After months of coordination, plans for the Moraine Park Summer Festival are beginning to take shape. That shape will be further defined this Saturday on maps distributed during a prayer walk at the festival site.

Festival administrator Adele Duffy said the walking tour will give visitors a chance to see where stages, vendors and activities will be positioned in the South Shore area during the free Christian-themed event, set for June 13 to 15.

It also will ask visitors to pray for the festival's success, with attention paid to individual events.

"As they're doing this walk and praying, they'll be able to pray more specifically for those ministries and their activities," Duffy said. The seven prayer sites on the map include the information booth, vendors, main stage, festival stage, wrestling area, hospitality tent and automobile area.

Although Virginia-based evangelist Steve Wingfield is billed as a main attraction for the festival, various other entertainers are scheduled. They include country singer Ricky Skaggs.

The Friday night lineup will feature Dennis Agajanian, among the world's fastest guitar flat-pickers. Agajanian will open for Grammy Award-winning recording artist Steven Curtis Chapman.

With Saturday activities largely targeting youths, bands will include Manic Drive and Thousand Foot Krutch. Alabama-based puppeteer and ventriloquist Lesha Campbell will represent her organization Way To Go Ministries. A battle of the bands will include local musicians, while the skate boarding team Untitled Skateboards will demonstrate its skills.

"They'll have inflatables for the children. We have an extreme team called Team XTREME — a power team," Duffy said, describing feats of strength like tearing apart phone books that will reinforce motivational messages.

As is true on other days, Steve Wingfield will speak between performances.

Sunday's attractions will feature local musical group Soul Food with Sputzy Sparacino, as well as a car cruise and the professional wrestling group Sunday Smackdown!

The event will wrap up with a concert by Skaggs, noted for numerous Grammy Awards, CMA Awards and other accomplishments. The band Kentucky Thunder also will perform.

"The intent is that we would have something that would interest everyone," Duffy said. "To give kids, adults an opportunity to hear the gospel and have some fun."

Festival general chairman Rich Snebold said a steadily growing interest has helped the group raise about $150,000 toward the event, projected to cost $350,000. That number was modified from the original projection of $500,000.

Snebold said the contributions have come from individuals and businesses, and he is optimistic the financial goal will be met.

"One of our themes was 'Attempt something so great for God that it's bound to fail unless he's in it,'" Snebold said.

"That has been sort of our theme as we've moved forward. We've seen some incredible things happen."

"This isn't our festival; this is God's festival," agreed Duffy.

"He'll meet the financial needs. We are contacting businesses, and the churches are contributing."

Although more than 50 churches were supporting the project in January, Snebold said more than 70 are participating now. Duffy said the goal is to include 100 churches.

Snebold said contributions have spiked in the last 60 days, increasing as entertainment and event plans are finalized.

Although Steve Wingfield will charge nothing to speak at the event, Snebold said costs are incurred through promotional efforts and hiring entertainment. All but one of the event coordinators are volunteers, he added.

In addition to private and corporate donations that coincide with growing church support, Snebold said some funds will come from advertising in the festival program and on a JumboTron. He estimates the JumboTron will be viewed by at least 7,000 visitors each day.

"It would be nice to have more than that, and we can handle that," he said.

Jeremy Rekich, assistant park manager at Moraine, said the projection of about 25,000 visitors over three days will be easily handled at the park, since past events have exceeded that total. Boy Scout jamborees in the 1970s drew as many as 50,000 people at one time, and the annual Regatta at Lake Arthur also draws between 30,000 and 40,000 over a weekend.

With the location and entertainment now in place and fundraising still under way, Snebold said the event is official.

"It's definitely going to happen," he said.

"We've got all this booked. One way or the other, it's going to get done."

To find out more about the festival, contact Duffy at 724-431-2397 or moraineparksummerfestival@stevewingfield.org.

To contribute money or help with fundraising, contact Snebold at 412-427-4080.

<B>WHAT: </B>Moraine Park Summer Festival Venue Prayer Walk. Individuals and groups can attend for 15, 20 or 30 minutes or all morning to unite in prayer for the upcoming festival.<B>WHEN: </B>9 a.m. to noon Saturday<B>WHERE: </B>Moraine State Park, Take the South Shore exit off Route 422 in Franklin Township and watch for signs.