Reaching out to the area?s faithful, Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham, who is credited with building the largest evangelistic ministry in the world, will lead a three-day revival meeting this weekend inBaltimore.
The event, called the Metro Maryland Festival, will be held at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, and is expected to attract crowds from across the state.
“We think there will be good crowds,” said Art Bailey, the festival?s director. “We?ve made a pretty broad sweep in terms of involving not only the city, but the Metro Maryland area as well.”
The three-day revival is actually the result of more than three years of planning by a committee that has grown to include more than 600 churches. Though Franklin Graham, who is president and chief executive of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, will lead most of the weekend?s events, Billy Graham is expected to support his son?s event and offer words of hope to the community.
“Every time Billy Graham or Franklin Graham go somewhere it?s always by the invitation of local community leaders and church leaders,” said Jeremy Blume, a festival spokesman. “The fact that you?ve got 600-plus churches working on this for months makes it a local effort and there has been a strong foundation leading up to the event and that will continue afterward.”
To hold the event, organizers raised more than $2 million, and while the event is geared toward energizing the religious community, the city is also expected to benefit financially. Though he could not provide exact figures, Bailey said he expects attendees to patronize local restaurants and stores, as well as area attractions.
“Typically, people will come in early [to visit] the Inner Harbor [attractions] and people from out of town will stay in hotels,” Bailey said. “I think it will have a favorable effect on the city.”
