Leesburg Man Wants to Start Christian Music Festival
Posted
David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
Bruce Cavell has 42 acres of land he wants to use for summer Christian music festivals, and he’s looking for people and organizations to help him bring it to fruition.
“It’s a gorgeous piece of property,” Cavell said during an interview Thursday afternoon. “I just want to use it to outreach to people who want to come to the Lord.”
Cavell’s property, at 4662 Ind. 13, Leesburg, previously was used in 2008 for the Pro-Life Music Festival. He said that festival was great in that it featured many Christian music acts on three stages and more than 15,000 people attended.
“It was a cool and neat thing to see,” he said.
His vision for the music festivals would be the last weekends in June, July and August. Besides the concerts, people also could camp out during the three-day event, he said.
The festivals could feature Christian bands, choirs, speakers and other acts.
Times would be 8 to 11 p.m. Fridays; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 to 10:30 p.m. Saturdays; and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays.
Sundays would be more geared toward worship and praise services, Cavell said. Friday nights could be focused on youth groups and bands so they could present their talents to the community.
“I’m looking for vendors, bands, speakers and choirs,” said Cavell.
Vendors could sell anything from books, T-shirts, CDs or food, he said.
“I would love to have someone come in and promote this being a non-profit,” Cavell said. “However, I am prepared to do it myself.”
He also would like non-profits to help with publicity, parking and food sales, which could then benefit those non-profits. He said Scouts, churches, athletic teams and area colleges all could get involved.
Cover charge for the festival would be $5 or $10 a car load, Cavell said, with the proceeds going to the non-profits that help at the festival.
Cavell said he’s been working through all the hurdles to make the Christian music festivals happen this summer. The Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission approved for the concerts to be held on the property, he said.
Rain or shine, he said, the concerts will happen. There is a 8,000-square-foot facilities on the property that can hold a band and a few thousand people if it rains.
Also on the property, he said, is a basketball court, a volleyball court and a children’s playground. There will be big camp fires at night, and camp sites will be permitted to have their own little fires.
“This is the first effort here to feel and see the need of the community,” Cavell said.
For more information, Cavell said people can visit the website at BigBruceProductions.com or call him at 574-527-4702.
