Under a blue, wind-swept sky and with temperatures that never broke 90 degrees, the weather at Faith and Family night was as blessed as the performers said they hoped their audience felt.
“Listen to the words of this song. I hope you get a blessing and just worship [God’s] name,” said 15-year-old gospel singer Mallory Ledford before launching into a rendition of “Cries Have Awoken the Master.”
Mallory’s performance at 5 p.m. on the Volkswagen Stage kicked off the festivities Tuesday for Riverbend’s annual showcase of Christian artists. By the time she surrendered the stage to local contemporary Christian group As Isaac, she said she felt as if she had achieved her goal of sharing her faith with a receptive crowd.
“It was amazing,” Mallory said. “It felt wonderful to minister to so many people here. I definitely feel like I reached them.”
The evening, colloquially known as “sweet tea night,” has a more sedate pace than the festival’s other nights and prohibits alcohol sales, leaving the beer coolers chained, padlocked and left to collect water after Monday’s showers.