It was 19 years ago that Dr. Bill Fleury of San Pedro was given an idea — or a vision, if you will.
The Kaiser physician from San Pedro was one of the musicians on the worship team at Trinity Lutheran Church in town when he envisioned the music going out beyond those church doors.
That was in 2004 and Light at the Lighthouse was born.
It took a year to pull the idea together and do the planning. But on Labor Day weekend in 2005, several churches joined with Fleury to produce the first of what was to become an annual family- and faith-focused music festival held at picturesque Point Fermin Park — at the southern end of Gaffey Street at 807 Paseo del Mar — near the historic lighthouse overlooking the ocean and Catalina Island in the distance.
Admission, as always, is free.
Light at the Lighthouse returns from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 2, with the participation of about a dozen area churches and several professional bands and performers.
“We’ve improved so much I don’t think I’m good enough to play the main stage anymore,” said Fleury, sounding pleased by that idea.
This year’s lineup, with the biblical theme of “Living Stones,” features Christafari, the well-known Reggae band that has played in 86 countries and all 50 states and draws audiences as large as 20,000.
Billed as the festival’s headliner band, Christafari will perform from 4-6 p.m. on the main stage.
But that’s not all.
Other performers include “Gen Z” bands and rap groups, along with competitions staged by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes; and Rob Watkins & his Duck, youth dance groups, face painting and an audience participation drum circle on the youth stage.
The Spanish-language worship team from Rolling Hills Covenant Church and singers from Mount Sinai Baptist Church also will perform.
Three food trucks and activities for children will be part of the day-long lineup.
Professor Dan Pinkston and students from Asbury University also will speak about…
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