Anaheim Christian Crusade to Add 4th of July Fireworks

The Harvest Crusade, the evangelical rock concert and revival meeting that drew more than 125,000 people to Anaheim’s Edison Field last summer, will be extended for two evenings this year and include a Fourth of July fireworks show.

Other new additions to the five-day event taking place July 4-8 will be a children’s night, a two-night skateboarding exhibition and a car and motorcycle show July 8.

“We use those things to attract people in the community,” said John Collins, the director of 12th annual event, which is expected to attract 150,000. Crusade organizers said they hope that once unchurched looky-loos are drawn to Edison Field, they will hear the Gospel and become Christians.

Last year, more than 12,000 people became Christians at the event, officials said.

Collins said organizers wanted to hold this summer’s event on Independence Day to give the Harvest Crusade a “little bit of a patriotic twist.” Because the holiday falls on a Wednesday, organizers decided also to add Thursday night festivities to keep the momentum going.

The Thursday children’s night will feature “Salty,” a popular Christian children’s character who will sing songs and give a simple Gospel message.

On Friday and Saturday nights, the “Harvest Jam” will feature Christian rock and alternative bands All Together Separate, Bleach, Switchfoot and Delirious. Last summer, concertgoers packed the stadium, and an overflow of 6,000 watched the bands on video screens from the parking lot.

Greg Laurie, the cofounder of Harvest Crusades, will give a message each night. He is the senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside.

The free event is staffed by 5,000 volunteers from local churches.

Other Harvest Crusade events will take place this summer and fall in Sacramento, Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Diego, but Orange County’s is by far the biggest.