Worship Night with Ben Fuller and Brennley Brown Coming to Biddeford, ME

Christian music fans in Maine, get ready for an incredible night of worship and inspiration! Ben Fuller is bringing his "If I Got Jesus Tour" to Biddeford, ME on Friday, November 15th, and he'll be joined by special guest Brennley Brown.

The concert will take place at New Life Church (551 Alfred Rd, Biddeford, ME 04005) and will begin at 7:30 PM. In addition to the main concert, the event will also feature a special VIP Experience.

The VIP Experience includes a 30-minute Q&A event in the main auditorium with both Ben and Brennley. This intimate session will allow attendees to ask questions and join in prayer for the night's event. It's an opportunity to connect more deeply with the artists and the message they'll be sharing.

Tickets for the Biddeford concert, including the VIP Experience, are on sale now at this link.

If you are in need of a powerful night of Soul connected worship and inspiration, you won’t want to miss this concert event!

SoulFest 2024: More Than Merch, It's a Mission

As we prepare for SoulFest 2024, we're excited to remind you about a special place at the heart of our festival - the Merch Tent. But this isn't just any ordinary merchandise booth. It's a hub of connection, memory-making, and mission support.

Family Reunion

SoulFest is more than a music festival; it's a family reunion. We come together, united in our faith and love for Christ. The Merch Tent embodies this spirit of community.

Meet Our Volunteers

When you step into the Merch Tent, you'll be greeted by the warm smiles of our volunteers. These dedicated individuals are the heart and soul of SoulFest. Take a moment to chat, share your festival experiences, and feel the love that makes our community so special.

Exclusive Artist Merchandise

Find exclusive merchandise from the artists who've touched your heart during the festival. These aren't just t-shirts or CDs - they're tangible reminders of the powerful moments and spiritual growth you've experienced at SoulFest.

More Than Souvenirs

Every item in our Merch Tent tells a story. Whether it's a SoulFest branded hoodie or a signed poster from your favorite Christian artist, these pieces serve as reminders of the fellowship, worship, and inspiration you've found here.

Supporting the Mission

By purchasing SoulFest gear, you're doing more than taking home a memento. You're actively supporting our mission to strengthen this community of believers and share the message of hope and love with the world. Your purchase helps us continue to create spaces where faith can flourish and lives can be transformed.

We can't wait to see you at the Merch Tent during SoulFest 2024. Come by to shop, connect, and be part of something bigger than yourself. Together, we're not just attending a festival - we're building a movement of love and faith.

TRUE LOVE ESSAYS

With Valentine’s Day this week, we thought we’d share a few TRUE LOVE essays from 2024 Artists/Speakers Sean Forrest & Justin McRoberts, written 10 years ago tied to the 2014 theme: TRUE LOVE TRANSFORMS.

S E A N F O R R E S T

A Simple Bible Story: Lessons in Love

What a little Bible story can teach us is amazing.

You know how it goes. The Magi went out, guided by the stars, in search of a king. When Herod heard about this, he asked the Magi to tell him when they had found the new king so he could also pay him homage. The Magi found Jesus, worshipped Him and gave Him gifts. Then, warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went home in a different direction. They were transformed.

The first thing we can take away from this story is that, if true love transforms, then we must first encounter True Love. True love is a person: Jesus Christ. This Love sought us out by becoming a baby to reveal Himself more intimately to us and to die for our sins on a cross. Our God is a God who seeks us out, but we have to seek Him out in this relationship, as well. God is a gentleman, and He will not force us to believe in Him or love Him.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:7, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” The Magi set out in search of a king and found him, just as God promises each of us that those who truly seek will find Him. Unfortunately, many today have stopped seeking Jesus and have instead sought out comfort in worldly things that only deceive us by making us numb to truth. For many people, a couch and a television have become the king under the star.

Next, let’s think about Herod. Along their journey, the Magi met this worldly king who claimed to care about the True King they were seeking. In our lives, we too will meet people who claim to be leaders of importance but are just imposters. They will claim that they are on the same path as we are, but in reality they are full of deceit. We must test all things to make sure they are from God. As Jesus says in Matthew 7:20, “Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

And finally, look again at that call to transformation. After the Magi encountered Jesus, they went home by a different route. And when anyone really encounters Jesus, they go in a new direction—as a new creation. Jesus transformed the lives of those who opened their hearts to Him. How many went home after meeting the Lord, released from illness and returned to physical health? Yet it is also obvious that the change Jesus was most concerned about was the transformation of heart and soul brought about by repentance and forgiveness of a sinner: “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

What the Gospel Is Not

Today there are still many who believe the Gospel is all about physical healings and miracles. While these things certainly happen, it is false to believe that this is the very foundation of the Gospel. Just because someone is healed in body does not mean they are transformed at the level Jesus desires. Remember the ten lepers that Jesus healed? “One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.  Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well” (Luke 17:15-19).

Likewise, there is a danger in thinking the Gospel is just about doing works of charity (i.e., Social Gospel). While works of charity are essential to the Christian faith, it is important to know that it was Jesus’ death on the cross that opened the gates of heaven—not our works of charity.

