More than a thousand people — but no protestors — lined up to hear Bristol Palin deliver the opening keynote address of the two-day LoveFest 9 at 9:15 a.m. this morning. The crowds filled all the chairs inside the big tent at Our Savior Lutheran Church at 512 W. Duarte Road and spilled out to several more rows of chairs and standing room only on the lawn outside the tent from where Palin was barely visible on the stage from the bright sun outside.
Out of concern about potential distractions to Palin’s remarks, media was prohibited and signs were posted barring any recording or videotaping but officials were kind enough to allow ArcadiasBest.com limited access. Event co-chairman Alison Sweeney said that Palin’s keynote drew the biggest crowd but that about 875-900 attendees were still at the conference that evening. The program draws many visitors to Arcadia — about two-thirds are from other parts of California outside the San Gabriel Valley, rom San Diego to Sacramento, — and dozens come from out-of-the-state (Washington, Oregon, Florida, Illinois, Tennessee) and even from Canada, she said. About a third are from the local region, with a percentage of those from Arcadia along with Monrovia, Pasadena, Duarte, Glendora, and Temple City. Catch a brief part of Palin’s address in the video below…
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