Waynestock ready to rock music fans

ST. MARYS - Headed into the eighth edition of Waynestock-Living for the Rock, founder Keith Jacobs said he and his crew of volunteers are still riding a wave of momentum with no signs of slowing down.

In fact, Jacobs predicts this will go down in the books as the best year yet for the free Christian music festival featuring big-name national acts on Saturday at St. Marys' Skip Baughman Stadium.

"This should be a really fun lineup," Jacobs told the newspaper in advance of the festival. "The artists that are coming are very good performers, high energy. It should be one of our most enjoyable."

Capitol Recording artists The Young Escape, Illinois-based rock band Citizen Way, singer-songwriter Ryan Stevenson and bashers 7eventh Time Down are scheduled to hit the stage.

Wayne Street UMC's worship band will fill in the gaps between sets, but members won't have too much time to kill as festivalgoers will once again see two stages, promising almost nonstop music.

Organizers, Jacobs said, heard much positive feedback from volunteers and fans alike about the two stages, allowing for the festival to proceed smoothly from one act to another.

"We stayed on schedule," he said.

The free concert, which seeks to bring Christ to the people through music, testimony, prayer and giving, is open to the public at 3 p.m. on the stadium's north lawn at 240 N. Front St. Attendees are encouraged to take lawn chairs or blankets. Parking is free, and people are asked to park in the lots around the stadium.

Concessions and merchandise will be available for purchase throughout the event. Donations will be accepted. All proceeds this year will benefit Meals til Monday and the Agape summer lunch program.

Last year Jacobs said he noticed large families setting up grills and cornhole sets in the parking lot before the show.

"That's kind of the essence of what we want Waynestock to be: just come out and enjoy yourself," he said.

He's also seen people coming from Michigan and Indiana, some of whom say they enjoy the free festival as they couldn't otherwise afford to see such marquee Christian acts.

Jacobs, a 1996 St. Marys Memorial High School graduate, first pitched the idea of a music festival a few years back at a Wayne Street United Methodist Church finance committee meeting. Committee members liked the idea and asked Jacobs to spearhead the event.

The first concert took place at the church in July 2011 and featured local bands and drew about 250 people.

Jacobs abandoned the idea of using the event to raise funds for the church, opting to look beyond the walls of the church to give back to charities. Later moved to Skip Baughman Stadium to welcome people of all denominations and persuasions, the festival found its identity and each year attracts thousands of people from the area and beyond.

Plus, about 200 volunteers turn out every year to operate the concessions stands and merchandise tents and to set up and tear down.

"I have a core group that I lean on heavily to manage certain aspects of the event," he said.

For more information, visit waynestocklivingfortherock.com.