Music, meet-the-author opportunities and massages are among the draws for Christian Store Day, Oct. 23.

A wide range of events is planned for the day, which will see 468 stores--309 independents and LifeWay Christian Stores outlets--taking part in the inaugural national celebration of Christian retail.

Michael W. Smith and members of Third Day will be at Mardel Christian & Education in Wichita Falls, Texas, for a live radio event, which will include the giveaway of an autographed guitar by the band.

Best-selling authors Colleen Coble and Joel C. Rosenberg will be at Lighthouse Christian Bookstore in Bedford, Ind., and The Potter's House Parable Christian Store in Valdosta, Ga., respectively.

Other scheduled happenings posted at the Christian Store Day Web site include refreshments being served and free chair massages offered at Nu Revelations in Hayward, Calif.

More than 100 books, CDs and DVDs will be available for sale as $5, $10 and half-price specials, with vendors supporting the effort also providing free products for hourly giveaways for the initiative--modeled after the successful Record Store Day that has championed independent music retailers in the past few years. The day also spotlights a benefit CD raising money for Compassion International, Samaritan's Purse and World Vision efforts in Haiti.

With a tag line of "celebrate faith and community," Christian Store Day aims to enthuse existing Christian retail consumers, draw back former customers and attract new shoppers.

Backed by CBA, the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association and the Christian Music Trade Association, the event is being sponsored by Tyndale House Publishers, Thomas Nelson, Zondervan, Word Distribution, EMI CMG Distribution and Provident-Integrity Distribution.

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