The Gospel also should not be promoted as a business that delivers prosperity to all who believe in Jesus. By following Jesus, you will not be transformed into a rich man but rather something much greater: an adopted child of God. Remember, in the scriptures there was a rich man who went away sad because he loved his “stuff’ more than God. He was face to face with God, but he said no to the invitation to follow Jesus. Being successful is not by owning a Rolex, but rather by making it to heaven.

And finally, the Gospel is not a political weapon, seen in the pursuit of liberation theology or in trying to make God a Democrat or a Republican. We cannot make Jesus a puppet for politics because that is like us transforming God instead of the other way around.

All too often we forget that Jesus died on a cross for the forgiveness of sins. Our sins! A debt had to be paid because God is just. Instead of looking at our own lives and the areas of our lives that are displeasing to God, it is easier to ignore this Truth about ourselves and transform the Gospel into something that fits our life style and agenda. We are called to let Jesus really transform us into who He has called us to be—so that we can be free in Christ. 

It’s All About the Love

It seems like everyone is waiting for the world to be transformed, and we are working on ending poverty, fighting climate change and recycling bottles, but we have it backwards. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). We must understand that the works we do should be the fruit of our love for Jesus. Jesus wants us to fall in love with Him first—and then we will bring about a transformation in this world by the Holy Spirit living inside of us.

How do we know if we are loving Jesus? Jesus clearly tells us in John 14:15: "If you love me, keep my commandments.” If we do works of charity but do not repent from our sins, we have made works of charity our God and not Jesus. Remember that when Jesus rescued people caught in sin He would say, “Go and sin no more” because He knew He needed to emphasize that it is our souls that need cleaning.  When we truly encounter Him, we will hate sin in our own lives. We will not be ruled by sin and accept it as part of who we are but instead will be transformed into sons and daughters of God who reject sin and repent of it when we fall. We are no longer sons and daughters of darkness, but are children of God. We are “born-again” as Scripture tell us: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.” Now that is Love transforming! 

In the end, again, it’s all about being transformed by True Love. This is all summed up by God’s own words in 1 Corinthians 13: “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”

Such a simple little Bible story. But what a timeless truth. The Magi were transformed by True Love—and went home by a different route. Will it be the same for us?

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J U S T I N M C R O B E R T S

I spend a good deal of my social energy trying to surround myself with a tribe of people more reflective of my tastes and preferences. Then, at the communion table, Jesus asks me to do something dramatically different: deny my expectations, my tastes and preferences and then receive into my life and family anyone God gives me to. These elements, this simple matter of bread and wine is symbolic of the Presence of Jesus Christ in and among whatever people He has gathered to Himself. The King of Heaven and Earth, Lover of Humanity, Friend to the Friendless and Voice of the Voiceless, has always gathered a tribe of His choosing rather than a people that make Him look good to those of us with “discerning social taste.” Jesus has not gathered there a people he finds flavorless and cheap. He has gathered a community of people He sees as precious and priceless. And He has done so at the cost of his body and blood. 

It is this love, the sacrificial choice God has made to stick with us no matter what that defines who we are. Before you or I are anything else, we are Beloved of God. And that love not only transforms who we are, but ought to transform the way we see one another.

When Paul writes, in Galatians, that “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus,” I don’t think he’s suggesting that our culture or our gender no longer matter at all... but in light of what is MOST true of us, the things that even potentially divide us are of very little significance. May the love of God in Jesus, the love that makes us His first, not only redefine the way we know ourselves but the way we see one another; that we belong to each-other in a love much better, much stronger and more transformative than our own.

(This is an adapted excerpt from Justin’s book “CMYK: The Process of Life Together” which is available NOW, right here at SoulFest)

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: SoulFest 2023

We're very excited to welcome you to the Topsfield Fairgrounds next week for the 25th annual SoulFest! There have been several bumps in the road to get here, that with each passing day are being smoothed out, making way for you! We move onsite this Monday to start the stage build and prepare the grounds with the help of our set-up volunteers, before vendors, partners, and the rest of our volunteers show up on Wednesday. 

We've weathered quite the storm to host this festival and want to thank you for your patience and support - we know there have been lots of changes and not enough communication. We anticipate a really special time together, because we believe the battles fought to make this happen won’t be in vain. So many wonderful artists, speakers, and ministries, are en route for this celebration of Music • Love • Action around the GOOD NEWS of God’s love. Get ready! 

Speaking of weather, the forecast ahead includes some rain, but not to worry, this year's location includes 3 indoor stages to keep us dry and the music playing! A few other things to note in preparation for the festival: Tickets will be available at the door, but we could sell out, so it’s better to get them now! Our festival capacity is set to 4,500 per day. Don’t forget parking is included with your admission and it’s important to pay attention to the chair policy as this is a much different venue from previous years. Check out our FAQs and if you want a seat at the main stage – it’s an upgrade to your ticket, otherwise it’s standing room only. (And yes, you can bring a clip-on bleacher seat – just no chairs in the arena). There are lots of picnic tables around the grounds and seats at other stages. 

