"Easterfest" draws the crowds to regional QLD

The annual festival that started as the Australian Gospel Music Festival (AGMF) and changed its name 5 years ago to better reflect the festival's aim of being a festival at Easter about Easter; continues to attract massive crowds every year. "Easterfest" festival director Dave Schenk said “with the introduction of Easterfest TV this year and the ability to stream live across the world for 16 hours a day, we’re really hopeful that this will boost the profile of our festival globally. We continue to attract quality entertainers in the Christian Music Industry and this will just increase our credibility as Australia’s largest Christian Music Festival”. With international bands like Mercy Me, POD, The Lads and solo artists like CCM veteran Michael W Smith, this year’s Easterfest lineup promised big and certainly delivered.

Based in Dallas, Texas; Mercy Me have been playing gigs all over the world for the last 17 years and yet this was the first time they have been to Australia. With a tight tour schedule, Mercy Me played in Sydney, Toowoomba and Melbourne with a press conference at Easterfest in Toowoomba attracting a huge crowd. Lead Singer Bart Millard told the crowd that their name came from an exclamation made by his grandmother when he told her he was trying to start a rock n roll band “Mercy Me, why don’t you get a real job” was the response; and so Mercy Me the band became. Their performance on Main Stage on Good Friday was filled with hits from their current album “The Generous Mr. Lovewell” and past hits including their biggest “I Can Only Imagine”.

"Mercy Me" rock the crowd on Good Friday at Easterfest 2012 Main Stage, Queens Park, Toowoomba QLD

Michael W Smith, a multi Dove Award and Grammy award winning artist performed to a crowd of thousands at main stage on Saturday night. Playing songs from throughout his career, he was well received with the audience responding to the polished performance. It wasn’t until he started to play a string of his worship songs towards the end of the performance that the crowds really came alive and sang along, many with outstretched arms in an attitude of praise and worship. Songs like: Here I am to Worship, Above All, Agnus Dei and Majesty really highlighted the way that “Smitty” has connected with worshippers of God over the last decade or more through his musical abilities.

Michael W Smith and band (featuring a drummer from Sydney) perform on the main stage at Easterfest 2012

Raw Sugar cafe in Maragaret Street Toowoomba QLD

 But it wasn’t just the festival goers who benefit from this festival. Easterfest City is part and parcel of this massive Easter celebration with artists and patrons spilling out of Queens Park in the CBD and frequenting the many café’s, restaurants and retailers within walking distance of the festival hub. Local businesses were busy over the public holidays many doing equivalent to two weeks normal trade in just one weekend. 

Co-owner of local café “Raw Sugar”, Cindy Cook, said that they have a prime position just across the road from the festival and every year open their business at Easter. “We do a massive trade every year, so it’s definitely worth it” Cindy said. “We have always had artists playing here and this year for the first we had one of them not show up for a scheduled spot. But the organisers of the festival are great to work with and if there are any hassles they are always happy to help sort it out.”

Tickets were on sale at a special discount price over the Easter weekend for the next festival, despite no major announcement being made of who will be on the 2013 roster. “This has been the biggest year of pre sale tickets so far” said Festival Director Dave Schenk “which is surprising considering we haven’t yet been able to secure anyone for next year’s festival. We only announce that an artist will be playing once contracts are signed. In previous year’s we’ve had that sorted out sometimes only hours before it’s announced. But we’re just really excited that there is that the experience of being at the festival is what seems to draw people back again and again.”