Jehovah’s Witnesses’ large-scale conventions bring ‘Good News’ to Bakersfield this summer
This summer, Jehovah’s Witnesses will again hold largescale conventions in Bakersfield, a local summer tradition for over 25 years.
The 2024 “Declare the Good News!” convention series, which began Friday, will be held over five weekends at Mechanics Bank Arena. This free, three-day live event is expected to draw more than 24,000 attendees to the city over the course of the summer.
“Conventions have always been the high point of my year,” said Garth Milam, who helped organize some of the first conventions in Bakersfield and has attended them for decades.
For Milam, summers meant spending time volunteering at these events. “Contemplating the rich history we have in Bakersfield gives me a cheerful heart.”
As an organization, Jehovah’s Witnesses have over 100 years of experience coordinating largescale conventions in hundreds of lands. Over the years, the city of Bakersfield and Mechanics Bank Arena have accommodated an estimated 2 million attendees who have streamed into the city.
“The hospitality of Bakersfield towards thousands of visitors from all over California for over 25 years has been special,” said Leo Hernandez, local spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Milam agrees: “We enjoy having our conventions in Bakersfield and appreciate the stores, hotels and restaurants that welcome us each year.”
This year’s theme seems more appropriate than ever. In a world where bad news endlessly streams on social media, TV and radio, “Declare the Good News!” will present a refreshing contrast, focusing on the good news that is the foundation of the message of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
“Each convention brings something new,” Hernandez said. “Last year the theme discussed was patience. This year, the theme focuses on good news, which is something we need now more than ever.”
The “Declare the Good News!” convention will present Biblebased videos, discourses and interviews on topics such as:
• Why Do We Need Good News?
• Use the Good News to Defeat Bad News
• Why We Don’t Fear Bad News A two-part video feature will captivate the audience on Friday and Saturday mornings.
The Saturday program will also feature a baptism of candidates from surrounding communities.
Prior to each convention, local congregations will engage in a campaign to invite community members to this free event. Last year, nearly 13 million people attended more than 6,000 threeday conventions worldwide.
To learn more about this free convention and to find a location near you, visit jw.org (select “About Us” then “Conventions”).