If you pre-purchased upgrades, you will receive them as you scan in at the gate. You will receive a reminder email with your PDF in a couple of days in case you have misplaced yours (and we can look up your order onsite).

We’re excited to finally share the Soul University content and have the SoulFest App ready for you to download and start building your own schedule for each day!

Curious about vendors, exhibitors, and food trucks that will be onsite? See the list here.

We’ve updated the schedule, because our dear friend and annual SoulFest staple, Paul Colman has to stay in Australia during SoulFest to care for his parents, but we already have him booked for 2024. ICYMI, read the previous news post to learn why Matt Maher won’t be at SoulFest 2023 either, but you can plan to see him at SoulFest 2024. (We’re glad Sanctus Real could join us to fill an open spot!) We’re excited to share more details with you about SoulFest 2024’s confirmed location and lineup next week when we’re all together! Please come prepared to give and receive grace as we experience together, the fruit of this labor of LOVE – in Topsfield, MA, starting next Thursday - Saturday!

Lineup and Festival Updates

SoulFest Sends Matt Maher to Lisbon for Global Ecumenical Event

SoulFest is sending Matt Maher to Lisbon, Portugal in place of his initially scheduled headline appearance on August 4, 2023. 

Matt received an invite to lead worship in Lisbon at The Change, an ecumenical gathering of over 65,000 people endorsed by the Vatican as an official event of World Youth Day. To show our support of global ecumenism SoulFest is releasing Matt from his slot this year taking the heart of our SoulFest community on his trip to Lisbon.  

Matt will be joining us next year at SoulFest! We feel it is very important that he pursues this opportunity, but we’ll miss him and want to make sure we get to see him very soon.

“In 2002, as an independent songwriter and worship leader, I received an invitation to play at a festival in New Hampshire with some other friends. I was blown away that, as a Catholic, I would be given that opportunity alongside other artists that I looked up to so much. That festival was SoulFest.

Since 2002, SoulFest has consistently invested in artists and in the body of Christ by creating a platform in a weekend festival format where not only can people be entertained and worship God, they can learn about important issues and ways in which we can engage the world around us.

I’m such a big fan of Dan and Vanessa and the entire SoulFest team, and am so grateful for this opportunity to attend World Youth Day. 10 years ago I went to World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro and sang “Lord, I Need You” at a very powerful vigil service, and I know that there will be many powerful moments this year at World Youth Day in Lisbon and look forward to being a part of it, thanks to the generosity of SoulFest.” -Matt Maher

To accommodate for this change, we're moving Cory Asbury to the Friday night headlining slot, Katy Nichole moves up to second-to-close and Sanctus Real is joining SoulFest for the first time in several years! (SoulFest tickets are all-day, festival tickets, which means that if the lineup changes we do not offer refunds. These are unique circumstances; we're excited to support Matt in this endeavor and look forward to having him back with us for SoulFest 2024. Contact us with questions at boxoffice@thesoulfest.com

Sanctus Real Joins the Friday Lineup

We're excited that Sanctus Real could make a stop at SoulFest in the midst of their summer schedule! They'll perform on the Revival Stage in the Arena, plus share their story with us in the HEART OF THE ARTIST INTERVIEW hosted by Justin McRoberts. Check out the schedule here.

Arena Updates + More!

We have decided to only sell tickets for all-stage access and not to sell a festival pass with limited access. As information evolved, we were trying to flex our capacity so that we could accommodate our regular attendance. Under these circumstances, that requires way more staffing and time to manage well. Plus, we would have had to limit access to our steadfast volunteers, vendors, partners, and more. That didn't feel like us. We recognize the indoor stage and its standing room (or upgrade seating) only experience is not for everyone, but this is what we must do for the 2023 festival with the limited time of planning in a transition time.

We have great expectations for this festival - the lineup, you, our partners, and the ministry that is about to occur through everyone involved - and even greater expectations for the 2024 festival as we are planning ahead with a year to make things happen. More to come on that - shared onsite at SoulFest first!

This means that everyone can enter the arena and we will stop selling tickets to the festival once this capacity limit is hit. We will not have an overflow video wall outside the arena as everyone will be able to enjoy the concert from within the building. Chairs are still permitted into the festival, but not inside the Arena. Your ticket is good for all 4 stages, the workshops, the marketplace, plus other games, activities, and inflatables. For more details, please visit our FAQs, Kids Zone, and Experience Pages. We're still taking volunteers and closing vendor applications. Camping is still available - learn more down below, along with some great speaker content coming from our Ministry Partners.

Stay tuned for updates in the next week for Soul University, the official release of the SoulFest App (with food vendor and marketplace info), and more fun to come! Did someone say rock-paper-scissor train or square dance?!

Thank you for rolling through these changes with us and please keep this event and all involved in your prayers. We've been praying for you too!

Sincerely,

Vanessa A.

New Sound Concerts, GM.

SoulFest Has A New Home

Hi SoulFest Family!

Some of you have already heard, for others, this could be a big surprise, but we’re finally able to publicly announce our move to the Topsfield Fairgrounds, in Topsfield, MA. 

