Some of Christian music’s biggest acts, including MercyMe and the Newsboys, are coming to Paso Robles this weekend.

They’ll perform at the first Cantinas Music Festival on Saturday at the Paso Robles Event Center. The faith-based festival also features celebrity athlete appearances, skateboarding demonstrations and a worship song competition judged by TV personality Kathie Lee Gifford, “Full House” cast member Candace Cameron Bure and Michael Van Dyck of Paradigm Talent Agency.

“We have an amazing lineup,” Executive Producer Carla Patterson said. “It’s going to be pretty awesome,”

The event is sponsored by the Cantinas Ranch Foundation of Malibu, which plans to build campgrounds on the shores of Lake Nacimiento. In addition to serving as a summer camp for Christian teenagers and college students interested in worship leadership and the arts, Cantinas Ranch would offer camping and other outdoor activities for families, said Karen Waldron, the festival’s co-executive producer.

The nonprofit foundation hopes to break ground on Cantinas Ranch in 2013 and open a year later.

“We want to … inspire kids to use the gifts they’ve been given,” explained Waldron, noting that the Cantinas Ranch Foundation is not associated with any particular denomination. “We’re not a ministry by any means. We’re just a group of people who love the Lord.”

Organizers expect the inaugural Cantinas Music Festival to draw about 3,500 people from as far away as Monterey and Ventura counties.

According to Patterson, the event is aimed primarily at teens, single adults and families.

At the Cantinas Village Festival, which runs noon through 8 p.m. at the fairgrounds, event-goers can listen to San Luis Obispo alternative-folk duo History of Painters, watch the

Embassador Skateboards team do tricks, and meet surfer Lakey Peterson, pro skateboarder Thomas Schaar and beach volleyball player Christopher “Sinjin” St. John.

At 3 p.m., worship song finalists Dorcas Smith, Kyler Gentry and Kyle Davelaar will compete for a $2,000 cash prize.

The God Squad Dance Crew, based in Paso Robles, will also perform at the free, family-friendly festival.

The festival’s main ticketed event kicks off at 6 p.m. Up-and-coming singer-songwriter Kylie Hughes is slated to perform first, followed by rock band Building 429.

Australia’s Grammy Award-nominated pop rock group Newsboys, who found fame in the early 1990s with the albums “Not Ashamed” and “Going Public,” take the stage next.

Headlining act MercyMe closes the concert.

“In the Christian section of the music industry, (MercyMe) is one of the top bands in the country,” Patterson said of the Grammy-nominated group.

The Groovaloos dance crew, which has made multiple appearances on “So You Think You Can Dance” and “The Wayne Brady Show,” will perform between acts. Individual members have performed with artists including Madonna, Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber.

“We’re so blessed to have all of those performers under one roof,” Waldron said.