SoulFest
SoulFest is an annual Christian music festival held in New England, United States. It currently takes place at the Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford, New Hampshire and features five stages and over 125 bands and speakers. This year's festival dates are August 7-9, 2013.
Christian music performances
With over 13,000 in daily attendance, this unique event is billed by the producers as the largest Christian outdoor music festival event in New England. With 5 different stages, SoulFest has featured top national Contemporary Christian music acts such as Switchfoot, Skillet, tobyMac, Casting Crowns, Third Day, Chris Tomlin, Jeremy Camp, David Crowder, Jars of Clay, Kutless, The Newsboys, Mercy Me, Audio Adrenaline, Michael W. Smith, Rebecca St. James, dc Talk, Steven Curtis Chapman, The Call, Sam Phillips, The Almost, BarlowGirl, Five Iron Frenzy, the O.C. Supertones, Superchick, Isreal Houghton & New Breed, Bethany Dillon, and many more. SoulFest is also a showcase for the best of the Northeast's faith based artists, too, including Maeve, Rachel Taylor, Jim Trick, Big Kettle Drum, The Wrecking and Joel and Janna. Soulfest also gives tribute to the hardcore scene bringing in acts such as Fly Leaf, P.O.D., RED, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, MxPx, August Burns Red, Disciple, Project 86, Exiting The Fall, Pillar, As I Lay Dying, Relient K, Haste the Day, Thousand Foot Krutch, Flat Foot 56, Everyday Sunday, and many other popular rock acts.
SoulFest 2013's lineup included: Skillet, Hillsong Live, Newsboys, Chris Tomlin, Crowder, Audio Adrenaline, Gungor, Five Iron Frenzy, Jars of Clay, Peter Furler, Manic Drive, Plumb, Rhett Walker Band, Steve Taylor and the Perfect Foil, For King & Country, Jason Dunn, MikesChair, Hyland, Project 86, The City Harmonic, Aaron Gillespie, The Violet Burning, Lost Dogs, Jason Upton, Ascend the Hill, Rachel Taylor, The Wrecking, Manafest, Propaganda, Andy Mineo, Bobby Bishop, Scarlet Fade, Ilia, The Wedding, War of Ages, The Ember Days, We As Human, I Am Empire, Phone Calls From Home, The Walking Tree, St. Theodore, Maeve, Christopher Williams, Justin McRoberts, and many more.
The objective of this event is to encourage all who attend to become of active in their communities, helping the needy, spreading God's love by action. Matthew 25: 1-49 is a foundational scripture for this event. The producers hope this event will encourage all who attend to live from the Inside-Out as soul-connected risk taking believers in True Love, the revolution Jesus started.
Stages
Soulfest has two major stages in the actual festival area. The biggest stage, the Revival Stage, hosts major name artists, such as Skillet, Chris Tomlin, Third Day and Switchfoot, and houses well over ten thousand people on the surrounding grounds. The second biggest stage is Inside Out Stage, which has more rock-oriented artist, such as MxPx, The Chariot and Flyleaf along with a number of bands geared towards worship including Jason Upton, and Gateway Worship.
Their other stages are Mercy Street, Deeper Well, and Mountain Top Stage. The Mercy Street stage is inside of a large ski lodge near the main entrance of Soulfest. Although it hosts mostly smaller acts that are lesser known, big name acts sometimes play shows at this venue, usually late at night, at events called "Late Night Performances".
The Mountain Top stage hosts mainly acoustic acts in the festival's most scenic venue. Artists perform on the front deck of a cabin that sits on top of one of Gunstock's mountains. Guests can choose to take the chairlift to the stage or walk the beautiful hike up to the top. At this stage, you can find artists like Maeve and Matt Maher, normally with just an acoustic guitar, but occasionally a piano or a small drum set will be played. Some main stage artist will even have special acoustic and/or solo concerts at this venue.
The Deeper Well stage primarily features local artists and has a more chill cafe feel. Most artists will play acoustic sets that have a more personable feel. You never know what new great artist will debut on this stage!