So here we are, after originally announcing that we were headed to the Moody Center in Northfield, MA for SoulFest 2023, announcing another location. You have lots of questions, and I’ll do my best to cover with broad strokes what we have figured out to date.

I'll start with why we're making the move. It became apparent that our moving the festival to Northfield was a major concern for the area residents and would be a burden on the town’s infrastructure. We didn’t want to give up on the beautiful potential of the Moody Center and its mission fit with ours, but at the same time, we want to invite all of our guests, volunteers, artists, etc. into a welcoming environment, one where we can be a blessing to the local community and economy, not a burden. We had to start searching for a new location while waiting through the beginning of the application process for an event permit from the town. We toyed around with variations at Moody and considered limiting the size of the event, but that didn't feel right. We contacted and visited many sites, looking for one that could accommodate the festival on the same weekend, rather than shrink the size of our gathering. 

We are grateful to have connected with the Topsfield Fairgrounds team, who have hosted 50,000 daily attendees along with live musical performances during their October fair dates and are surrounded by an abundance of local accommodations to support the festival. With 5 months leading up to the festival and the venue change newly official, the details for the festival such as layout, answers to frequently asked questions, and vendor and volunteer applications will be fully rolled out within this next month. 

Ticketholders for the festival prior to this announcement will have the option for a refund, though all pre-purchased tickets will be honored at the new location.  We will email Ticketholders via Eventbrite with this news and a month window to request a refund. Bear with us as we are rebuilding our team and have many moving parts.  We have added the upgrades many have been waiting for (some have changed or will no longer be offered due to the venue change). Parking is now included with admission; attendees won’t need to buy a parking pass. We will offer limited tent and RV camping, which we’ll be managing (not the Topsfield Fairgrounds), so give us another couple of weeks to set up the layout and registration. The first opportunity for registration will go to previous SoulFest Campers. We will also roll out vendor and volunteer applications within the first half of March.  

We created a landing page with a map of the Topsfield Fair as a reference for where our 4 stages will be and what to expect as of now. We will develop our own map and offer more details to you over the next couple of weeks. With the venue confirmation in sight, we were able to begin booking again and have some new additions. We’ve confirmed some of our staples, many talented regional acts, children’s programming, and a throw-back to help us celebrate a festival 25 years in the making!

We’re grateful for you, your support, and your patience. We’re excited about what lies ahead for our community in this new venue.  This location makes us a lot more accessible to more people. We look forward to welcoming our long-term attendees and volunteers into this new space, counting on you to help us shape and share the True Love Experience with all our first-timers as we make new memories together. 

Join us at the Topsfield Fairgrounds, Aug. 3-5, to celebrate 25 years of Music.Love.Action, for worship and renewal, and plan to learn, grow, and connect in life-changing ways!

With gratitude,

Vanessa Ayersman

General Manager

New Sound Inc & SoulFest

Gunstock Mountain Resort Update

Hi SoulFest Friends,

Please be in prayer for GMR. There is a lot evolving for their situation currently; however, we are planning on moving forward with SoulFest under the current middle management and staff. We will keep you all posted as we know more, but understand it is uncharted territory that is developing as I write this. We look forward to sharing in this special family reunion and time of celebration & worship we call SoulFest with you in just a couple of weeks!

xo Vanessa, NSC/SoulFest - GM

7/21/22

Press Release on GMR website:

In the meantime, functions, events, and weddings will take place as scheduled at the resort, including the upcoming SoulFest event, the largest Christian music festival in New England. Gunstock Campground and the Camp Store will operate as usual.

Laconia Daily Sun Article:

As of now, all events, weddings and functions will happen as scheduled, including Soulfest, according to Karnan.

Whether and when services are able to reopen has major consequences. Lift operations, notably, are needed to run the Soulfest music festival, scheduled for Aug. 4-6, and the ongoing Ford Bronco Off-Roadeo program, Karnan said.

Press Release: SoulFest 2022 - BIG NEWS!

This summer will be our last year at Gunstock Mountain Resort - don’t worry, we do have a new location already planned for 2023 and are finalizing the details with our new host before we can officially announce our future home at this summer's festival.

We know this news may be both surprising and sad, but want to assure you that while we love our Gunstock home very much, we truly feel that we are walking through the door that God has opened for us. Similar to our transition from Loon to Gunstock, there are aspects our longtime attendees will miss about our current or previous environments, but we are so excited to have you walk with us into this new season God has in store for us all, as the SoulFest family. Please be in prayer for this transition and be sure to get tickets to this last celebration at Gunstock!

We're excited to finalize details for the move and be able to publically share it with you this summer!

Blessings,

The SoulFest Team

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GRAMMY-Winning Artists to Play 24th Annual SoulFest’s Last Year at Gunstock Mountain Resort

New England’s Premier Christian Music Festival

August 4-6, 2022 – Gilford, NH

GILFORD, NH — New Sound Concerts celebrates the 24th annual SoulFest featuring multiple Grammy-award-winning Christian artists for its final year at its current location before announcing a big move. SoulFest, which was started in 1998, has been at Gunstock Mountain since 2004. This highly anticipated summer festival gathers over 8,000 attendees and more than 75 artists and speakers. With four stages of live musical performances plus dynamic speaking sessions, SoulFest chooses an idyllic outdoor location that offers a plethora of options for attendees seeking a multi-faceted experience for all ages.

