One of Ken Ferguson’s early introductions to the Alive Music Festival was when he met the event’s founder through a mutual friend who was a pastor.
And when a truck didn’t show up for the event, Ferguson, a longtime musician and guitar player, pitched in by loaning some of his equipment to help keep the festival going. Ferguson would become good friends with Stark County resident Bill Graening, who started the contemporary Christian music festival with his wife, Kathy, in 1988.
Fast forward to the 2023 festival and the Graenings have retired and Ken Ferguson and his wife, Susan, now own and operate Alive Music Festival at Atwood Lake Park, which is at 9500 Lakeview Road NE in the Mineral City area at the boundaries of Tuscarawas and Carroll counties.
“This is a long game,” said Ken Ferguson, a Jackson High School graduate along with his wife. “We’re in this to win this. We’re not in this just for a short period of time. We knew this was something we needed to do.”
This week’s festival is expected to draw more than 20,000 people. Helping boost expectations and fueling excitement is Saturday’s headliner Lauren Daigle, the biggest star in contemporary Christian music since Amy Grant.
“Saturday is going to be one of the biggest days in the past few decades of Alive,” Ferguson said. “Lauren’s a massive draw.”
Bill and Kathy Graening’s son, Tyler, continues to be a key festival staff member.
“What’s cool about it is Billy and Kathy (Graening) are literally cheering behind us,” said Ferguson, a Jackson Township resident. “We’re looking very carefully at how can we make what’s already awesome aswesomer, and how can we invest in some things that maybe Bill and Kathy didn’t try.”
Alive continues to be an exception as a non-corporate music festival in an industry dominated by larger, national promoters.
“You feel the momentum, and it’s awesome to feel someone pick up the torch or pass the baton … and not drop it, and Tyler is a huge part of it,” said Ferguson, a 48-year-old executive for an AI software company. “He’s the connective tissue. We’re doing what works and adding to it.”
Graening, 30, is just as upbeat over the transition; he serves as the festival’s chief marketing director. His parents still offer input as consultants.
“It was an answer to a prayer,” he said of the new owners. “And it’s stressful being in this industry, and Alive was almost like another sibling in the family … and to picture it going to somebody else, it took a really special group of people.”
When does the 2023 Alive Music Festival start and who’s performing?
The festival starts on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. with a prayer gathering in the Big Tent followed by speakers and entertainers and musical artists both on the Beach Stage and Woods Stage. Thursday’s headliner is Zach Williams at 9:15 p.m. preceded by other main stage acts Courtnie Ramirez at 5 p.m.; Mac Powell 6 p.m.; and Lecrae 7:45 p.m.
Other headliners are NEEDTOBREATHE at 9:15 p.m. Friday preceded by Stryper at 6 p.m. and Taya at 7:45 p.m. Saturday’s top act is Daigle at 9:15 p.m. with Blessing Offor at 6 p.m. and Crowder at 7:45 p.m.
Daigle is a lucrative booking for Alive considering her record-setting Christian music success and entry into mainstream pop. NEEDTOBREATHE also have scored No. 1 Billboard albums in the Christian genre. Stryper, meanwhile, is a throwback act to the 1980s when pop metal ruled MTV.
“This is going to be basically our biggest year,” said Ferguson, who has served as a worship leader in church. “And we’re seeing growth, so if I had to give a percentage, it’s probably at least 25% growth.”
Comedians also will be featured again at the festival, including the Nashville-based Aaron Weber.
“The thing that’s resonated for us is it’s a year like no other,” Graening said. “I think, mainly, it’s going to look the same in some ways, but it’s also going to be a different experience for people.”
What do tickets cost?
Tickets are still available in varying tiers, both for three days and single days, at https://www.alive.org/tickets/. Prices range from $25 for single days for juniors (ages 5 to 10) to $65 for older children and adults for single days. Three-day packages range from $75 for juniors to $185 for others.
Camping options are sold separately.
RV (recreational vehicle) campsites were sold out as of Monday afternoon. Tent campsites were available − $350 with electric and $98 without electric. Festival admission isn’t included. Ticketing, RV and camping questions also can be directed to 877-402-4757
Festival excited for Lauren Daigle, NEEDTOBREATHE and Stryper
Known for her ascendant, soulful vocals, Daigle blends gospel and other influences with modern pop. Daigle’s YouTube video for her hit song “You Say” has amassed 304 million views. Her 2018 album, “Look Up Child” shattered records on Billboard’s Christian albums chart while debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
Alive Festival books big act Lauren Daigle, a Christian Music Superstar, Is Ready for a Bigger Tent
The Grammy-winning musical artist released her self-titled new album in May, featuring the single “Thank God I Do,” which reached No. 1 on the American iTunes music chart in March following her appearance on the “Today” show.
NEEDTOBREATHE is another crossover success. The rock band opened for Taylor Swift in 2011, collaborated with Gavin DeGraw on the song “Brother,” toured with Faith Hill and Tim McGraw in 2017, and collaborated with Carrie Underwood in 2021 on the song “I Wanna Remember.”
Stryper transcended the Christian rock scene in the mid-80s by scoring hit songs with “Honestly” and “Free,” both garnering heavy airplay on MTV.
The band doesn’t usually perform at faith-based festivals, Ferguson said.
“They’re very excited,” he said. “They’re actually going to play to some fans that they haven’t seen in 20 to 25 years.”
The Graenings had tried for several years to book Daigle, who also doesn’t typically perform at Christian music festivals, Ferguson noted.
“We’ve been trying for probably her whole career,” Tyler Graening said. “Let’s just put it that way; from all the way when she was playing up at Cedar Point (in 2017) as a second or third to close artist, basically up to this year.”
The challenges of a Christian music festival
Keeping a Christian music festival relevant and well attended is challenging, according to Ferguson and Graening. Many of the same acts play multiple festivals from year to year, and the overall pool of musical artists is limited.
“We’re leaning into the next generation,” Ferguson said of showcasing newer performers. “We think that’s a miss not to invest in from a festival perspective.”
“I’d say the Christian (music festival) market is actually a very hard market to survive in,” he said “It’s a smaller market.”
Changes this year include the Beach Stage.
“It’s more the harder rock and hip-hop side of things,” Ferguson said. “Once again really reaching into the younger demographic,” while featuring “up and coming” artists “because that’s a dying thing in our industry.”
Worship-based and mellower music will be featured on the Woods Stage, he said.
“We try to swim in our own lane,” Ferguson said while crediting the Graening family for their experience and well-earned reputation booking talent. “We try not to follow the trends. We try to follow our instincts on what people want and what people think is valuable.”
Festival is family event open to believers, music fans, every walk of life
While the festival undoubtedly maintains its faith-based elements, Alive openly welcomes music-minded fans and those who may be unsure of their religious beliefs or are spiritually searching, the organizers said.
The festival strives to “make the circle bigger,” Ferguson said.
Longtime festivalgoers and families of faith return year after year, he said. So do those who want to reinforce or deepen their relationship with God and Jesus Christ. Others may discover the event for the first time.
“Two things can be right at the exact same time,” Ferguson said. “You don’t have to sacrifice one for the other.”
Alcohol isn’t sold at the event, but while worship and faith-based speakers are featured, the event also resembles a mainstream festival.
“Regardless of what walk of life you’re coming from,” Ferguson said, “there’s a place for you at the festival.”
Reach Ed at ebalint@gannett.com
On Twitter @ebalintREP
