Thousands of people descended on Cloquet's Veterans Park on Saturday to enjoy music mixed with prayer and plenty of fun as the Wood City Worship Festival kicked off its eighth event in the past nine years.

Lee Harris, who organizes the annual event as part of the Kingdom Builders Ministry group, was thrilled with the turnout. Although it hadn't quite reached pre-pandemic levels by late Saturday afternoon, he predicted even more people would arrive for headliner Cory Asbury that night.

Harris said the day is an opportunity to worship and enjoy time together for regular churchgoers, but they...