Festival of Hope 2026 Was a Huge Success!
The (second) fifth annual Festival of Hope took place this past Saturday, August 8 from 5-9pm at Goshen Brewing Company. The weather was great, the energy was infectious, and the atmosphere was incredible!
As you may remember, we had to cancel last year due to weather, thus the “second fifth annual” moniker. It made it that much sweeter this year to be able to get out and connect with the community.
The Ballet Folklórico México en el Corazón group opened the evening with beautiful traditional dances and vibrant dresses. The set culminated in a standout moment when dancers invited participants from the crowd to learn a dance and perform the final song alongside the group. Several people joined in, and it felt like the whole lawn was moving!
Lalo Cura took the stage after a hiatus from performing, and they didn’t miss a beat. They were supposed to play the event last year, so it was extra special to be able to work with them this year. The crowd continued to build, and the band set the night in motion for a high energy finish.
Los Electro made the short trek from Fort Wayne to close out the festival. The last time they played Goshen Brewing Company it was a phenomenal show, and they did not disappoint for their sophomore set on the lawn. Dancing broke out all around the lawn throughout the set. They finished the night off to chants of “UNO MÁS!”
From the entertainment, to the vendors, to the food and drinks, and even the addition of the mechanical bull – the entire event felt like a highlight.
You really showed up this year, both in attendance and with your generosity, and we were blown away by your support.
Going into the festival we were off to a strong start with our fundraising efforts thanks largely to a $20,000 match, and then later an additional $5,000 match. The matches really helped kickstart our efforts and take us through the finish line. Donors were excited to have their gift doubled to do even greater good.
We sought to raise $60,000 this year for our Day of Giving – our highest goal since starting the event in 2021.
We’re excited to announce that we met both matches, have exceeded our goal, and have raised over $85,000! What a way to celebrate a great event and your dedication to the mission!!
We hope the festival will continue to be a place where positive memories are made, that fosters a sense of belonging, and where diversity is celebrated.
We give a special thanks to the donors who offered the match, to all of our excellent sponsors, including presenting sponsor Miller Poultry, to our staff and volunteers who helped out, to all of our vendors and food truck partners, Goshen Brewing Company for hosting us, and to anyone who attended. It was a huge success!
We’re looking forward to continuing to grow this fun summer tradition.
From all of us at Center for Healing & Hope, thank you!
Check out the video below to relive some of the moments with us.
