According to the Lebanon Daily News, the Blue Mountain Gospel Music Festival is the largest of its kind in the Northeast. Twila Rohrer and Garden Spot Productions have organized the festival since 2004. The former owners of Garden Spot Production retired at that time. Rohrer moved the festival’s venue from the Kempton Community Center in Berks County when she took charge.
The gospel music festival features more than 20 gospel music acts annually. Chapel services are conducted Thursday through Sunday in the morning. In 2010, acts include the Down East Boys, The Greenes, Allen Family and Garment of Praise Quartet on Sept. 1, according to Garden Spot Promotions. On Sept. 2, performers will include Greater Vision, Mark Bishop, Whisnants and Blackwood Brothers. On Sept. 3, acts scheduled are Triumphant Quartet, The Browns, Chuck Wagon Gang, Booth Brothers and Tim Lovelace. Scheduled performers on September 4 are Gold City, The Diplomats, Rick Webb Family and the Harvesters Quartet with Danny Parker. The festival will conclude Sept. 5 with the Kingsmen, Crist Family, Original Couriers and the Dixie Melody Boys.
The 2010 gospel festival has a variety of ticket prices. The festival offers a five-day reserved page of $120 for adults and $25 for children ages 2-12. Daily reserve tickets for Sept. 2-5 are $28 for adults and $5 for children. On Sept. 1, daily tickets cost $20 for adults and $5 for children. Garden Spot Promotions charges an additional $5 for all credit card ticket orders that cost $100 and under. There is a $7 surcharge for credit card ticket orders more than $100.
Because of the large crowds the gospel festival attracts, places to say can be hard to find. Organizers suggest a number of places to stay in Pennsylvania. Some of the suggested places that are within a 25-mile radius from the Lebanon Valley Exposition Center and Fairgrounds include: Best Western Inn & Suites in Middletown, Best Western Lebanon Inn & Suites in Jonestown, Comfort Inn Amish Country in New Holland, Comfort Inn-Pine Grove in Pine Grove, Days Inn Lebanon/Lickdale in Jonestown, Hampton Inn in Manheim, Hampton Inn in Pine Grove, Holiday Inn Express in Lebanon and Lantern Lodge Motor Inn & Restaurant in Myerstown.
Another option that has become tradition for many attendees is camping. Some attendees camp on the fairgrounds area of the Lebanon Valley Exposition Center and Fairgrounds. Garden Spot also suggests a number of other nearby locations, including Eagles Peak Campground in Robesonia, KOA Campground in Jonestown, Lickdale Campground & General Store in Jonestown and the Twin Grove Park & Campground in Pine Grove.