In the news|December 31, 2013 02:09 EST
Liberty University Holds 13th Annual Winterfest At Vines Center in Virginia Tonight Featuring Skillet, Audio Adrenaline, and Third Day
There is a lot of excitement over the 13th annual Winterfest at Liberty University's Vines Center in Virginia tonight.
The Christian college is anticipating an unprecedented gathering of 8,000 people to attend the biggest Christian New Year's party on the East Coast.
History will be made tonight as millions of viewers will have the opportunity to watch the event live on television that will air on 200 million households across the United States and around the globe.
In collaboration with the Liberty Flames Sports Network, Winterfest will broadcast in more than 40 cities across the nation including Chicago, Honolulu, Hawaii, San Francisco, and New York City.
In addition, approximately 14 other nations from Canada to China will view the Winterfest event. The gala will air via the Liberty Channel on the internet.
"This will be our largest broadcast domestically that we've ever had," said Liberty Special Event Coordinator Matt Hockensmith, who is in his third year working with Winterfest.
Liberty University employees are hopeful that this year's crowd will shatter the attendance record of 7,729 established in 2009.
"We're excited as it continues to build," said Hockensmith. "It keeps getting bigger and bigger every year. As Liberty begins to expand to its next phase of enrollment, it is events like Winterfest that allow us to achieve our goals."
According to the school's website, "This year's event will feature a lineup headlined by Skillet, Third Day, and Audio Adrenaline (now led by Liberty alumnus Kevin Max, formerly of dc Talk). Other favorites include Tenth Avenue North, Building 429, The City Harmonic, Unspoken, We As Human, Andy Mineo, and Jason Lewis, a Liberty alumnus better known as Humble TIP. The program will also showcase testimonies and messages from special speakers such as YouTube sensation and spoken-word artist Jeff Bethke, the teens of Duck Dynasty (John Luke, Sadie, Cole, and Reed Robertson), and Liberty campus pastor and popular author and evangelist Clayton King."
"It's a great time with New Year's Day approaching and a lot of people making resolutions," said Matt Hockensmith. "We want to make sure they draw close to God and build a relationship with Him, or recommit their lives to Jesus Christ."
