Luis Palau Floods 'Music City' with Godly Celebration
World-renowned evangelist and author Luis Palau joined over 300 churches and 3,000 volunteers over the weekend to host over 90,000 people with "Great music & Good News."
The Luis Palau Nashville Cityfest wrapped up Sunday night with some of the top entertainers in Christian music performing. Artists included 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.
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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 1,500 women to a unique function staged on the Tennessee Titans playing field.
Palau, whose team has worked with the church and business communities of Central 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, Neb. 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 27.
