Event To Feature Live Bands, Food and Children's Activities

Music on the Mountain, a free outdoor festival that combines live music, food and children's activities, will take place on Friday, Aug. 15, from 4 to 9 p.m. and on Saturday, Aug. 16, from 1 to 9 p.m. at the King residence, 637 Gault Road, Gap.

The event, hosted by For One Life and presented by Bank of Bird-In-Hand, is being held to benefit For One Life's building projects and child sponsorship programs in northeast India. More information about For One Life can be found at www.foronelife.org and www.facebook.com/foronelife.

This year's event will feature Paradise Road, Matt & Nimmie Band, Grace Unchained, John Schmid, Jackson Heights, The Churchmen, TruVintage, Third Fret Harmony and The Aaron Stutzman Family. "Third Fret Harmony and Paradise Road are both local bands, and it's their first time with us," noted Chris Straka, CEO of For One Life. "We bill it as a gospel concert. There is bluegrass and country mixed in there, but gospel describes it the best."

This is the sixth year for the event, which takes place on the property of Merv King from King Construction in New Holland, who is a supporter of the nonprofit organization. "Last year, the total number (in attendance) was over 3,000 people," Straka said. "It's been growing every year. The first year we had 300. Last year was the highest attendance to date. It has become a tradition with a lot of people."

The event will be held rain or shine, and the musicians will perform on an outdoor stage. "We have a tent that seats 1,000 people, and the stage is under the tent. There is also seating outside; people bring their lawn chairs," Straka explained, noting that there are smooth transitions between performers. "It is less than 10 minutes. We have a crew that is trained to do that. We fill up the time with giving away prizes (and other activities). We are efficient with our time."

In addition to the music, there will be a large kids' area filled with bounce houses, games and hands-on activities. All activities are provided free of charge.

There will also be a lineup of food trucks and vendors offering everything from barbecue to sweet treats. Among the food trucks scheduled to be on hand are Skip's Food Truck, Country Smokehouse Catering, Welder's Steak Shack, Swirls of Delight, Postal 98 Cafe, Beiler's Pretzels, Acai Dreams, Gourmet Crepes and Hometown Candy.

Attendees will also have an opportunity to learn about For One Life, a nonprofit organization with a goal of "making a positive impact on communities in need." The organization funds building projects in India and around the world, with a primary focus on schools and children's homes.

"We will have handouts, and we have some breaks during the concert where we do a presentation, talk about For One Life and take an offering," noted Straka. "It is more than just a fun weekend; Music on the Mountain supports a powerful mission."

More information about the event, including a schedule of performers, parking details and link to donate, is available at http://www.musiconthemountain.net.