Accommodations and parking
SoulFest will draw over 13,000 from all over the Northeast to spend 4-5 days in the Lakes Region, with some extending their stay for a vacation. There is on-site camping, off-site camping, local hotels, and condos. There are also plenty of rental properties available.
Gunstock Mountain Resort, host of the SoulFest, offers $5.00 a day parking for over 1500 cars, while reserved VIP parking is available for those who wish to have the closest 80 parking spots to the main entrance and costs $125.00 for all 4 days. Handicap and large vehicle parking are available as well.
History
SoulFest began in 1998 and took place as a 3 day festival at Loon Mountain in Lincoln, New Hampshire. In 2005, SoulFest changed locations to Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford, NH and currently resides there annually.
2006
Bands Performing
- Wednesday August 2nd, 2006
- Revival Stage: Audio Adrenaline, Jeremy Camp, The Fold, Barlow Girl, Paul Colman, Grits, Truce, Sanctus Real
- Inside Out: Stryper, Kingpin Wrecking Crew, Transfer, Edison Glass
- Thursday August 3rd, 2006
- Revival Stage: Newsboys, Superchick, Tammy Trent, Kevin Max, KJ52, Baird Lashley & Who Stands
- Inside Out Stage: Dead Poetic, Disciple, Seventh Day Slumber, Fighting Instinct, Flatfoot56, Spoken
- Friday August 4th, 2006
- Revival Stage: MercyMe, Jars of Clay, Leeland, Matt Maher
- Inside Out: Skillet, Apologetix, August Burns Red
- Saturday August 5th, 2006
- Revival Stage: Third Day, Chris Tomlin, Kutless, John Reuben
- Inside Out: Pillar, Hawk Nelson, Falling Up
2007
Bands Performing
- Wednesday August 1st, 2007
- Revival Stage: Jeremy Camp, Jars of Clay, Building 429, Leeland, Group 1 Crew
- Inside Out: Emery, The Chariot, Disciple, Kiros
- Thursday August 2nd, 2007
- Revival Stage: Toby Mac, Rebecca St. James, The Afters, Stellar Kart
- Inside Out Stage: He Is Legend, Seventh Day Slumber, Inhale Exhale, Maylene @ the Sons of Disaster, Flatfoot 56, Life In Your Way,
- War of Ages
- Friday August 3rd, 2007
- Revival Stage: Casting Crowns, Superchick, Tree 63, Matt Maher, Bethany Dillon
- Inside Out: Skillet, Alove For Enemies, Storyside B
- Saturday August 4th, 2007
- Revival Stage: Newboys, Chris Tomlin, Natalie Grant, John Reuben, Charlie Hall
- Inside Out: MXPX, Pillar, Project 86, Red, The Wrecking Up
2008
Bands Performing
- Wednesday July 30, 2008
- Revival Stage: TobyMac, Jars of Clay, Kevin Max
- Thursday July 31, 2008
- Revival Stage: Kutless, Superchick, Phil Joel, John Reuben, Tenth Avenue North, Phil Wickham
- Inside Out Stage: Pillar, August Burns Red, Run Kid Run, The Wrecking, Flatfoot 56
- Friday August 1, 2008
- Revival Stage: Newsboys, Barlow Girl, Matt Maher, KJ-52
- Inside Out: Flyleaf, The Chariot
- Saturday August 2, 2008
- Revival Stage: Third Day, Rebecca St. James, Stellar Kart, Bethany Dillon
- Inside Out: Skillet, Disciple, Inhale/Exhale
2009
Bands Performing
- Wednesday July 29, 2009
- Revival Stage: Skillet, Family Force 5, Phil Joel, Paul Colman
- Thursday July 30, 2009
- Revival Stage: Newsboys, The Afters, Charlie Peacock, Sara Groves, Derek Webb, Phil Wickham, Glendridge
- Inside Out Stage: Day of Fire, To Speak of Wolves, We As Human, Children 18:3