SoulFest is proud to feature GRAMMY and Dove-award Winning Christian artists: Skillet, for KING & COUNTRY, Zach Williams, Crowder, We The Kingdom, and We Are Messengers. Also confirmed for the 2022 lineup is Colton Dixon, Anne Wilson, Evvie McKinney, Seventh Day Slumber, Oh, Sleeper, Gable Price And Friends, Katy Nichole, Bob McCarthy, John Montgomery, and Billy Martin, ØM-53, plus many more listed at thesoulfest.com. Unique to SoulFest, the Songwriter’s Circle will be hosted daily by Christopher Williams at the indoor stage known as Mercy Street and will feature multiple artists of varying genres performing in support of each others’ songs.

In line with New Sound Concerts’ dedication to bringing Music, Love & Action to the forefront of SoulFest, it hosts a speaking series, featuring local and international speakers. The “Soul University” series is designed to converse with and engage the SoulFest audience in the arts, modern culture, as well as awareness leading to action in fighting social injustice. 

Attendees participate in a variety of activities for all ages, such as shopping faith-oriented and fair-trade vendors and exhibitors, playing on inflatables, and outdoor group games like archery tag, cornhole, and giant Jenga. Gunstock offers a zipline, mountain coaster, aerial treetop adventures, camping, swimming, and hiking trails. Attendees can also connect with the festival’s key Ministry Partners: D.L. Moody Center, Thrivent Financial, Make A Change, and Word of Life.

Scenic chair lift rides lead to the Mountain Top stage, an acoustic setup accompanied by a lush, panoramic view of Lake Winnipesaukee. New Sound is honored to once again feature this unique, life-changing event filled with inspirational music from award-winning artists and engaging workshops by world-renowned speakers, New Sound Concerts invites you to experience it all at once with the beautiful backdrop of New Hampshire’s Belknap Mountains for the last time at this location. The new location and 25th-year celebration announcement will be made at SoulFest 2022.

To preview the full artist lineup and event schedule, or to purchase SoulFest tickets and upgrades - visit www.TheSoulFest.com. For press credentials to this event, please contact media@thesoulfest.com.

VENDOR / EXHIBITOR APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN!

Calling all merchandise vendors, exhibitors, and food trucks: We’re looking for great additions to our festival experience. The Early Bird gets the worm - apply and pay by April 1 to get the lowest price!

SoulFest Safety Protocol

Updated March. 23rd, 2022

We look forward to gathering with you this August, in the fresh mountain air, for 3 days of inspiring music, speaking, and fellowship! Last Summer, for SoulFest ‘21, we were able to gather without state-mandated guidelines. We intend to do the same, but it must be stated that this is subject to change with the state mandates for masks and social distancing. Either way, SoulFest will not require proof of vaccine nor negative Covid-19 test results.

We will honor state mandates and our host Gunstock Mountain Resort’s policies for their buildings, should things change. Masks are welcome, but not required. If you have Covid-19 leading up to the festival, we advise you to stay home - please contact us for a course of action boxoffice@thesoulfest.com. We had a successful event in 2021 without implementing restrictions to entry and look forward to the same this summer.

If you’re curious about concerts we are promoting in New England, those are dependent on the buildings we were able to book for the artist’s availability (click NSC Concerts button below for specifics). Stay tuned to our emails and socials for updates.

The "Why Wait Sale" is back!

We love a good Black Friday Sale like anyone else, but we also know it can be hard to choose where your dollars go when all the sales are stacked at the same time.

That’s why we’re bringing back the “Why Wait Sale”, starting November 5th. You won’t want to wait because quantities are limited, (only 350 discounted tickets per tier) from now until ticket sell out! Single-day tickets are already discounted so we don’t put them on sale; the savings is in the multi-day tickets.

You can save 25% on select upgrades!

Direct Access Passes / Pit Passes / Premium Seating
Only 50 available per day, per upgrade!

PASTORS GO FREE!

As a gesture of gratitude for our regional pastors and their ministry in New England, we’ve set up the Pastors Go Free program. Applicable to one pastor per church, we offer free admission for all 3 days and a guest ticket at 50% off. We simply ask that the pastors share SoulFest with their congregations, whether through small groups, in the main service, on their website, in email / socials, etc. We will provide flyers, posters, and digital assets like graphics for web/email and a slide / video for projection.

If you are a pastor who’d like to participate or you know of a pastor that might, below you’ll find the form to get started. Offer expires July 1, 2022.

Fill out the Pastors Go Free FORM.

Press Release

SoulFest Returns to New Hampshire, Celebrating Faith Through Music

New England’s Premier Christian Music Festival, August 5-7, 2021

GILFORD, N.H., July 7, 2021 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — New Sound Concerts, Inc., a New England based promoter and festival producer, is hosting their 23rd annual Christian music festival, at the Best of NH award-winning Gunstock Mountain Resort. After canceling the 2020 festival due to the pandemic, thousands are ready to gather and celebrate through “Music, Love & Action.”

