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40 Days & 40 Nights of Gospel Music at the Ark Encounter will run through September 10


The world’s largest Christian music festival makes an encore this year at the Ark Encounter in Williamstown.

The large-scale event, with 150 music artists, is called “40 Days & 40 Nights of Gospel Music at The Ark” and will run through September 10.

Multiple concerts will be held Monday through Saturday and a worship concert on Sunday afternoons, along with well-known speakers and opportunities to experience the popular Ark Encounter and Creation Museum. New additions are featured this year.

The expanded musical roster will feature over 150 artists, performing country, bluegrass, southern gospel, inspirational, worship and other musical styles over 40 days and nights at the attraction’s huge 2,500-seat Answers Center.

Also new this year, musical performances will be held at the Ark’s sister attraction, the Creation Museum 45 minutes away in Petersburg, on Wednesday mornings.

In addition, outdoor concerts will be held at Noah’s Village at the Ark Encounter, Monday–Saturday at 11:30 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 1 p.m. and 1:45 p.m., plus the main event concert at 4 p.m. in the Answers Center.

On Sundays at the Ark Encounter at 4 p.m., the Ark’s resident artists TrueSong will lead a special worship time and speakers from Answers in Genesis, operators of the Ark, will give live talks.

Attending concert performances is free with regular Ark Encounter or Creation Museum admission for that day.

Music artists and groups include:

• Ricky Skaggs (with 15 Grammy awards) 

• The Isaacs 

• Triumphant 

• The Hoppers 

• Ernie Haase & Signature Sound 

• Karen Peck and New River 

• Brian Free & Assurance 

• TrueSong (the Ark’s resident artists) 

• And dozens and dozens more


Music enthusiasts will also hear from speakers such as Ark founder Ken Ham, TV pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress, Dr. Tim Hill, Pastor Javon Ruff, Pastor C.T. Townsend and many more.

Guests will also tour the life-size Ark Encounter and its exhibits, explore the grounds, take their children or grandchildren to the playground, and meet the zoo animals.

“Millions of people across America love these styles of music,” said Ham. “Abraham Productions and the Ark Encounter are offering a unique combination of award-winning groups, all coming to the world’s leading Christian themed attraction. The Ark is also the number one attraction in Kentucky as determined by Attractions Magazine.” 


Abraham Productions is the organizer and promoter, well known for producing large gospel music events.

“We believe ‘40 Days & Nights’ will be our largest-attended music event to date,” said Ray Flynn, president of Abraham Productions. “We expect many guests will come for more than one day, so the final attendance might end up being even higher than last year’s event.”

Daily admission to the Ark Encounter gives free access to all the concerts and speakers and allows guests to explore the Ark, which at 510 feet long is the largest timber-frame structure in the world. Built according to the dimensions given in the Bible, the Ark features three decks of striking teaching exhibits. Other attractions include the live animal Ararat Ridge Zoo, a Virtual Reality Experience, a new Italian-built carousel, movies, family playground, ziplines, family dining at Emzara’s Kitchen, gift shops and more.

At the Creation Museum and its beautiful gardens, guests enjoy a 4D theater, a high-tech planetarium show, animatronics, lectures and stunning exhibits.

To encourage people to attend as many concerts as possible, there is a Bouncer Pass, with three-day and annual options. The new three-day pass lets guests ‘bounce’ between the attractions with unlimited access to both the Ark and museum for three days within a seven-day period.

Ark Encounter


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One Comment

  1. Judy Hutchinson says:

    How much does it cost? I’m not sure if it would work for us as we couldn’t walk that far. We’re both handicapped. Me more than my husband, but he can’t walk far either.

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