Faith festival that thinks differently is 50 

Christian festival Greenbelt is celebrating 50 years this year and is set for the August bank holiday weekend, and it’ll be as ecclectic as ever, says Norwich-based chair of trustees Sam Pittam-Smith.

Greenbelt is an arts, faith and justice festival with a long and rich history from the 1970s. It aims to welcome people of all ages and is inclusive and accepting of all, regardless of their background or belief.

This year’s event is set for August 24 – 27 at Boughton House Estate in Northamptonshire. Throughout the 50 years of the festival, Greenbelt has evolved to remain contemporary. This anniversary year includes festival favourites who have visited many times as well as fresh new things too to keep it interesting and creative. 

Sam Pittam-Smith lives in Norwich and is part of a small team of trustees. She first came to the festival aged 16 and has been hooked ever since. She said, “For me it’s a space like no other. It’s a little slice of heaven for the weekend.” Sam is passionate about Greenbelt and what it stands for; a place to explore and relax, to be challenged and share our journeys, a place to belong and be accepted as a unique expression of God’s love. 

There is a jam-packed programme of music, visual and performing arts, spirituality, comedy, talks and discussion. The line-up includes African reggae musician Ben Okafor, ‘folk-noir trench-fighters’ Balaklava Blues, folk singer Grace Petrie and singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn.

Comedy genius Milton Jones will take to the stage. Carrie and David Grant will speak about their ‘very modern family’. Gordon Brown will talk about poverty and our ethical responsibilities. Anti-poverty campaigner Jack Monroe is another of the high profile speakers. Songs of solidarity and devotion will come from Beloved Sara Zaltash. On the main stage on Friday night will be Indigo Girls, as famous for their songs as their stand against injustice. The event’s creative director Paul Northup describes them as ‘so Greenbelt it hurts!’ 

The Chosen Haram will address themes of sexuality, faith, addiction and connection.  There will be a music-comedy hybrid performance by ‘Oh My God! It’s The Church’, which could be considered to be a risky booking for a festival with Christian values at its core. However, as Sam says, “If you have views, let’s have the conversation.” The values of Greenbelt are to embrace instead of exclude and there is a commitment to explore ideas, including those which challenge and those which affirm. 

Organisers want the festival to be as accessible as possible, and this includes financial accessibility, so in response to the cost of living crisis different tiers of ticket prices are available so people can pay according to their means.

What it means to be a Greenbelter is to be passionate and care about the world and others in the world. There is a broad theological base and people of different faiths. LGBTQ+ people are visible and present. Sam speaks of the particular joy it is for people to be able to fully express their true selves in a place that is safe and welcoming.

She said, “Greenbelt offers a place of healing and restoration. A huge variation exists in God’s creation. Greenbelt is a microcosm of that world. We try and hold that space.”

Sam lives in Norwich and worships at St Lukes, which she loves because she says it’s like Greenbelt in the way that it is an eclectic mix of people who are different. 

There is always a big communion service on the Sunday morning at Greenbelt. Over the years God has spoken into Sam’s life at Greenbelt through worship, the atmosphere and talks. This will be a personal celebration for Sam because it was 30 years ago that her husband followed her to Greenbelt when they were first going out. The theme was ‘meet God in a field’. His friends and he thought that was highly unlikely, but God had other ideas... thirty years later he will be celebrating the anniversary of the start of his faith journey.

Greenbelters have a fantastic time at the festival, but significantly, they go away inspired to make the world different. Impacted by what they see, hear and learn.

https://www.greenbelt.org.uk/