This highly anticipated summer festival gathers over 8,000 attendees and features multiple GRAMMY-award winning Christian artists among the 75 artists and speakers. With four stages of live musical performances and dynamic speaking sessions, Gunstock provides the perfect setting for SoulFest: New England’s Premier Christian Music Festival.

SoulFest is proud to feature GRAMMY and Dove-award Winning Christian artists: Casting Crowns, Lecrae, Crowder, Cory Asbury, and Matt Maher. Also confirmed for the 2021 lineup is Andy Mineo, Big Daddy Weave, Social Club Misfits, Unspoken, Blanca, Gawvi, The Young Escape, among others listed at  https://www.thesoulfest.com/lineup.

Unique to SoulFest, the Songwriter’s Circle will be hosted daily by Christopher Williams at the indoor lodge stage known as Mercy Street and will feature multiple artists of varying genres to perform together in the round, including notable artists Matt Maher, Cory Asbury, Blanca, Stephen Christian of Anberlin, Ben Fuller, Jeff Senour & Justin McRoberts.

In line with New Sound Concerts’ dedication to bringing Music, Love & Action to the forefront of SoulFest, it hosts a speaking series, featuring local and international speakers. The “Soul University” series is designed to converse with and engage the SoulFest audience in the arts, modern culture, as well as awareness leading to action in fighting social injustice.

The 2021 program will feature a morning stretch with biblical meditation, practical teaching on prayer and soul care, the annual panel addressing suicide prevention, plus a 3-part series focused on human trafficking: vulnerability, victimization, and victory.

Attendees participate in a variety of activities for all ages, including an open mic, a guided nature-walk, shop faith-oriented and fair-trade vendors and exhibitors, play on inflatables, and outdoor group games like archery tag, cornhole, giant Jenga. Gunstock offers a zipline, mountain coaster, aerial treetop adventures, camping, swimming, and hiking trails. Attendees will also have the opportunity to connect with the festival’s key Ministry Partners: Thrivent Financial, Upward, Gordon College, Make A Change, and Word of Life.

Scenic chair lift rides lead to the Mountain Top stage, an acoustic setup accompanied by a lush, panoramic view of Lake Winnipesaukee. New Sound is honored to once again feature this unique, life-changing event filled with inspirational music from award-winning artists and engaging workshops by world-renowned speakers, New Sound Concerts invites you to experience it all at once with the beautiful backdrop of New Hampshire’s Belknap Mountains.

To preview the full artist lineup, event schedule, or to purchase SoulFest tickets and upgrades – visit  https://www.thesoulfest.com/.

For press credentials to this event, please contact Gabrielle Elkhouri at media@thesoulfest.com.

MULTIMEDIA:

*VIDEO (YouTube) https://youtu.be/U5o_mLStiqE

NEWS SOURCE: New Sound Concerts

Introducing Upward - Christian Dating App

UPWARD x Soulfest

We’re grateful for our new Ministry Partner, Upward, the number one downloaded Christian dating app in the U.S. (in 2020). Thanks in part to Upward, and for the lifting of the CDC guidelines, we are able to gather again! SoulFest is a great place to meet fellow believers, make new friends, and maybe even meet that special someone. At the same time, SoulFest is 3, fun-filled days of music, speakers, and outdoor adventures that might just keep you distracted from the potential mate standing in the crowd around you. We’ll leave the matchmaking to Upward, while we focus on the programming!

About Upward

Did you know if you put "Jesus", "God" or "Bible" in your dating profile on mainstream apps, you are 25% more likely to get swiped left on? 👎

Now if you're new to dating apps getting swiped left on is not a good thing. Left means no, left means pass. Upward's goal is to turn this judgment against Christian singles on its head. Will you join us? Our mission is to allow members to be who they are, perfectly imperfect growing followers of Jesus. Help us #makejesusviral by putting "Jesus" in your profile because at Upward that is a profile deal maker. 

Upward is more than just Swiping.

Leave the ninety-nine behind and find your one. Whether you are looking for friendship or a relationship at Upward, we realize how difficult it can be for our members to connect with other Christians. We've created a fun, inclusive, and inviting community for just that. Christians connecting with similar values and beliefs.

https://www.appupward.com

https://www.facebook.com/DateUpward

To Mask or Not To Mask, That Is the Question

With all mandates lifted in the state of New Hampshire as well as our specific host town of Gilford, we will NOT require masks for the festival, but encourage all to follow the recommended CDC guidelines as applicable to their situation. We do NOT require vaccines.

At SoulFest we speak about loving God and loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. We will have the opportunity to live this out in our first festival since the pandemic started.  Though we’re all on the same floor, we have different views, and we need to honor one another in spite of them – especially to enjoy a large gathering.  

