About 1700 young people will descend on Gore on 12 December for the Elevate youth festival.
Previously known as Exo Day, after an Australian youth ministry, the festival has got big enough for its own brand, says Calvin Community Presbyterian Church youth ministries director Marty Redhead.
After kicking off in 2004 with 60 kids attending, last year 1000 came through the gates.
Big names confirmed for 2009 include the Parachute Band, with negotiations also at an advanced stage with singer/songwriter Nathan King.
Marty says the 2009 event, which is held in the field next to the church and charges $10 for entry, will feature a bigger stage, more technical gear and more activity zones.
These include a “chainsaw zone”, where kids can have a go “under very close supervision”, go-carts, motorbikes, disco, gaming, wood working and knitting. There will also be a “smash zone,” which involves taking to old cars and televisions with a sledge hammer, a “chick zone” and an “art zone”. Sports include a touch competition, climbing wall and volleyball.
Marty says the ideas for activities come from brainstorming sessions with the Calvin youth group.
The festival includes a worship service in the evening that churches from Gore and Eastern Southland are invited to attend. The day is designed “to peak at that point”, Marty says. Most of the young people stay for the service, with one of the big acts following immediately afterwards.
The service will include a worship time lead by the Parachute Band and the speaker will be Jordan Smith, the Auckland-based national youth leader for ACTS Churches.
Marty says a key part of the day is giving people the opportunity to meet Jesus.
“We just want to tell young people that life with God’s pretty awesome"
“We’re doing it to see young people’s lives changed and to see God’s name made famous.”
The church has seen positive effects on its youth ministry, with young people who attend often starting to ask questions and come along to youth group on Friday nights.
A huge team of volunteers from Calvin makes the day happen and many businesses donate goods and services, with major banks making their marquees available free of charge.
Marty says just about everyone in the congregation of 250 helps out in some way on the day.
“Our church is just incredibly generous with their time. We’re having people call us and say they’d like to help.”
Everyone working together on such a big project has positive spin-offs for the church, Marty says. “Our congregation glows. It’s everyone coming together for one cause.” People in the community see it as “a Calvin event” and it also boosts the church’s local profile, he says.
The day starts at 2pm and ends at 9.30pm, and a big security team ensures it stays drug and alcohol free.
Many attendees come from the high schools in Gore and the surrounding area, lured by a publicity drive in November that sees sausages, icecream and flyers given out by the Calvin team.
But young people also come from as far away as Dunedin and Canterbury, with many youth groups making special trips down south. By Amanda Wells