Herrin House of Hope’s Family Fun Day is now a weekend of fun for the Family- Hope Fest 2025.  Hope Fest is a family-oriented celebration of the Herrin Area and Southern Illinois community’s commitment to helping people in need. We will be celebrating our 14th Family Fun Day Weekend on Saturday, September 6 & Sunday, September 7 on the grounds of Community of Faith Church: Shine (Outside)/Rain (Inside) at 5208 Meadowland Pkwy, Marion, IL.  Full information at www.hopefestevent.org. 

Get ready for an amazing day!  In 2023, we raised a record $95,900. In 2024, we hit $79,900. Once again in 2025, all proceeds of Hope Fest Weekend benefit the Herrin House of Hope & Hands of Hope Foundation’s operations in Herrin, including the Herrin House of Hope Meal program, The Thrift Store, Food Distribution Ctr., Children’s Summer Feeding Program, AmeriCorps Job Training Program, GED Program in Partnership with J.A. Logan and the future PHASE 2 PROJECT to launch the new Hope Food Distribution Ctr, Hope Community Wellness GAP Clinic & Hope Emergency Shelter.

The new 2-day event will feature on both days and included in the $5 daily/$10 Weekend Admission (5 & Under free): free parking, music from our Hope Fest Main Stage, access to the new 2-day Hope Fest Market (Arts, Crafts, Collectibles & More Stuff Vendors). Up to 100 vendors are being invited to create an incredible shopping experience. Included on both days is the expanded Children’s Fun Zone with many added inflatables, booths and activities for the kids. As usual, Hope Fest will have their signature silent auction and cake walk going on, which is always a blast and raises great funds for our work. Our Silent Auction will be going on, and you can check out Sponsors Row along with many other surprises.  Don’t forget both days will include some great food available in the Hope Fest Food Court with multiple options to enjoy from BBQ Heroes- Pork, Brisket & Wings, The Grill- Burgers, Brats & Dogs, Loaded- Fries, Nachos with great toppings, Mexican Food from Sergios, The Pizza Zone- featuring pies from our local restaurants, Fair Food- Funnel Cakes & Corn Dogs, The Shaker- Lemon & Orange Shakeups, The Ice Cream Box, Crown Brew Coffee & The Soda/H20 Station along with some other special food vendors.    

These items are also on the grounds and will require additional cost or a special event ticket which you can get onsite.  Come experience our amazing new TETHERED BALLOON RIDES and our expanded PONY RIDES & PETTING ZONE.  

We also have 2 featured events taking place.  On the expanded Hope Fest Saturday 9/6, we will kick the day off with our 2nd Annual Hope Fest 5K Walk/Run & Kids Fun Run.  Information and Pre-Registration links can be found at hopefestevent.org and guarantee you an event shirt & swag bag.  You can also register onsite day of the race from 9-9:45a. Pre-Race Briefing will be held at 9:45a. The Run/Walk & Kid’s Fun Run will begin at 10:00a with staggered times beginning with the 5K Run (10a), 5K Walk (10:01a) and the ½ Mile Kid’s Fun Run (10:15a).  There are many awards available in each category based on age/sex for our Run & Walk. There are special awards for the Kid’s as well, including the Finisher’s Award for every Kid that finishes. Registration for the 5K Walk/Run is $25 and $15 for the Kid’ Fun Run.  Pre-Registration guarantees a race day shirt, those registering on day of will receive shirts based on availability. All registrants will receive a free Hope Fest Saturday Event Admission Wristband.

On Classic Family Fun Day, Sunday 9/7, we will hold our 5th Annual Hope Fest Auto Show & new Biker Zone. The Auto/Bike show entertainment zone will be hosted again by John Miliani’s Big Elvis Rock & Roll Show. Last year hundreds came out and voted for the favorite in show. Entry fee is $10, which includes your Sunday Event Admission Wrist Band. The Auto/Bike show grounds open at 12:00p. Judging will take place around 3:30p and awards will be announced from our main stage at 5:00p.    We will have awards our featured People’s Choice Awards along with multiple special categories for autos and bikers, including a Junior Cruiser award for a special “UNDER 16” class. Proceeds of the auto/biker show all benefit the Herrin House of Hope’s 13th Year of Operation. If you have a show car or great bike, bring them out for a fun and relaxing day on the ground. Bring the family, kids and grandkids, along with some lawn chairs and enjoy all the main stage music, the Hope Fest Market, the day’s events & activities and our amazing Tethered Balloon Rides, Children Fun Zone, Pony Rides & Petting Zone and so much more on the grounds.   

