Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the Southwest Gospel Music Festival in Mesa, Arizona, presented by IMC Concerts. While enjoying the music, I ran into several fellow Canadians and took the opportunity to ask what it meant to them to attend a Southern Gospel event like this, especially in January.
Bruce and Melita Weisner travelled to Arizona specifically for this festival. This was their second-year attending, and they planned their entire visit around the festival weekend. When asked how they discovered the event, they shared that they had been searching online and came across it quite by accident. Had they known about it earlier, they said they would have attended long before now.
Melita shared how meaningful it was to escape to warmer temperatures and be immersed in uplifting music. “January can be kind of a depression month,” she explained. “This gives you the uplift you need in the wintertime.” At home, they attend Southern Gospel concerts when they can—often requiring travel—but otherwise rely on CDs and flash drives to get their music fix.
When asked about worshipping alongside American brothers and sisters, Melita reflected, “It’s nice to see the Christian aspect wherever you go. It feels kind of special because, in this society, Christians are under attack a lot of times. It’s comforting to gather with people who share the same mindset.” Bruce shared “It’s just really nice to get together with God’s people and worship in a different way than we do in church.”
Ken and Carol Schade are long-time Canadian snowbirds who have been going to Arizona for 25 years, and to this event since it began in 2012. In the early years, they helped with ushering and encouraged volunteers from the small Mesa church they attended. Even now, friends still speak about the impact that event had, particularly for those who were able to volunteer but could not afford to attend at the time.
This year’s festival held special meaning for Ken and Carol. Just two weeks prior, they had lost a dear friend and were in need of encouragement. They described the closing moments of Saturday night as feeling very much like being in church. It was a deeply moving experience.
Carol shared that music has always been a central part of their lives. Having sung in groups themselves, the musicians and music lovers they meet in Arizona become their family while they are away from home. Their Southern Gospel “fix” comes through concerts in the Mesa area and Bill Gaither’s Enlighten channel.
Ken and Carol arrive in Arizona each October and return home in mid-April. During that time, they volunteer at concerts and help friends harvest oranges and pecans to hand out within their community. As Ken shared, “It’s just a thrill to come down here. We can’t wait for October to come.”
Dale and Diane Johnson are more recent Canadian snowbirds, arriving in the Mesa area just after Christmas and returning home in early April. This marked their third time attending the festival. Like many others, they enjoy Southern Gospel music through concerts and radio, but music is also something they actively participate in.
They are part of Three and Company from Edmonton, Alberta, a group that began in 2000 after singing together on a worship team. They now minister at events across Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, and Montana, with several dates already booked for 2026.
For them, the festival is a chance to reconnect with old friends within the groups, and experience artists they have not seen live before. It also provides an opportunity to discover performers they may want to hear again in a setting where those groups can share more of their story.
Over the course of the weekend, it became very evident that Canadians, and many others, deeply value the opportunity to enjoy Southern Gospel music in a warmer climate. More importantly, they treasure the fellowship.
For me, events like this help erase the border between our countries, as we focus on being part of the Family of God and citizens of our heavenly home.
(Note: A huge thank you to IMC Concerts and all the other promoters who continue to coordinate and host these events.)
