Hope Fest 2026 – Living the Abundant Life in Legion Park August 23

In 2024, the faith-based community in the Gunnison Valley got together with the theme of overcoming hopelessness, and the WeCareGunny.com mission, along with the Hope Fest 2024 event, were born.  Since that time, the Valley has seen a major decrease in the suicide rate. 

The WeCareGunny.com team learned that addressing the spiritual elements of the body/mind/spirit connection was vital to helping overcome the epidemic of hopelessness and suicide that has been plaguing our community with ever-increasing frequency.  It has also brought to light the extensive role that drug and alcohol use and abuse play in contributing to that sense of brokenness and hopelessness. 

Hope Fest 2026 is back this year at Legion Park on Sunday, Aug. 23 from 4-7 p.m., and the theme for this year’s event is “Living the Abundant Life.”

There will be free food, games, live music by the ever-popular local artists Dave Pinkerton, along with Alan and Issa Wartes, and a lineup of truly world-class speakers.  Bring your blanket or lawn chairs, and enjoy inspiring music, great free food, bounce houses and games for the kids, provided by The Rising Church and their amazing Pastors Mark and Joy England. 

We are highly honored to welcome Dr. Carlos Campo, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC.  Dr. Campo is a nationally recognized leader in higher education, has been President and Chief Academic Officer of multiple universities, and currently serves as the Vice Chair of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. 

Sean Dunn is a leading evangelist in the country, and is poised to lead over 4 million people into a personal relationship with God this year through his amazing websites and powerful short videos, all over social media, through Goundwire.net and 12 other websites, based out of Castle Rock, Colorado. He is author of Contending for the Rising Generation, Winning Millennials and Gen Z with the Hope of the Gospel, and his latest book, Secrets of the Invisible Tent, Listen, Linger, and Live in God’s Presence.   

Dunn’s ministry offers 24/7 Christian spiritual coaching online, and has been key to our WeCareGunny.com campaign to combat loneliness, hopelessness, suicide and addiction.

He plans to talk about what it means to overcome the world and find true meaning and the abundant life. Dunn will also describe the revival and transformation he is witnessing worldwide, as people break the chains of loneliness and hopelessness and come into a life filled with meaning and purpose. 

Craig Hearn is a gifted musician and pastor of Church in the Park, a weekly outdoor church service on the streets in downtown Houston, Texas. Craig serves ‘the least of these’ by providing food, showers, clothing, haircuts, and hope to some of the most broken and outcast people in our nation.  If there is anyone who knows how to bring hope to the hopeless, it is Pastor Craig. 

Hearn is going to share his incredible testimony from 20 years of serving the homeless population on the streets of downtown Houston. He will also pass out lyrics and lead a group sing-along of some of his most inspiring music. You won’t want to miss this incredible testimony and musical talent. 

Hope Fest will be offered in both English and Spanish, and there will be an English-to-Spanish interpreter who will address the Spanish-speaking audience. Also, Dr. Campo is fluent in Spanish and will address our Hispanic community, and Craig plans to do one song entirely in Spanish. 

Don’t miss this family-friendly event.  It may be the most inspiring time you spend in Gunnison all summer. And there will be plenty of booth space in the park to offer other services related to suicide prevention and addiction support.  So please join us for Hope Fest 2026!

Hope Fest 2026 is back this year at Legion Park on Sunday, Aug. 23 from 4-7 p.m.