HELENA-WEST HELENA – Those attending the Seventh Annual Arkansas Delta Family Gospel Fest on Saturday, May 26, at the Cherry Street Pavilion in historic downtown Helena-West Helena will have the rare opportunity to become part of a choir that will perform two songs on the festival stage during the day.

The Delta Cultural Center will be offering a special program concurrent with the gospel festival during which a group of interested persons will receive instruction at the DCC’s Miller Hotel performance space on Cherry Street. Leading the ad hoc gospel choir will be Little Rock gospel recording artists Rod and Fredia Cummings.

The program is slated to begin at 11 a.m. and the performance by the impromptu choir is slated at 3 p.m. on the Cherry Street Pavilion stage. Those interested in participating in the choir instruction can call the DCC to register. Participation and instruction are free of charge and open to the public.

“Rod and Fredia are helping us create a whole other dimension to the educational aspects of the gospel festival,” said Jack Myers, educational curator. “We believe this will add something exciting, informative, and special to the seventh annual festival.”

The festival, a production of the Delta Cultural Center’s Delta Music Documentation Projectfeatures live musical performances throughout the day and evening by national, regional, and local gospel acts. Among acts slated to perform are Dottie Peoples, Darrell McFadden & The Disciples, The Pilgrim Jubilees, Billy Rivers & The Angelic Voices, and Kevin Davidson & The Voices.

In addition, performances are also planned by The Selvy Singers, The Myles Family, The Sons of Wonder, God’s Harmony, Leomia Boyd & Praise, Jerusalem, Grace & Gravity, Vision, The Lord’s Creation, Gloryland Choir, Angie Pretlow, The District Two Choir, Daniel “Slick” Ballinger, Beverly Trice & New Life, The Hughes Singers, Promise, North Mississippi Jurisdictional Orchestra, West Helena Baptist Drama Team, and the West Helena Baptist Youth Choir.

Admission is free of charge. Music begins at 10 a.m. and continues until midnight.

As in past years, the DCC continues to provide opportunities for area performers to participate in the Arkansas Delta Family Gospel Festival. A limited number of slots for performers remain and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Also, non-profit church groups and organizations are invited to take advantage of the large audiences the festival draws by establishing food vending operations during the event -- at no charge for concession space.

For more information, interested persons can contact the Delta Cultural Center at (870) 338-4350 or (800) 358-0972.

The Delta Cultural Center shares the vision of all seven agencies of the Department of Arkansas Heritage – to preserve and promote Arkansas heritage as a source of pride and satisfaction. Other agencies within the department are the Historic Arkansas Museum, the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, the Old State House Museum, the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, the Arkansas Arts Council, and the Natural Heritage Commission.

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