WellAnd Alive Family Festival

Granite Innovations Inc.

Posted Feb. 27, 2010 at 4:05 pm.

Thanks to Granite Innovations for their wonderful support:

Intensity Tour Makes The Welland Tribune

Posted Feb. 17, 2010 at 10:41 pm.

Intensity in 10 Cities rock tour stopping in Rose City

Posted By Allan Benner, Tribune Staff

Posted Wednesday February 10, 2010.

A lot of young people in the city complain there’s nothing to do in town.

“I’m sure you’ve heard that,” said Nicole Smith of Lost and Found Ministries. “They have the movies, they hang out at the mall. … But they have nothing to do, they don’t have anywhere to go.”

But they don’t need to be bored, Smith said.

Two years ago, during the city’s 150th anniversary celebrations, local church groups organized the WellAndAlive festival at Wellspring Community Church to help young people get a little of the entertainment they’ve been craving.

Hello Kelly was one of the bands that performed that day, and the five band members never forgot the warm welcome they received when they performed in the city, Smith said.

When the band began organizing a series of concerts called the Intensity in 10 Cities tour, they called the organizers of the WellAndAlive festival in the hope that they could return to the Rose City.

Smith said the news was exciting for the organizers.

“We’re among cities like Scarborough and Ottawa, big cities, and then there’s Welland,” she said.

“It’s very exciting in that sense.”

On March 6 at 6:30 p.m., Hello Kelly will return to the stage at Wellspring Community Church, 370 South Pelham Rd., along with a band called To Tell, and Welland’s own Blissed.

Along with the excellent evening of rock music, Smith said a few other local youth organizations have been invited — including the mayor’s youth advisory council and Compassion Canada — to show local young people just what the city has to offer.

Despite being held at a church hall, Smith said there’s little similarities between the concert and a Sunday morning sermon, with the exception of the spiritual message of the music.

“It’ll look, feel and taste like any rock concert you’ve ever gone to,” she said.

While it’s a rock concert, complete with a loud sound system and lighting effects, Smith added it’s also a safe venue where parents can bring their children without worrying.

“The show is clean. Your kids won’t see or hear anything they shouldn’t.”

Tickets are $10 each and can be ordered online at www. wellandalivefestival.com,at area book stores and at the church office. Tickets will also be available at the door for $12.

“We’re very excited about this,” Smith said.

“It’s open to the Niagara region, and Welland being so central in the Niagara region, you can get here from anywhere.”