Music festival to provide break from ‘all of the 2020’ – Norfolk Daily News

People need a distraction from the troubles this year has brought.

The leadership at St. John’s Lutheran Church, located at 1300 W. Benjamin Ave., in Norfolk, decided to offer such respite to residents of Northeast Nebraska by hosting its inaugural music festival on Saturday, Oct. 10.

“The church council wanted to have a celebration for folks in the midst of all of the 2020 that we’ve had and that everybody has experienced,” said the Rev. Randy Rasmussen, pastor of St. John’s in Norfolk.

Two popular Christian music groups will appear in Norfolk as part of the festival. The bands I Am They and Cain will perform beginning at 3 p.m.

Both bands are receiving a generous amount of air play on Christian radio stations. Perhaps most noted for its hit song, “Scars,” I Am They is set to release its third album on Friday, Oct. 23.

Cain, a sibling trio traveling with I Am They, has a song called “Rise Up (Lazarus)” appearing on popular Christian music charts as well.

“Both (groups) are opening for major acts next year, so we’re fortunate for it all to come together,” Rasmussen said.

Plans for the event came together in fewer than eight weeks as members of the church council began talking about hosting the festival in early September, the pastor said.

Christian Cross Festival director Brett Simonsen — who is a member of St. John’s — played an instrumental role in helping the church set up the musical lineup and make sure the festival followed the appropriate precautions to reduce festivalgoers’ chances of exposure to coronavirus, Rasmussen said.

“With Brett just finishing the one-day Christian Cross, it was very fresh in his mind,” Rasmussen said of developing a health plan for the festival. “We’re continually making sure we have all of these things in place. With a lot of hard work from other folks, we’re going to pull it all together.”

In addition to music, the musical event will feature a variety of food trucks. Those attending are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs.

Rasmussen said he would like to see the festival become an annual event. The church has a large parking lot, as well as a soccer field area adjacent to the church that is not used as often as it once was, he said.

“I would love to get that set up so we could, as a church, do more things outside down there, and as a community, too,” he said. “We’re hoping we’ll be doing this again next year and will have a little more time to prepare than we have now. But we’ve got everything in place. We have a whole crew of volunteers that will be working all of this, and we’re excited about the event.”

Admission is free. The public is invited.