Move over, Winter Jam--a new player in town aims to obliterate what you expect from the Christian concert experience!
As summer Christian music festivals have continued to struggle with attendance, financial feasibility and overall relevance in the market, several of the big players have agreed to join forces and take the show on the road.
Titled MegaFest, the event features 77 of the biggest names in Christian music, including TobyMac, Lecrae, Britt Nicole, Hillsong United, Skillet, Switchfoot, Newsboys, Hawk Nelson, MercyMe, Casting Crowns, Natalie Grant, Danny Gokey, Anthem Lights, Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael W. Smith, Francesca Battistelli, Audio Adrenaline (the first one with Mark Stuart, not the reboots), Rebecca St. James, for KING & COUNTRY, For All Seasons, For Today, Foreverlin, Twenty One Pilots, The Rocket Summer, Trip Lee, Bizzle, Thi'sl, KB, Matthew West, Matthew Parker, William Matthews, Matt Maher, Matt Hammitt, Matt Papa, Matt Redman, Matty Mullins, Brandon Heath, Chris August, Group 1 Crew, I AM THEY, I Am Empire, We Are Messengers, We Are Leo, Brian Johnson, Brian "Head" Welch, Brian Courtney Wilson, Brian Free and Assurance, Brian Doerksen, Paul Baloche, Paul Colman, Paul Wright, Kari Jobe, Hillsong UNITED, Hillsong Worship, Hillsong Young & Free, Hillsong Interns, Israel Houghton, Tenth Avenue North, Owl City, Keith Green and more! Probably Third Day, too!
Besides the incredible lineup, MegaFest also features simultaneous acrobatics acts by the Faith-Filled-Flippers of Detroit, the Extreme Skateboard Team of Duluth, Ga., and the Christian Cartwheelers of California.
In the lobby, there will be an ongoing marathon of the Left Behind movies, as well as special meet and greets from Christian actors, such as Kirk Cameron, David A.R. White, Stephen Baldwin, Melissa Joan Hart, Jim Caviezel, Trace Adkins and more!
"We're basically taking the four days of a festival, squeezing it into an unforgettable day, and supercharging it with things you've never experienced before," said Paul Grimley, producer of the tour. "Not sure you can find anything like this anywhere else, because you can't."
The 17-hour festival begins at 6 a.m. to ensure everyone gets a full performance slot. In fact, MegaFest features a "three ring circus" of performance options, so attendees are given headphones so they can switch between audio feeds of the concert they want to hear at any given time.
"Nobody's doing that kind of thing, nobody," Grimley said. "In this on-demand age, we're just meeting the needs the consumer has. Listen to Franny and then switch over to Gokey. Or listen to both! Whatever! No problem!" Fans also have the option to watch motocross performances outside and a 35-minute fireworks aftershow.
While details are still being worked out, organizers are confident they can beat Winter Jam's ticket price by offering a $4.99 ticket, with a $3,000 VIP upgrade available. That upgrade features becoming the artist's best friends, getting matching tattoos with your favorite lead singer, and playing paintball with a band during its set onstage.
MegaFest's 280 dates in 2019 will kick off Jan. 2 in Albany, New York, and will end in late November somewhere near Tulsa. MegaFest is already booking for the West Coast leg in 2020. Learn more by visiting www.megafesttournow.com.
