Soulfest offers fun for the whole family

By Lisa Capitelli
OC Today

Admission is free into the event and open to everyone. It will feature carnival games, musical entertainment, magic show, Lollipop the Clown, Jim Stark and his puppets, food, door prizes and giveaways.

“Everyone that is in OC Saturday should stop by and enjoy the great food, music and a guaranteed good time,” said Evelyn Houston, co-chair of the event with husband Paul Tishuk. “It will be ‘the’ place to be on Memorial Day weekend! We plan to make a donation to Diakonia with any funds that are left after defraying our costs.”

According to Houston, Soulfest was very success last year and that is why they decided to hold it again this year.

“We had a perfect ten diamond sky, with no wind and no rain in sight,” Houston said. “And they came, and they had fun — they played games, won prizes, ate barbecue, listened to fantastic music and sang along.”

Houston mentioned that there will be a few things different this year. In addition to Lollipop the Clown, who will again be doing face painting and make balloon puppets, and Jim Stark and his puppets, Bert Lloyd will perform his “Magic on Wheels” show beginning about noon.

Musical groups will be performing all day. This year, new group “Steel The Show” from Delaware has join the line up. The Sweet Adeline’s chorus will be on stage from 10:30 to 11 a.m. singing its a capella barbershop quartet-style tunes. Steel The Show will perform from 11:15 a.m. to noon and again at 1:15 to 2 p.m. Hear Free Spirit of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church at 12:15 to 1 p.m. and Proof of Love of the Gateway Seventh Day Adventist Church in Salisbury ends the day’s musical line up from 2:15 to 3 p.m. Radio station WEES 107.9 will be broadcasting from Soulfest.

There will be carnival games at Soulfest Houston said, including throwing a ball into coffee cans, ring tosses and a baseball toss into old-fashioned milk cans. There will also be golf putting contests and basketball shooting contests. Both children and adults can participate in the putting contest. A green will be set up and prizes will be awarded for sinking shots. A grand prize will be given out to contestants who make the most in a row. All children will win a prize.

“There will be great prizes for the games and everyone will be asked to fill out a slip for several drawings that will be held throughout the day, such as dinners at our local restaurants, OC coupon books, Ride All Day at Trimpers, free oil changes, hats, T-shirts and more,” Houston said. “Local merchants have been very generous in donating to this event and their names will be displayed on site.”

During the day of activities, there will be barbecued hot dogs, burgers and chicken available, all of which is cooked by the church’s members. Houston added that there will also be a variety of cold drinks, a Sno-cone machine and the church’s youth group will be making smoothies. Tickets for games and food will be sold in 50-cent increments.

“The event began last year from a vision that I had to offer a wholesome, inexpensive gathering that also had spiritual overtones. The entire essence of Soulfest is our faith in action — our congregation welcoming an entire city to come and share our love for the Lord,” Houston said. “Since we are located in such a lovely resort area, with visitors coming here from all over the world, we have a unique opportunity to touch many lives. After all we are a city of ‘fests’ —Springfest, Winefest, Sunfest and Festival of Lights are all big hits — so we added a Soulfest and we welcome everyone to join us for the party.”