Christians endure hellish heat at music festival

A fire truck turned up yesterday afternoon to cool people down at the Parachute Music Festival at Mystery Creek. Pictures / Paul Estcourt

The music and atmosphere may have been heavenly but the heat was hellish for day three of the Parachute Christian music festival at Mystery Creek, near Hamilton, yesterday.

As temperatures soared, concertgoers sought shade against buildings and under awnings, while others took advantage of cold-water sponges.

The Mystery Creek Fire Service turned up with an appliance mid-afternoon and delivered a dousing of water to scores of youngsters.

About 23,000 attended the event and 14,000 stayed in a tent city on-site.

Campers paid $130 for the four-day concert, the largest Christian music festival outside the United States.

Parachute organiser Mark de Jong said the ban on alcohol and drugs at the venue meant there were no problems with unruly visitors.

"Our crowds are generally well-behaved, but this year it has been almost spooky how well-behaved they have been."

His comments were reinforced by a check of the alcohol amnesty station at the venue entrance.

"I think I have seen one bottle, and I have been here for three days," said one woman at the post.

A number of Mystery Creek neighbours concerned about the noise had warned of protest action during the concert, but by day three had failed to make good their threats.

Instead, a number of them had visited the festival over the weekend and were "very supportive", Mr de Jong said.

Though it was a Christian concert, there was no "ram it down your throat" philosophy, he said.

"It is pretty relaxed and cool like that."

But many of the performers, including singer Brooke Fraser, took the opportunity to discuss their faith, he said.

A live concert album was recorded yesterday for American-based Integrity Music.