By AMY JONES / Associate Editor

HOOVER — Local Christian music fans will get the opportunity to see some of the country’s biggest Christian acts for free in April.

Christian pop band Casting Crowns and Christian rapper TobyMac will head up Stadium Fest 2011, to be held April 2 at Spain Park High School from noon-9:30 p.m.

Stadium Fest, a free event, will also feature comic stuntman Bello Nock and Alabaster musician Kevin Derryberry, as well as several speakers, including meteorologist James Spann, evangelist Scott Dawson and Bill “Bubba” Bussey, Rick Burgess and Calvin “Speedy” Wilburn, all of the “Rick and Bubba Show.”

Scott Lenning, with the Scott Dawson Evangelical Association, said Stadium Fest is intended to be a family friendly day of fun and learning about Christ’s love.

“I think that the goal is to have an event that people and churches are able to come to and bring their friends to share their message and have a personal relationship with Christ,” Lenning said.

The last Stadium Fest event was at Samford University in April 2009. Space at Samford wasn’t available for this year’s event, so event organizers decided to look at Spain Park.

“We’ve had a good working relationship with Spain Park. It’s a nice school with a large stadium and easy parking, easy access,” Lenning said. “It all just worked out to be a great location.”

Lenning said Stadium Fest 2009 brought about 25,000 people, and he’s expecting the same for this year’s event. However, he said there will be no way to know the exact number of visitors because it is a free event.

Stadium Fest attendees may bring blankets or seat pads to sit on. Attendees are asked not to bring folding chairs, fireworks, firearms, alcohol, tobacco, backpacks and other large containers. Parking will be at Spain Park High School. If overflow is needed, a shuttle will be provided from Oak Mountain High School.

Event organizers are looking for volunteers 16 and older to help with the event. Organizers are also looking for counselors for the event. Online applications are available at Stadiumfest.com.

For more information about Stadium Fest, including a schedule of events, check Stadiumfest.com.