87th annual Easter Sunrise Service to be held at Bald Knob Cross

ALTO PASS, Ill. (KFVS) - The 87th annual Easter Sunrise Service will be held at the Bald Knob Cross of Peace.

It’s scheduled for 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 9 and remains one of the longest-standing traditions in the region.

According to organizers, the gates will open at 5 a.m. Handicap parking and on-site golf cart shuttles will be available.

They way worship leaders for the event include Chris Parton and friends, along with a worship band. Pastor Kudzai Musumhi of Calvary Campus Church in Carbondale will be the keynote speaker.

“In 1937, two men led an effort to unify Southern Illinoisans through an Easter Sunrise Service. Today, we continue to fulfill their vision with this service featuring long standing traditions as well as a contemporary worship experience. This 87th annual event will be held in-person and streamed online,” Jena Guined, executive director of Bald Knob Cross of Peace, said in a release.

Don’t worry about breakfast. Cold Blooded Coffee Co. of Murphysboro and Dave’s Bagels of Anna will have food trucks at the site.

“After that first Easter Sunrise Service, the organizers began to develop plans for the site. In 1959, a groundbreaking was held for the Bald Knob Cross of Peace which was completed in 1963. Today, we host several signature events at the Cross in addition to the Easter Sunrise Service,” Guined continued.

Bald Knob Cross of Peace is located in the Shawnee National Forest near the small town of Alto Pass, Illinois. It towers above the landscape at a height of more than 111 feet.

After the inaugural Easter Sunrise Service in 1937, construction of the Cross began in 1959 with completion in 1963.

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