SWC making way for local talent

Spirit West Coast returns to San Diego on May 23-25 for its fifth season at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

The Memorial Day weekend will again be exciting with top name entertainment like Third Day, Newsboys, Jars of Clay, BarlowGirl, Skillet, tobyMac, Kutless, Matthew West and many others.

However, this year the festival promoters also wants to focus on a smaller scale ’Äî with two new stages for local talent. One is the ’ÄúGood News Stage’Äù and will be for solo artists with their own tracks or a single instrument. The larger ’ÄúHomegrown Stage’Äù is for church groups and bands.

’ÄúThe big names are important,’Äù said Jon Robberson event promoter, ’Äúbut we’Äôre really striving for more local involvement. We’Äôd like to be able to showcase some of the newer talent from the San Diego area.’Äù

Coordinating the local music search for soloists, duos, worship bands and vocalists with tracks is Caz Taylor. He can be reached at (858) 565-9009 or cazndaf@sn.rr.com.

The three-day festival is a time of fun and entertainment, but also a great time of ministry. Plans are to raise up 240 people to be available for ministry, including¬Ý praying for people, said Debora Leitner.

There will be a ministry tent (’ÄúTransformation Station’Äù) available to pray for people the three days, she added. ’ÄúDuring the worship and teaching events there will be opportunities to invite anyone who has a need for prayer, be it ¬Ýphysical or emotional healing, family issues, finances, salvation, breaking addictions, etc.’Äù

For more information, she can be contacted at (760) 500-8228 or deboraleitner@sbcglobal.net.

The Spirit West Coast festivals¬Ý ’Äî in Del Mar and Monterey ’Äî are the two largest and only multiple-day Christian music festivals in the southwestern U.S. Monterey’Äôs 12th SWC will be on Aug. 3-5.

Spirit West Coast features concerts by many of the top artists in the ever-growing genre of Christian music. Beyond the music, the events feature contemporary Bible and life application teaching by well-known and gifted speakers, action activities for all ages, camping, action sports and games, shopping and various activities, all in a county fair atmosphere. Well over 40 artists appear at each festival, presenting a wide variety of music styles on anywhere from 6-8 performance stages. The speakers and teachers provide ministry for all ages. While each event shares many common aspects, including world-class resort coastal locations, each event has certain unique distinctions.

The speakers this year in Del Mar will include two well-known local, Shawn Mitchell of New Venture Christian Fellowship and Jim Garlow of Skyline Church.

Other activities include comedians and a Veggieland Action Zone for the younger folks.

In addition to the artists mentioned earlier, others are Aaron Shust, Disciple, Todd Agnew, Pillar, Stellar Kart, Phil Joes, Seventh Day Slumber, Manifest, Future of Forestry, Paul Wright and many more.

For more information, visit www.spiritwestcoast.org or call (831) 553-5399.