Big Church Festival should be on your family’s ‘to do’ list for 2026

Have you read about the Quiet Revival? Well guess what? Revival is here and it is definitely not quiet! This August Bank Holiday weekend, 35,000 people gathered at the Wiston Estate for the Big Church Festival (BCF) a non-profit music festival created by Tim Jupp, a former member of the band Delirious?

My family and a few other church families travelled down from the North of the country to attend our first BCF, and we were not disappointed. Our children ranged in ages from 10 to 19, with a couple of young adults in the mix.

I was blown away by the level of care, safety, and fun poured into every moment for the children

I’d love to share our experience of BCF with you, along with a few tried-and-tested tips from our time camping, so you’ll have a real feel for what to expect if you’re planning to bring your family along in 2026.

Big Church Kids

Big Church Kids was new for 2025. Headed up by Shell Perris and the Alive Team, this was a space for children aged 5-11 to come and enjoy morning sessions with the team. There were 700 spaces for children, with plans to increase that number next year as volunteer teams grow over the year. I served on the kids team and had the most amazing time.

Safety and SEN

Serving on the Big Church Kids team was such a joy. I was blown away by the level of care, safety, and fun poured into every moment for the children and for us as team too! With such a huge site, safeguarding was taken really seriously. Each child was part of a team with a colour for the weekend, which not only helped everything run smoothly but also gave them the chance to make new friends. There was even a brilliant ‘purple brigade’; a dedicated team with SEN experience who were ready to support children who needed a quieter space, a bit of extra help, or simply time to play at their own pace.

There was something there that each child could engage well with, have fun and learn more of God’s Kingdom and what it meant to be part of it

Big Church Kids Programme

The theme this year was ‘The Kingdom and the King’. Each child had a book full of activities, Bible stories, devotionals and questions that they could unpack with their small group and family to help them delve deeper into the story. Shell Perris wrote the theme song that iSingPOP taught the children over the weekend. The guest speakers included Gemma Hunt from CBeebies, Grace Wheeler from HeyJoy and Shell Perris. The children were led into activities including sports, circus skills, big games, crafts, nature, drama and iSingPOP singing workshops. There was something there that each child could engage well with, have fun and learn more of God’s Kingdom and what it meant to be part of it.

her youngest came back insisting they had to return next year no matter what it took!

Big Church Kids Testimonies

I’ve heard so many parents share how their little ones came back from the sessions absolutely buzzing, full of life, joy, and carrying something of God’s presence with them. One mum I spoke to had three children, aged 6, 12, and 16, and she couldn’t recommend it enough. She felt at ease letting her teenager explore the site with friends, knowing it was safe, while her youngest came back insisting they had to return next year no matter what it took! It was such a beautiful reminder of how God meets our kids right where they are.

One of Shell Perris’ highlights was on the last morning when we saw about 250 children that stood up and made the decision to follow Jesus – She said: “Planning for a programme like Big Church Kids takes months of preparation. There are happy tears, sad tears along the way. So, to see that moment where you know that lives have been changed and transformed forever makes it all worthwhile.”

It was such a privilege to serve in the team and see the children grow in their faith, and see the impact that God made in the lives of those who served as part of the Big Church Kids team as well.

What a gift it is to share our faith with our children, surrounded by thousands of other believers. Generations together, all lifting the name of Jesus

Camping

There are plenty of options if you want to stay on site for the weekend. General camping, caravans, or glamping pods with beds and lights. We camped in the volunteer field with 950 others, which was great fun. Churches can even reserve a group spot to camp together. There’s no electricity for most campers, and while ice packs can be swapped at the Village Green, space is limited so it’s best not to rely on it.

Toilets and Showers

If you chat to anyone who’s been to BCF, they’ll probably mention the loos. It wasn’t exactly the highlight. With so many people on a site that usually just hosts sheep, the toilets and showers were stretched. But here’s the thing. Most families came prepared, and honestly, every time I went there was always loo roll (a small miracle in itself!). It’s so easy to let the little negatives steal our joy, but when we choose to fix our eyes on the good, we suddenly see how much God is at work across the site and in people’s lives. And let’s be real, what a blessing it is to even have toilets and running water in the middle of a field!

Food

Food onsite can be expensive for a family of multiple people. Prices averaged around £10 per person with a can of pop costing £3. We ended up pre-cooking a lot of our meals and freezing them beforehand so that they could slowly defrost whilst we were there. There are lots of helpful sites on social media which talk about how to camp and feed a family without electricity which you can look at for advice on recipes.

Mobile Signal

Mobile signal is limited across the site, and although free WiFi is available, it’s not always reliable. We made ‘old school’ plans with our kids and friends about where to meet, which actually gave us a lovely digital detox. Less screen time, more space to hear God’s voice. If your child needs you during Big Church Kids, the team will get in touch, and updates are also posted on digital boards around the site.

Read more:

6 tracks for Christian parents to add to their family car play list this summer

Holy habits for the school holidays: Helping your family stay close to God this summer

Site Activities for Families

There was so much to do. With 5 music stages, children and youth programmes in the morning, rides, football, roller skating, laser tag, comedy, worship and so much more, there was something there for everyone. The rides were reasonably priced at £20 for 20 tokens, so maybe sort out and agree a budget before you go so you are in control of what you spend beforehand.

So should you go?

The sun shone and we were truly blessed. Of course, there were a few challenges along the way, but nothing that could take away from how special the weekend was. On the final night, as Brandon Lake and Phil Wickham led worship, I stood in the field just taking it all in. A mum nearby was dancing with joy, her tiny three-month-old nestled safely in her arms. Just a little further back, a girl of about eight, already in her pyjamas and dressing gown, sat high on her dad’s shoulders with her hands lifted in worship to the King. Moments like that stop you in your tracks. What a gift it is to share our faith with our children, surrounded by thousands of other believers. Generations together, all lifting the name of Jesus.