Heat can't wilt festival spirit

Aymeric Benard gets cooled down yesterday at Parachute 06. Picture / Geoff Dale

It may have been as hot as hell, but it was God who took centre stage at a Christian music festival in the Waikato this weekend.

Unlike most concerts involving youth and music, drugs, alcohol, sex outside marriage, and even cigarettes were banned for the four-day event, attracting Christians from throughout the country.

Around 25,000 revellers were expected to turn out for this year's Parachute music festival, launched on Friday at Mystery Creek, near Hamilton.

In its 15th year, the festival - combining more than 100 musicians and speakers, amusement rides, Christian stands and food stalls - has grown from a small farm-based concert into one of the largest events of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

Organisers were touring the venue on bikes spraying festival-goers with cool water as temperatures touched 29C.

Kerryanne Courtney, 14, from Levin, said apart from the sweltering weather, some of the hottest in the region this year, the event was a lot of fun.

She said dancing in the mosh-pit during a performance by her favourite band "Mum's Dollar", was her highlight.

"It's my first time at the event, and it is great. The people are really friendly."

However, she said Saturday's searing sun and high humidity prompted regular visits to the mist tent - a rectangular tent spraying water on those walking through it - to cool down.

Wendy Wright from Kerikeri, was attending the event with half a dozen teenagers from her church.

Ms Wright applauded the range of options available to revellers, from sermons and seminars to music.

"It means the teenagers can do what they want to do, while I do what I want. Everyone is happy."

"Some of the music has been a bit heavy for my tastes."

Wellington's Johnny Russ, 22, came with eight other twenty-somethings from his church.

Unlike the 16,000 people estimated to have slept on site during the event, the group stayed at a friend's house in Hamilton rather than "roughing it" in one of the hundreds of tents and campervans.

Mr Russ visited the festival three years ago and decided to come again.

His highlight was watching a friend perform in the band Genuin the night before.

"It's been a great atmosphere here. Everyone is really friendly."

Senior Sergeant Ray Malcomson of Hamilton police said the event had been relatively trouble-free with no arrests.