People can come and support activities on the grounds where proceeds support the House of Hope and/or make donations through our on-line portals. Sunday will feature our “Classic Family Funday” where we will begin at 12:30p with celebration of our 13th Year of Operation and get ready to begin our 14th year on Monday, September 8.  Our opening ceremony includes the National Anthem, presentation of the colors and an opening prayer, and welcome by Mayor Steve Frattini and other local officials, then we will open up the main stage for a great variety of music led by our local churches, worship pastors & teams all throughout the afternoon. The Hope Fest Market, Hope Fest Food Court, Tethered Balloon Rides, Children’s Fun Zone, Pony Rides & Petting Zone, 5th Auto Show & Biker Zone and Silent Auction and so much more will continue till 6pm.

John Steve, Executive Director of the Herrin House of Hope, shared, “We will really be kicking Fun Day to a 2-Day weekend of Fun, now Hope Fest.  Every aspect music, food, children’s activities will be bigger, and we will have many new things along with our many Arts, Crafts, Collectibles and more vendors making up our new Hope Fest Market. Let the kids have a blast in our Children’s Fun Zone or in our Pony Rides & Petting Zone, Adults and Kids can all be a part of our Hope Fest 5K Run/Walk & Kids Fun Run on Saturday, and don’t miss our Sunday 5th Annual Auto & Biker Show. We want to invite everyone to come out Saturday, don’t miss our big 13th year celebration at 12:30p after church on Sunday.  Bring your families out and enjoy lunch and/or dinner on the grounds now that all the proceeds to benefit the Herrin House of Hope as we head into our 14th year of serving our region.”  

The Herrin House of Hope was created in 2011-2012 by the then Herrin Ministerial Alliance and was a partnership of churches in the Herrin area to give people a boost in fighting poverty and overcoming times of hardship.  Today, The House of Hope is currently providing meals Monday-Friday, each-and-every week, for between 150-200 people a day or around 750-1000 meals per week. Through the last 13 years, the House of Hope has been there every day, as an essential emergency feeding center, providing some 435,287 meals.  Everyone that needs a meal—receives one at the House of Hope thanks to the incredible community support we receive from Southern Illinois!  

In Summary, during our 13 years of operation from 2013-2025:

·       Served some 435,287 meals for needy adults and children in 13 years. (Began: Sept 9, 2013) 

·       Served over 40,000 people through our auxiliary emergency food pantry & commodities distribution program since it opened in July 2014, 12 years ago.  

·       Over 250+ students have gone through our on-site GED Program led by John A. Logan Jr. College, since it began in 2015.

·       Beginning in 2017 and now in our 9th Summer (May 30 to August 31) offering our Children’s Free Summer Meals Program.  We have fed over 26,800 meals to children 18 & under.

·       Blessed with over 18,000 volunteer days served by those saints who have come in and out of our doors, just this year, to share the Hope and Love of Christ with those that need a hand of Hope in the Herrin Community, through a day of service.  

All this ministry comes at a cost.  Pastor Troy Benitone from Community of Faith and Herrin House of Hope Board President says, “We depend on the compassionate spirit of Christians who donate their time and money to help those who are less fortunate, add to that generous gifts from local civic organizations and businesses, and it is simply amazing what the Herrin and broader Southern Illinois Community has done and is continuing to do.  Hope Fest gives us a chance to celebrate our first 13 years of God’s grace and fund the next year, so God’s hand and feet can continue offering the compassion of Christ to those in a hour of need.   After all, almost every family is 30-90 days from needing help if their paycheck is impacted by job loss, layoff, medical emergency or just being in a situation where a fixed retired household’s income can’t keep up with the cost of surviving today.  Herrin House of Hope is the difference maker to so many in such a time.  The Herrin House of Hope is “far more than a Soup Kitchen”, it is the heart of the Herrin Community that says family sticks together through thick and thin. Imagine that 13 years and 435,287 meals later and counting!”

This year’s Hope Fest has a goal of raising some $75,000+ for the weekend through the proceeds from food, children’s rides, adult activities, sponsorships, and donations, all of which will be used to run our operations in the year ahead.  We have a second goal to seek at least 100 people or organizations that will sponsor a day of operation for the Herrin House of Hope. John Steve, Director at the Herrin House of Hope says, “For a gift of just 70 cents a day, $21.00 a month, a mere $250 per year gift, anyone can fund a day of our ministry. If we get 100 sponsor a day donors, we can begin expanding our services to do even more to help people in the Herrin Community.”   You can learn more about our Sponsor a Day program at our website www.herrinhouseofhope.org or on the grounds during Hope Fest at our information booth.   

You can join us onsite from for the new Expanded Hope Fest Saturday 10a-6p from 10a-6p and for our Classic Family Fun Day Sunday 9/7 from 12:30-6:00p on the grounds of Community of Faith Church located at 5208 Meadowland Pkwy, Marion, IL, just off of Rt #148, 200 yards SE of the Rt.13 & Rt 148 near Veterans Airport.  Full details can be found at www.hopefestevent.org.

Contact: Rev. Dr. Troy Benitone, Hope Fest Event Director

Cell Phone 217-725-7565      Email: Troy@hohfoundation.org