KIWA Staff Photo – Phil Wickham at RiseFest 2026
Sheldon, Iowa — RiseFest set out to break a record — and they are saying God helped them do it on Friday and Saturday.
The largest gathering of people ever in Sheldon had been a Ku Klux Klan gathering over 100 years ago, with 25 thousand attendees. RISE Ministries officials set out to break that record and take back ground. They tell us the attendance at the Christian music festival blew past that record with a total attendance of 30 thousand, one hundred.
RiseFest also celebrated 20 years this year. Organizers say they are overwhelmed by God’s faithfulness. They say the weekend was a powerful reminder of what happens when God’s people come together to worship, hear the hope found in Jesus, and take back ground.
In addition, at RiseFest this year, there were 52 baptisms. The Friday attendance was 14,200. The Saturday attendance was 15,900.
Organizers say they’re grateful for every life impacted, every conversation had, and every person reminded that they can reclaim what the enemy has stolen through the hope of Jesus.