Masks are no longer required, but are highly recommend indoors for those who are not vaccinated. GMR staff and the SoulFest clean team will increase the cleanliness efforts from years prior.  We are developing guidance, signage, and a plan for a small area where distancing and masks will be expected so that those hoping for this setting can enjoy themselves safely. The majority of the festival grounds will simply have signage encouraging distancing and we will not enforce masks.

We will unveil more information soon to help you plan for arrival and enjoy this beautiful celebration and gathering together. In the meantime, we are praying and preparing guidance plans in consideration of major gathering points, lines, etc., and for those at most risk.

Thanks for your continued patience. We can hardly wait!

Best,

New Sound Concerts & The SoulFest Team

P.S. A couple of changes for the 2021 festival:

There will be no ISO stage (which impacts lineup) – all artists were moved to either the main stage (Revival), indoor lodge (Mercy St.), and a few were re-booked for 2022 based on scheduling conflict or capacity concerns with limitations on our budget for staging. We’ll be announcing a couple of artists and adding them to the website lineup soon, but if they were once there and are no longer, they have been canceled for 2021. (Confirmed for 2022 – We The Kingdom, Oh, Sleeper, Death Therapy, Derek Minor, Canon). We are fully booked for 2021.

Gunstock’s Discover Zone – For 2021 the Discover Adventure pass will be out of commission and along with many of its activities.  There are still many fun adventures to enjoy; click here to see pricing and plan ahead.

Preparing To Celebrate: Patience Required

Covid-19 / Gathering Update

Massachusetts soon will no longer require residents to wear masks when they are outdoors in most public spaces and able to physically distance themselves from others. On Tuesday, the state also released its timeline for a full reopening of business activities by August.

This affects SoulFest in that 30% of attendees, as well as our organization, come from MA and the timeline for a full reopening is good news for future concerts! This news comes almost two weeks after New Hampshire Governor, Chris Sununu, chose not to renew the mask mandate for New Hampshire. We don’t yet know how this will relate to large gatherings, but we choose to remain hopeful.

We understand that masks can be a sensitive subject, and some may disagree with these actions; it is however important to note that the loosening of these mandates is ultimately a good sign for Soulfest as we get closer to gathering in August. As brothers and sisters in Christ, respecting each other even when we disagree is paramount for our community as we prepare to gather again. We have yet to hear from all decision-makers (state, town, county, & private business in agreement, plus capacity limitations) regarding masks for large outdoor gatherings (in August) and are unable to make an official statement, but things are looking up! We care about our community’s varying perspectives on the matter and our health as a whole. We thank you for your patience as we wait for things to develop and ask for your prayers as we prepare for various potential paths forward to a summer celebration we’ve all been waiting for!

A New Sound of Worship from New England

2021 started out strong for the worship scene in New England with Impact Music’s release of “No More Idols.” The worship movement’s first release features New England’s own Zenzo Matoga and Maverick City’s Chandler Moore. 

The song is the call for this generation to love God more than anything else. As a man of faith who has lived and visited many different places in the world, songwriter Zenzo Matoga saw that there are idols everywhere. Idols that he says “comes from people allowing the amazing things God gives us to take the place of God in our hearts.” His prayer is that idols no longer have a place in our hearts.

This powerful song rests on Matthew 22:37 which says “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” When listeners hear the song they can feel the verse resounding through the lyrics.

“No More Idols” is just the first song Impact Music plans to release this year. New England needs to get ready because Impact Music is ready to release hunger, raise up worship revivalist, and release a new sound of worship all from this region. 

Watch “No More Idols” now:

Follow iMpact Music everywhere:

CHRISTMAS GIFT CARD PRINTABLES ARE HERE!

Give the gift that keeps on giving!

When you purchase a gift card you will be emailed a code; instead of printing out the confirmation, print out one of the corresponding PDFs and fill in the applicable information.

Apparel

Tickets & Upgrades

Printables hold no value. Gift cards are specific to either apparel OR tickets/upgrades and can only be used for SoulFest & SoulFest apparel. Pink printable is for SoulFest Apparel & green is for SoulFest Tickets & Upgrades.

Buy apparel gift cards HERE
Buy ticket/upgrade gift cards HERE

GIVING TUESDAY - UNLEASH GENEROSITY

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WAYS

TO HELP:

IIIIIIII

M A K E C H E C K S P A Y A B L E T O:

NEW SOUND CONCERTS

M A I L TO:
7 SKUNK RD. MERRIMAC, MA O1860

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F A C E B O O K F U N D R A I S E R

SoulFest & NSC,Inc are now registered for Facebook Pay / Donate - so you can support us by creating a fundraiser on your own profile! Simply start a pos and below where it asks you what is on your mind, select the ellipses to the right of add to your post. Then you can select raise money and select SoulFest and New Sound Concerts.

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SOME GOOD NEWS

What a year so far! We miss gathering together with you in person for great music that does more than entertain. We’ve met you and heard your stories of transformation from SoulFest or about the impact of an evening of worship and inspiring Christian music in your area. We know how hard it is and wait eagerly for things to turn around.  We’re trying to move forward with virtual events that keep us together in spirit, while we wait with anticipation for next summer.  (So many parallels to be better understood during this time of Advent!)  

