ANDERSON — Jackson Park was filled with young and old people, listening to music ranging from rap to traditional choir songs, but one theme encompassed Anderson Black Expo’s Gospel Explosion on Sunday: praising God.

The annual gospel festival capped off a week of Black Expo events, and the crowd was strong through the end, with the park’s bleachers filled and many bringing their own seating or standing around enjoying the music.

Groups sang and danced from 3 to 7 p.m. on the Black Expo stage, with performances by church choirs, soloists, rappers, mime groups and steppers. The festival pulled participants from all denominations.

“We just want people who praise the Lord and share what God gave them,” organizer Violet Raymore said. “It’s just a big praise-fest.”

This year was Raymore’s second in helping organize the event, and other committee members included Marilyn Harrison and Pamela Allen, who both performed with their gospel group, T.H.E.E., or True Healing for Everlasting Eternity.

“We’ve been through every obstacle there is,” said Harrison, before she gave her third performance of the day. “If he can do it for us, he can do it for you.”

Fred Reese performed with the Anderson Zion Baptist Church male chorus at Sunday’s festival. Reese, a deacon at the church for 52 years, has traveled all over the world with another gospel group, the Indiana Travelers, he said.

“We love to do it,” Reese said. “I love the Lord and the Lord loves me and I like sharing the spirit.”

The festival brought groups from all over the state, including Indianapolis, Muncie and Brazil, Raymore said. Gospel recording artist Richard O. Jackson, who performed at last Sunday’s Anderson Black Expo ecumenical service, sang at the festival, along with backup singers Zion Voice, who came from Indianapolis.

“It’s about getting the message and the music, which is about God’s love, out to people,” Zion Voice performer Robert Stevenson said. “We’ll go anywhere at anytime to give the message.”

Anderson resident Willie Rolling has been coming to the gospel fest every year since its beginning. He comes for the music, but also for the positive message the festival send to the community’s youth.

“It’s a time to celebrate and do something for the youth,” Rolling said. “A lot of people want to participate in it and bring back Christianity. Young folks need this. It’s one thing that makes them make something of themselves.”

Raymore has plans to make the gospel fest bigger and better next year, with hopes of bringing in a national recording artist, she said.

Adding the gospel fest to Sunday morning’s Black Expo church service in the park, the day was an awakening for Anderson Black Expo President Tanya M. Paige.

“When I walked on these grounds this morning and the Holy Spirit was on these grounds, I started boo-hooing,” Paige said. “The crowd was calm with the spirit.”