Big Top Festival is a week long Christian event for all ages which takes place in a giant marquee at Somervale School playing field, Midsomer Norton, and has been held for the last 6 years during the last week of August.
Every morning of the festival between 10 and 12 there are fun activities for up to 300 primary school aged children with songs, music, team games, crafts, drama and fancy dress introducing the children to Jesus’ teaching and The Bible. Children are provided with refreshments and are supervised by a team of more than 20 adult volunteers from the church who join in the fun and make certain that every child has a brilliant time at Big Top.
Each afternoon there are further activities for older children, teenagers and adults. This includes a skate park, sports, games, dance/music workshops, over 60’s cream tea and the like. Each evening there are a variety of family events with music concerts, drama presentations, a cinema night, barn dances, quizzes and lots more. At all evening events there is a buffet p
rovided and an alcohol-free cocktail bar and on most evenings a guest speaker will share something of what God has done for them in their life.
As well as this during the Big Top children’s session there is the opportunity for parents and carers to have a coffee and chat in a relaxed atmosphere in “Little Top” (a smaller marquee sited close to the main marquee). Each morning there are discussion workshops on a variety of subjects which in the past have covered topics such as money and debt management, dealing with teenage children and family relationships. These have proved highly valuable to many people as these subjects are covered in a caring and understanding way and are a great opportunity for mums, dads and carers to have some “quality time” whilst the children are being looked after in Big Top.
On each Sunday at the beginning and the end of the Festival there are church services in the marquee with the end of the festival being celebrated with a Hog Roast open to all the children and parents who have been along during the week.
Big Top Festival has been running for some 6 years now and is growing every year. All activities are free of charge and are funded by the membership of Welton Baptist Church who staff the event along with other local church members.