- Friday July 31, 2009
- Revival Stage: Casting Crowns, Natalie Grant, Jason Upton, Manic Drive, Thousand Foot Krutch
- Inside Out: As I Lay Dying, Norma Jean, And Then There Were None, Wolves Among Sleep
- Saturday August 1, 2009
- Revival Stage: Third Day, Sanctus Real, Charlie Hall, Bluetree, Fireflight, Brant Christopher
- Inside Out: Haste the Day, The Chariot, Sleeping Giant, Project 86, Oh Sleeper
2010
Bands Performing
- Wednesday August 4, 2010
- Revival Stage: Switchfoot, Hawk Nelson, Paul Colman, Phil Joel
- Inside Out Stage: Showbread, I am Alpha and Omega
- Thursday August 5, 2010
- Revival Stage: TobyMac, Sanctus Real, Paul Colman, Eric Timm, Jason Upton
- Inside Out Stage: Maylene & The Sons of Disaster, For Today, Blessed By a Broken Heart
- Friday August 6, 2010
- Revival Stage: MercyMe, The OC Supertones, Barlow Girl, Paul Colman, Fireflight, Superchick
- Inside Out: The Chariot, MyChildren, MyBride, Project86, Ivoryline, Paper Route, Able, Dream Tigers
- Saturday August 7, 2010
- Revival Stage: Kutless, Jars of Clay, Isreal Houghton & New Breed, Matthew West, Matt Maher
- Inside Out: August Burns Red, Living Sacrifice, Flatfoot56, Queens Club
2011
Bands Performing
- Wednesday August 3, 2011
- Revival Stage: Skillet, Sanctus Real
- Inside Out Stage:
- Thursday August 4, 2011
- Revival Stage: Chris Tomlin, Classic Petra, Leeland,
- Inside Out Stage: Red
- Friday August 5, 2011
- Revival Stage: Third Day, Jars of Clay, Tenth Avenue North, Britt Nicole
- Inside Out: Flatfoot56
- Saturday August 6, 2011
- Revival Stage: Switchfoot, Adam Joel, The Almost, Aaron Gillespie
- Inside Out: Gateway Worship
2012
Bands Performing
- Wednesday August 1, 2012
- Revival Stage: Jars of Clay, Jeremy Camp, Plumb
- Inside Out Stage: Ascend The Hill, Abel
- Thursday August 2, 2012
- Revival Stage: Switchfoot, Peter Furler & Phil Joel, The Wrecking
- Inside Out Stage: Sleeping Giant, War of Ages
- Friday August 3, 2012
- Revival Stage: TobyMac, Family Force 5, Matt Maher, Fireflight
- Inside Out: Love And Death, Project 86, Write This Down
- Saturday August 4, 2012
- Revival Stage: Casting Crowns, Kutless, LeCrae
- Inside Out: Five Iron Frenzy, The OC Supertones
2013
Bands Performing
- Wednesday July 31, 2013
- Revival Stage: Hillsong Live!, Gungor, City Harmonic, Rhett Walker Band, Manic Drive
- Inside Out Stage: Lost Dogs, Big Kettle Drum, Chasing Cooper, Rekoncyle, and more!
- Thursday August 1, 2013
- Revival Stage: Newsboys, Audio Adrenaline, Plumb, For King & Country, Jason Dunn, Bread of Stone
- Inside Out Stage: ManaFest, Propaganda, Andy Mineo, Bobby Bishop, Ilia, St. Theodore, Scarlet Haven, NU Life, Applejaxx
- Friday August 2, 2013
- Revival Stage: Chris Tomlin, Jars of Clay, The Wrecking, Peter Furler, Jason Upton, MikesChair, Maeve
- Inside Out: Project 86, War of Ages, The Violet Burning, The Wedding, Kronicles, Exiting The Fall, Ana-Sapphira, Servants, Degraff
- Saturday August 3, 2013
- Revival Stage: Skillet, Crowder, Sanctus Real, Ascend The Hill, Hyland, Sean Forrest, Andy Needham Band, and the United Night of Worship team
- Inside Out: Five Iron Frenzy, We As Human, I Am Empire, Bread of Stone, The Ember Days, The Walking Tree, Phone Calls From Home, and Waking Unity