 'What can we do to spread the message of Christ?' and 'How can we send out a positive message to the young people of the area?'"
The answer was the Awakening Music Festival and, said Stansbury, "I think we've put together a wonderful event." He chose Bull Run Park as the venue because he'd attended things there previously and believed its Special Events Center "fit with what we wanted to do."
Proceeds benefit Joe Gibbs' Youth for Tomorrow and the Darrell Green Youth Life Foundation. "Both are Christian-based organizations focused on helping youth," said Stansbury. Gibbs' program is mainly for youth in Northern Virginia, and Green's is primarily for inner-city, Washington, D.C., children. It helps establish various programs for disadvantaged youth.
Hopefully, said Stansbury, the festival will not only introduce large numbers of people to contemporary Christian music, but will also provide a positive influence for middle and high school students.
For several years, he attended the hugely popular, three-day, CreationFest in Pennsylvania, featuring the same type of music and theme and usually attracting 70,000 people. "We wanted to bring something similar here — kind of a rejuvenating thing," said Stansbury. "We'd like to see at least 1,500 to 2,000 people here."
A fun-filled day is also planned for children attending Awakening, including lots of games such as an inflatable obstacle course, moon bounces, gladiator jousting, youth-group volleyball tournaments and other activities.
BILLY FONTAINE, owner of five Papa John's Pizza restaurants in the area — including Centreville — is providing all the food — hot dogs, hamburgers, cotton candy, ice cream, etc. "He really came through for us," said Stansbury. "And Chick-Fil-A is helping with the festival promotion by sending out flyers."
The main sponsors are Burke O'Malley, owner of Sterling Chevrolet; Andrew and Shannon McMillan of Keller-Williams Realty; Cates Engineering of Centreville; and Affordable Creative Services of Fairfax. And helping Stansbury and the Reids put on the event are more than 100 volunteers from a variety of churches representing many different denominations.
As for the bands, Big Daddy Weave debuted last year in the top five at Christian SoundScan®, became the best-selling "New Artist of the Year" Dove nominee and appeared on WoW Worship Yellow and Dove Hits 2003. And the group's first single, "In Christ," became the highest-charting, adult Christian contemporary single for a new artist in 2002.
Everman is originally from Texas, and its members believe they're on a mission. "We feel like God has given us songs so we can interact and relate to people," they explain. "For us, this journey isn't about the chart-busters. It's about people — hearts, lives. We're proud of our music, but we'd rather use [it] as an instrument to hear [others] speak."
MOST OF the group's music is about things that everyone deals with, on a daily basis. It ranges "from the everyday waiting to hear from God to the mountain top emotions of life-changing worship to the telephone call that stops our world. These are the places we all live, and we hope you see yourself in our music. It's passionate, it's heartfelt and it's a good mixture of pop and rock and roll. It's what God has placed in our hearts, and we pray it speaks to where you are."
Ransom is dedicated to playing great, high-quality music. This band covers many different styles of music from other artists and also performs its own original songs which are positive and encouraging. Styles include modern and classic rock, pop, fusion, swing, funk, rockabilly and jazz.
JEB (the Josh Einwechter Band) recorded its debut album, "What You See," in April 2002. Its sound ranges from acoustical, such as Caedmon's Call, to electric like Lifehouse. Each member brings his own personality and influences into the group, and JEB's main goal is to convey a message of hope, love and life through its words and music.
All in all, said Stansbury, Awakening should be terrific. "People should come enjoy the fun, family, festival atmosphere and great music with two national bands — Big Daddy Weave and Everman — and lots of aspiring local ones. Awakening is about breaking down barriers, building relationships and bringing people together to celebrate God's gift."