14th Annual Gospel Music Fest with Sheilah Belle
14th Annual Gospel Music Fest with Sheilah Belle Delivers Unforgettable Evening with Special Guests
Source: Paulette Singelton / PAULETTE SINGLETON
Richmond, VA — In a city that has been known for its mixture of Traditional and Quartet sounds from Sunday morning church services to evening concerts, one of the largest Gospel gatherings in the city’s history presented all of that harmony and texture during a packed house concert at Cedar Street Baptist Church on Sunday, July 7, 2024. The 14th Annual Gospel Music Fest with “The Belle” delivered an amazing afternoon with some of the best music on this side of Heaven. This year’s special guests included, Wess Morgan, Lucinda Moore, Earl Bynum, Cora Harvey Armstrong, Mervin Mayo, the St. Paul’s Baptist Church men’s choir, Allison Lilly, Van Boyd, Branden Anderson, James Johnson, the Release Dance Ministry and C Goss.
Pastor Mike Hathaway delivered the opening prayer and Doc Christian and Sheilah Belle “The Belle” co-emceed the event.
The vision was birthed from the spirit of Gospel music industry, radio personality, minister, and visionary, Sheilah Belle a.k.a. “The Belle” who says, “There’s nothing like bringing good Gospel Music and the Community together.”
Now labeled as one of the largest outdoor Gospel events on the East Coast, the 14th Annual Gospel Music Fest with The Belle returned to the city last Sunday, originally slated to take place at Dogwood Dell in Byrd Park, but due to the rain, it was moved to Cedar Street Baptist Church where Dr. Anthony Chandler is the pastor.
Since becoming a music staple in the city of Richmond and on the East Coast, this FREE event has seen crowds as large as 12,000 gather at the Dogwood Dell stage and with year 15 just a year away, The Belle says, “We are already planning with excitement”.
Gospel Music Fest with The Belle in collaboration with the City of Richmond is open to everyone who enjoy great Gospel music. Soloists, Choirs and recording artists are invited every year to come out for an evening of fellowship with the community.
A special Thank You to Patrick Newby, Pastor Lance Watson and B Kore Crew members including, Joyce Harding, Carol Davis, Renada Lewis, Ty Berkely, Jazmine Davis, JD Lewis, Donavan Williams and Anita Pouncey. “With this team, a lot of the things I do, wouldn’t get done! They are the epitome of what a team should look like when working together,” says The Belle!
Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the years. We could not have done it without you!
