The Lake Superior State University's Norris Center was packed with hundreds of people Saturday afternoon.
No, there was no sporting event going on, but instead, the 16th Annual Child Evangelism Fellowship’s Family Fun Fair took over the Student Activity Center (SAC) from 1-3:30 p.m.
It was open to all elementary-aged school children and their family members with no cost to attend.
There were around two dozen games. At then end of the event, names were drawn and several prizes were given away including a boy's bike and a girl's bike.
Seth Johnson and his wife, took their 4-year-old niece and 9-week-old daughter to the event.
"I think it is absolutely awesome. It gives the kids something to do. It's clean. It's fun. All the kids love it," Johnson said.
This is the first time Susie Alexander attended the Family Fun Fair. She took her two granddaughters to the event.
"We saw the flyer on Facebook and I thought it would be a great community event for the kids to go to. Everything they had listed on the flyer seemed like a lot of fun. It is very family-friendly. It's a great time. I also think it is wonderful to bring God into the mix and introduce it to the families that need it, or are not familiar with God," Alexander said.
Pastor Jeff Middlestead, from E-free Church in Sault Ste. Marie says the entire event is about receiving God into our lives.
"We are supposed the be the hands and feet of Jesus. God says he loves everyone and we want to share that love with the community. We have a message to share which we believe is the greatest message in the world. That not only does Jesus love everybody, but having a relationship with Jesus means that we can have eternal life. That is the message that we wanted to share here today," Middlestead explained.
Daniel Hamel, local director of the Eastern Area Chapter of the Child Evangelism Fellowship of Upper Michigan, moved the event from Sault Area High School to the SAC because of the expected high turn out.
Last year, around 800 people attended the event. The tally today was around 1,000.
"We want to reach the families. We want the families to have a good time. We share the gospel at the beginning of the event and at the end. Salvation is the most important thing. The games are to bring everybody together and have a good time, but in the end it is about learning the gospel," Hamel said.
Hamel also thanked the four-dozen or so volunteers that helped out with making the event a success.
More information about the Eastern Area Chapter of the Child Evangelism Fellowship of Upper Michigan can be found here.
