On Wednesday, May 13, families and friends gathered across the Christ Church campus for an evening filled with laughter, conversation, and springtime celebration at the annual Spring Festival.
From the moment people arrived, the field and courtyard were alive with activity. Children raced between bounce houses and towering inflatable slides, while younger kids dove into colorful “ball ponds” — small splash pools overflowing with bright plastic balls that quickly became one of the evening’s most colorful attractions. Nearby, carnival-style games gave children the chance to win prizes, and many enjoyed the facepainting station run by volunteer artists.
As the sun began to set, people of all ages gathered around indoor and outdoor tables to share Chick-fil-A dinners together while a DJ played music in the background and led a hoola-hooping competition. The snow cone truck added an extra treat to the festivities, especially as children ran back and forth between games with colorful snow cones in hand.
While the evening was full of fun for the kids, adults were also able to enjoy good food and conversation—and even some face painting!—as they gathered at tables and walked the festive grounds of campus.
Nicolas Holt, a member of Christ Church who attended the festival, said, “Initially, I was only going to pop in for an hour to be polite, since it really seemed like a families-only thing. But it was so nice to see everyone in a casual setting and to watch the kids run around that I ended up staying for the whole thing on accident. That’s what was really nice, seeing an authentic community come together—I think that’s rare nowadays.”
More than anything, the evening offered a chance for people to slow down and enjoy being together. Parents caught up with friends while children played freely across the campus, and new conversations sparked between people meeting for the first time. Throughout the night, the festival reflected one of the simple joys of church life: gathering together in fellowship, celebration, and shared community.
