It's Labor Day Weekend – summer's last hurrah and a final chance for millions of Americans to vacation under the summer sun. And kicking off the holiday weekend is one of the nation's largest outdoor Christian music festivals.
LifeLight Christian Music Festival is covering the grounds of Wild Water West in Sioux Falls, S.D., for the tenth year with a lineup of more than 100 performances by leading Christian artists on five stages. An estimated 250,000 people or more are expected to attend the Aug. 31-Sept. 2 festival.
Highlights include contemporary Christian artists Chris Tomlin, Jars of Clay and TobyMac, who will be featured on the main stage. Taking on "Souled Out" stage is Family Force 5, an Atlanta-based band that mixes punk, rock, and funk.
The Christian electro-rock band aims for originality, trying to prove that Christian music doesn't have to be boring and concerts don't have to be like prayer fests, according to Sioux Falls Argus Leader.
"Jesus came so we could live life to the fullest and part of that is having fun," says Chap Stique, a FF5 guitarist. "Music that we term 'Christian' can be awesome, too."
LifeLight speakers include New Zealand evangelist and Christian author Ray Comfort and Craig Gross, founder of Fireproof Ministries and XXXchurch.com, "the #1 Christian porn site."
The festival is brought on by LifeLight Communications, a faith-based non-profit that facilitates concerts, tours, mission trips, student ministries and other events through partnerships with churches, businesses and ministries. LifeLight Festival is the organization's biggest annual event and is free to the public. It also features camping, games, seminars, and a Sunday morning worship service along with discounted rates to the water park.