Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties

Music festival rocks Ramsay

RAMSAY — The Copper Peak Christian Music Festival held Saturday was a “huge success” despite soggy weather and a last-minute venue change, organizer Denise Haas said.

The festival, originally scheduled at Copper Peak in Ironwood Township, was moved to Cornerstone Church in Ramsay early Saturday morning because the ground was too wet, Haas said.

The wet weather didn’t dampen any spirits, however. “Not only did people come out, but a lot of people came out,” Haas said. “Every band on the schedule played, and we even added an artist.”

Haas said the church’s pastor, the Rev. Todd Winkler, said Sunday morning the church building had never had so many people inside at once since it was built in 1957. “It was that packed,” Haas said.

The festival’s food vendor also came and cooked in the church’s basement kitchen and sold out of their food, including hamburgers, chicken sandwiches and “even potato chips,” Haas said. “They were serving ice cream for meals by the end of the evening,” she said.

The festival included a watermelon eating contest and offered giveaways of gift cards and a canopy chair.

“We said we’d hold it rain or shine, and we still did — just in Ramsay,” Haas said. “I would like to thank Cornerstone Church for being so willing to accommodate an entire festival on a moment’s notice, and for being so generous with their building.

“We’d like to thank the artists, volunteers, Cornerstone Church and all who came to this event,” Haas continued. “Jesus was truly glorified at the third annual Copper Peak Christian Music Festival and it was a huge success.”

The event, which ran from noon to 9 p.m., served as a fundraiser for Copper Peak.

—Michelle Thomasini