As the sun rose early in the morning on Easter Sunday, Red Rocks Amphitheatre filled with grace and joy while thousands gathered for an ecumenical celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The 75th Annual Easter Sunrise Service at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, hosted by the Colorado Council of Churches, the statewide social justice organization representing 13 Christian denominations and over 800 churches, made a triumphant return after a pandemic hiatus.

While walking into the venue, many could immediately see Keith “Scramble” Campbell, Red Rocks’ artist-in-residence, painting the morning’s sunrise over the amphitheater. Campbell said he has painted over 500 concerts at the venue and that this is the 13th Easter he has painted. He also said he enjoys it as a way to start off the season and see the venue in a different light than he typically sees at night.

“Red Rocks is a magical place. This is an ancient ceremonial site and people come from all over the country to celebrate the venue,” Campbell said. “I just love the place. I’ve made it my mission to kind of capture all the stuff that’s going on here.”

Campbell said he even came out to Red Rocks on Easter morning last year despite the lack of ceremony and crowd. He said he sat right in the middle of the amphitheater and captured the beauty as he would any other Easter, which he said was very peaceful.

Tim Nyman said he’s come to the Easter Sunrise Service at least 10 times and that he keeps coming back for the experience. He came with friends who were first-timers, including Cynthia Shelden, who said she’ll be bringing her family back with her next year.

“For us it’s become tradition,” Nyman said. “This year was one of the warmer ones we’ve gotten to go to, I think that was good for first timers as well. We’ve seen snow, we’ve seen cold… I’m glad they put it on every year, it’s a nice little treat.”

Shelden said it was freeing to be able to celebrate the holiday with a crowd after two years of not doing so.

Michael Kelley said that right before sunrise, he could see four planets, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars and Venus lined up in the sky. It was the first time he and Cheryl Ierna came to Red Rocks to celebrate Easter Sunday as opposed to going to their church’s service.

“It brings everybody together in a very peaceful setting,” Ierna said.

“And it helps when the weather is perfect,” Kelley added.

Also first-timers at the Red Rock’s Easter service, Jasmine Gaines attended, alongside her mom Jackie, and said she felt love and energy in the amphitheater. She said being out with nature and seeing the sun with friends and family was a great way to start the holiday.

“It’s just wonderful,” her mother said. “He has risen, and being in a place where we could really see the sun rise first thing in the morning and it’s so pretty out here so we’re really excited.”

Adrian Miller, executive director of the CCC, thanked the many who made the event possible including Rev. John Yu, Senior Pastor of True Light Community Church in Denver, who delivered the morning’s sermon, the Blood Brothers and Sheryl Renee for leading the morning’s musical worship, as well as Rev. Thomas Mayes and Bishop Kae Madden.