RiseFest 2026 drew a record 30,100 attendees over two days in Sheldon, Iowa, surpassing a local attendance record that had stood since 1924 - when a Ku Klux Klan rally drew an estimated 25,000 people to the same small town.
Rob Roozeboom, founder and president of RISE Ministries, the organization behind the annual Christian music festival, said breaking that particular record carried meaning beyond the numbers. "We're not sure it's sunk in yet," Roozeboom said following the June 12-13 event, which marked RiseFest's 20th anniversary. Attendance hit 14,200 on Friday and climbed to 15,900 on Saturday, blowing past organizers' goal of 25,001.
The festival, headlined by Phil Wickham and Josiah Queen, featured worship, biblical teaching, and family-friendly activities across the two-day event. Beyond the record crowd, RiseFest reported 56 baptisms, 850 Bibles distributed, and 850 volunteer slots filled over the weekend.
The milestone builds on RISE Ministries' broader "Take Back Ground" movement, an initiative encouraging believers to reclaim hope and purpose through faith. "We believe God is calling people to stand firm in truth and walk in hope," Roozeboom said. "RiseFest is one powerful weekend, but the mission continues long after the lights shut down and the stage is empty."
Organizers have already announced dates for RiseFest 2027, set for June 11-12 in Sheldon, with a stated goal of reaching 2.5 million people through the festival and related ministry efforts in the coming years.
Related Article: RiseFest 2026 Kicks Off Today: Here's the Full Lineup and Schedule for This Weekend's Christian Music Festival
