Louder Than The Music

See also: Big Church Day Out 2011 Review & Photos

The one thing you have to say about the Big Church Day Out, is that it certainly is BIG. Arriving at Wiston House on Sunday lunch time I have to confess there was a certain trepidation amongst my family and I. We went to the inaugural Big Church Day Out last year and whilst the event itself was brilliant, we had two big problems with the day. First, getting into the site at the start, and second getting out of the site at the end. Yes, traffic was a major issue last year, so much so that if it hadn't been for such a great line up and brilliant facilities it could seriously have ruined the day for us. However any doubts about attending again in 2010 were put aside, partly due to another great lineup, partly down to the kids really wanting to go, and also partly due to the improvements in the traffic management system this year that organisers had promised.

So, as we approached Wiston House in West Sussex, I drove nervously around every corner of the country lanes, fully expecting to come face to face with a long queue of stationary traffic. But it never materialised. I was pleasantly surprised to be able to drive straight through the gates and into the car park without so much as a pause, let alone queuing for over an hour. Before we'd even handed our tickets over, the day was already looking better than last year, and I was suitably impressed.

As we made our way across the field to the mainstage, TV presenter Diane Louise Jordan and 24-7 prayer founder Pete Greig were preparing to announce the opening artist, worship leader Brenton Brown. We settled down on the grassy banks, on the fringes of an already sprawling crowd, to watch and listen. Within minutes my kids were up and dancing, singing along to songs they hear week in week out in church: 'Praise Is Rising', 'Your Love Is Amazing' and 'Everlasting God'.

The crowd around us was made up of young children, older children, adults, grandparents, large groups, small groups, people wondering around on their own. That's the great thing about the Big Church Day Out, it's not just a music festival for the teens and twenties, it caters for all ages. There's truly something for all the family. Next on mainstage was popular British worship leader Tim Hughes, who intriguingly appeared to have brought a rapper along with him for the first few songs. Again there were crowd pleasing songs that were well sung along to by the crowd, 'Everything', 'Happy Day' and 'Here I Am To Worship'.

Surprisingly perhaps, the big American band in the lineup, Switchfoot, were next up on mainstage, rather than later in the night. The hugely talented group soon had the crowd bouncing and shouting as they rolled out song after song from their back catalogue, including the title track from last year's 'Hello Hurricane' album. Not wanting to miss out on what else was going on around the site (and mainly because my kids had been in one place for too long) we headed off in search of further entertainment. There were fair ground rides and bouncy castles, pony rides and food stalls, tractor rides and sporting activities... we didn't try them all, but the kids certainly enjoyed the rides (that's pony, tractor and fair ground).

Over at the more genteel Tea Tent a slightly more mature (and less boisterous) crowd were reclining on chairs or sitting on the grass, as another British worship institution, Graham Kendrick, brought his set to an end. The other music venue on offer is the B-stage and there worship ground Trent were sounding excellent as they entertained a youthful crowd who had gathered to watch. When they were done, the brilliant Tom & Olly took to the small stage, attracting probably the biggest crowd of the day for that stage.