Bishop Hezekiah Walker and the Love Fellowship Choir, a frequent participant in McDonald’s Gospelfests over the years, will headline the 36th annual edition, which will take place at Newark’s Symphony Hall, May 11-12 (the Friday and Saturday of Mother’s Day Weekend).
This will be the first Gospelfest since 2007 not to be held at Newark’s Prudential Center. Symphony Hall was one of several venues that hosted Gospelfests prior to that.
Other performers will include John P. Kee (May 11 only), VaShawn Mitchell, Cissy Houston (May 12 only), Melba Moore (May 12 only), Le’Andria (May 12 only), Jekalyn Carr and Keith Wonderboy Johnson II.
On May 11, the competition portion of the event will begin at 6 p.m., with the headliners performing at 8. May 12 starting times are an hour earlier.
Over the years, Gospelfest has awarded millions of dollars to the competition’s winners.
Walker’s first Gospelfest appearance was in the competition portion, decades ago. He is the pastor at the Love Fellowship Tabernacle in Brooklyn, as well as the host of the “Afternoon Praise” program on WLIB (1190 AM, New York).
As usual, A. Curtis Farrow of the Newark-based company Irving Street Rep will produce and direct the show.
For tickets or more information, visit newarksymphonyhall.org.