By now most are aware of the impact of COVID-19 on New Sound Concerts, as well as Dan’s stroke.  With the support of many we’ve kept the faith to weather a time in which live events were the first to go and will be among the last to have restrictions lifted. We continue to take baby steps forward and want to report some good news that allows us to do so.

Many of our ticket holders for SoulFest 2020 decided to hold on to their tickets that will be honored for the 2021 festival plus a small yet encouraging portion decided to donate their tickets back. An anonymous donor helped us close out our initial ask through Go Fund Me.  For these reasons we are so grateful to God for the way he uses us all to work together. At this point we can take a deep breath, hold steady, and better trust we will not be swallowed up by debt from previous events, exacerbated by COVID. With a little bit of additional help from the Payment Protection Program we could bring back some staff from layoffs, move out of our office to save money and begin to produce some virtual concerts.  We’ve recently connected with one of our Ministry Partners, Thrivent, to bring you some more inspiring events, including virtual concerts and financial seminars to support you through these tough times.  With Thanksgiving behind us, we’re so grateful to continue taking steps forward.  

WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP

Arriving at SoulFest 2021 demands a lot of patience: for vaccines to be distributed, restrictions to be lifted, the public’s faith for future live events to return, as well as, a lot of financial and prayer support to carry us through.  While we have a lot to be grateful for, there is still a lot of faith, patience and dependence on others needed. There is a lot of need everywhere right now as well – food insecurity, natural disaster recovery, homelessness, anti-trafficking efforts, suicide prevention, the opioid epidemic. SoulFest has been a champion for organizations serving those affected by all these categories, trusting that God is with us and for us - using us to bring light where it seems so dark. We want to continue to use virtual and live events to bring hope and change.  We need help now to continue moving forward and hope that you’ll consider sending even a dollar our way. Help us continue spreading God’s love through Music.Love.Action by providing a platform that raises awareness and propels love into action for so many of the needs in our local communities and beyond. Help us continue to #unleashgenerosity.

WHERE YOUR DONATION GOES

SoulFest is sponsored by New Sound Concerts, Inc, a Massachusetts 501c3 non-profit organization. Whether a donation of $1 or $100, we are infinitely grateful for your help in sustaining SoulFest. These funds will help cover the costs of artists, programming, production, marketing and provide affordable tickets to low-income individuals and families. If you've experienced the life-changing and transformative power of live Christian music at one of our events, consider giving back this season - your dollar will continue to fund this cause!

Because of your continued support and patronage, we've been able to produce 22 annual festivals and numerous concerts providing encouraging Christian music to New England. To continue our mission to bring our anthem of music, love, and action to New England and beyond, we need funds to be able to underwrite our festival. Over $300,000 has been given to local and global charities and ministries since SoulFest's inception. Minimally 150 tickets are donated annually for pastors to attend for free, to support church and school fundraisers, and to provide tickets for low-income families and those experiencing financial hardship. In the past, SoulFest has partnered with organizations to impact various needs in the U.S. and abroad, including, but not limited to: The Salvation Army, Compassion International, World Vision, Not For Sale, the ONE Campaign, clean water projects, disaster relief, foster care, and fighting injustices such as sex-trafficking in New England, suicide prevention, opioid addiction, and so much more.

A MESSAGE OF THANKSGIVING

This Thanksgiving, like all of 2020, is one for the books. It certainly will be a memory marker for a generation that had experienced fewer hardships than many before, that will induce its own variety of “when I was your age” stories. There’s still a long road ahead, but we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. As many details remain uncertain about what things will look like in the near future, it’s important that we take time to reflect this week and count our blessings. Not only this week, but every day. It’s also ok to grieve all of the little losses, as well as the big losses we’ve experienced throughout the pandemic. That’s healthy not to gloss over and it’s also re-centering to not dwell in that space alone. We will find peace beyond our understanding; we will see the good that comes from a time of trial, if we look for it. I’m reminded this morning, to look for it as I read the prayer, “Wake us to your presence Lord, that we might not waste our times of trial,” and sing the lyrics to “It is well with my soul”. We weren’t promised a trouble free life, though we’ve had many comforts for most of our lives in a first-world nation. During these times that we may not be able to see loved ones, or find ourselves at a table with opposing views, let us remember that we’re all made in the image of God and we’ll get through this together with God.

We’re getting through this with you and for that we’re grateful. We’re grateful to still be in motion as a live concert/festival producer with the hopes of a 2021 festival on the horizon. We’re grateful for the many who have donated or partnered with us thus far to help us weather the storm a little more easily; though we’re still in it, your support brings such great hope. We’re grateful for our faith that holds us steady and guides us each with enough strength for each day. There have been many hurdles this year and there will still be more even as we’re feeling fatigue from distancing and more screen-time than we’re used to. However, there is much beauty all around that is evident and some we have to look a little harder to see. Let’s continue to look for it and be grateful. “Wake us to your presence Lord, that we might not waste our times of trial.” Following through on that statement entails gratitude. May we continue to have hearts full from counting our blessings. We count you, as one of our biggest blessings. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving!