Students start grassroots campaign

Instead of signing up for fall classes this month, two Liberty students are making plans to leave school and start a grassroots movement called Tasted Fest.

Graham Marshall, a freshman biblical studies major, and Zachary Cox, a junior youth major, have been perfecting their idea of holding music festivals to spread the gospel message while collecting materials to send to cities in need around the world.

“About a year and a half ago, God gave me the vision of Tasted Fest, and it kept progressing,” Marshall, the founder, said. “Our generation is so propelled to give so that others can live.”

The name of the group comes from Psalm 34:8, “O taste and see that the Lord is good.” Marshall said he wanted people to be able to taste God through this ministry because it is a life-changing experience.

Cox first heard about Tasted Fest while on a YouthQuest trip with Marshall in early January. After asking Marshall to lunch to hear more about the idea, Cox decided to join in the effort.

“I wasn’t planning on getting involved or anything but God started putting it on my heart over the next couple of weeks,” Cox said. “I said, ‘Graham, I decided to sell everything. I’m on board.’”

The goal is to invite both Christian and secular bands who are interested in promoting humanitarian efforts to perform in a music festival. Those who attend will be asked to bring one item, whether it is a canned food item, a sweater, or a pair of shoes, on top of ticket cost to go towards the target city.

Marshall and Cox said they hope the diversity in music will bring Christian and non-Christian alike together in one cause and also have everyone confronted with the love of God. They have already made contact with interested bands such as Leeland, Building 429, Switchfoot and Anberlin.

“They will walk into what we call a ‘booby trap of love.’ The money that is raised is going to go to fund another festival somewhere in the world,” Marshall said. “We’re going to meet medical needs, physical needs and the biggest one which is obviously spiritual needs.”

The first Tasted Fest music festival will be held Oct. 22,2011 in Harmony, N.C. Proceeds from the event are going to fund another festival in Nairobi, Kenya. Tasted Fest will work with local churches and organizations to put on the festival. The materials donated will be distributed among the people in need there.

On the following day of each festival, Tasted Fest will invite all of the churches to come back out to worship. The name, United Worship, is to signify that this movement goes past denominations, Marshall said.

“It’s the heart beat of me and a lot of others on the team,” Marshall said. “I believe God called this generation to do great things for great purposes and I believe it is time we start to do those things for Jesus.”

Tory Doughty, a senior studio arts major, and Joy Beth Smith, a senior english major, joined Marshall and Cox after spring break. Although skeptical at first, Doughty said that she knew instantly after talking to Marshall that this was something God was going to use and she wanted to be a part of it.

Doughty works with the graphic design aspect of the Tasted Fest campaign such as building the website. She is also selling her work at the Senior Art Show later this month to help support the group.

Smith takes care of the fundraising aspect. She works with a lot of the paperwork including making pamphlets and writing letters on behalf of Tasted Fest.

Over the summer there will be three Battle of the Bands to raise money. In June there will be one in Raleigh, N.C., one in Charlotte, N.C. in July and another in Lynchburg in August. The bands will compete for a spot to perform in the festival in October.

For more information or to attend the festival, help with the festival or donate go to tastedfest.org and see the contact page.