LifeLight Festival was an annual free outdoor

Christian music festival A Christian music festival (also known as a Jesus music festival or simply a Jesus festival) is a music festival held by the Christian community, in support of performers of Christian music. The festivals are characterized by more than just music; ...

held over

Labor Day Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United St ...

weekend on a farm near Worthing, South Dakota, which is 12 miles south of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

History

LifeLight Festival LifeLight Festival was an annual free outdoor Christian music festival held over Labor Day weekend on a farm near Worthing, South Dakota, which is 12 miles south of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. History LifeLight Festival was started by Alan and Vic ...

was started by Alan and Vicki Greene in 1998 as an afternoon concert on a local church lawn, drawing about 2,000 people. By 2001, the festival was moved to the W.H. Lyons Fairgrounds in Sioux Falls to accommodate the growing crowds. In 2002, attendance tripled from the year before, growing to 32,000 attendees over a 3-day weekend. LifeLight has since grown to over 320,000 attendees over a 3-day weekend, expanding to 6 stages, with a budget of nearly $700,000 each year. After outgrowing previous locations, the LifeLight festival found a new permanent home for the Festival on a family farm near Worthing, South Dakota. The 2010 Festival was the first at the new location. It is a free concert but provides a great economic boost to Sioux Falls. Festivals like this one said to bring up to $10 Million. Since 2005, LifeLight has also sponsored spring and fall tours featuring LifeLight artists. They started as local tours with primarily local artists but over the years, LifeLight Tours has partnered with several national and regional bands/speakers and now travel well beyond the Midwest for tour dates. Past tours have featured artists John Reuben, Brian Welch, Sanctus Real,

Phil Joel Philip Joel Urry (born 5 January 1973), known by his stage name Phil Joel, is a New Zealand musician and former bassist for the Christian rock group Newsboys. Background Philip Joel Urry was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He was lead singer an ...

, Disciple, Project 86, Children 18:3 and many more and traveled to cities in Texas, Illinois, Nebraska, Colorado, Minnesota, Iowa, and South Dakota as well as other states. The 2013 festival in South Dakota hosted main showings of Plumb, Newsboys, Audio Adrenaline, and Skillet. No festival was held in 2020.

Attendance

*1998: 1,500 *1999: 4,000 *2000: 6,500 *2001: 10,000 *2002: 32,000 *2003: 110,000 *2004: 240,000 *2005: 275,000 *2006: 263,000 *2007: 320,000 *2008: 320,000 *2009: 270,000 *2010: 320,000

Artists

2013 Festival

For Today For Today was an American Christian metalcore band from Sioux City, Iowa, formed in 2005. They released two EPs, ''Your Moment, Your Life, Your Time'' and ''Prevailer'', and six full-length albums: '' Ekklesia'' in, 2008, ''Portraits'' in 2009, ...

Plumb Plumb may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Plumb'', a 1995 album by Jonatha Brooke & The Story * ''Plumb'' (Plumb album), 1997 * ''Plumb'' (Field Music album), 2012 * , by Romanian poet George Bacovia People * Plumb (surname) * P ...

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is an American rock band that was formed in Middleburg, Florida, in 2003. The band has released five studio albums to date. The current members are Ronnie Winter (lead vocals), Joey Westwood (bass), Josh Burke (lead gu ...

* Levi the Poet *

Flyleaf Flyleaf may refer to: *In book design, a blank leaf in the front or back cover * Flyleaf (band) Flyleaf is an American rock band formed in Belton, Texas, in 2002. The band has charted on mainstream rock, Christian pop, and Christian metal ...

* Building 429 * Newsboys *

Rhett Walker Band Rhett Walker Band is a Southern rock and Christian rock band from Nashville. The band released their debut studio album under the Essential Records label on July 10, 2012 called ''Come to the River.'' The band's debut single, " When Mercy Found M ...

* Audio Adrenaline * Fireflight * We Are Leo * Phinehas * Unarmed For Victory * At The Wayside *

Aaron Gillespie Aaron Roderick Gillespie (born July 18, 1983) is an American musician, best known for being the original and current drummer and clean vocalist for the metalcore band Underoath and the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the alternative rock ...

* Children 18:3 *

The City Harmonic The City Harmonic was a Canadian Christian rock band based in Hamilton, Ontario. Elias Dummer (vocals, keyboards, guitar), Eric Fusilier (bass), Aaron Powell (guitar), and Josh Vanderlaan (drums) collectively made up The City Harmonic.

* One Accord *

Sean Michel Sean Michel is a musician from Bryant, Arkansas. He was initially known most widely for his appearance on American Idol Season 6. Prior to his appearance on the show, he toured with his band for several years. Personal life Michel was born ...

* Ravenhill * Spencer Kane * From The Eyes of Servants * Love Out Loud * John Reuben * Je'kob *

Shuree Shuree Rivera (born June 21, 1978, as Shuree Danyell Lee Jennings), who goes by the stage name Shuree, is an American Christian musician. Her first extended play released by a label, ''Be the Change'', was released in 2014 by BEC Recordings. The ...

* Disciple * Lybecker * Tru Serva * Double Vision * Grant Lockner * Rapture Ruckus

2012 Festival

Tenth Avenue North Tenth Avenue North was an American contemporary Christian music (CCM) band from West Palm Beach, Florida that was active from 2000 to 2021. The group was formed while its founding members attended Palm Beach Atlantic University took its name f ...

Skillet A frying pan, frypan, or skillet is a flat-bottomed pan used for frying, searing, and browning foods. It is typically in diameter with relatively low sides that flare outwards, a long handle, and no lid. Larger pans may have a small grab ha ...

Peter Furler Peter Andrew Furler (born 8 September 1966) is an Australian musician, songwriter, producer and record executive, best known as the co-founder and former lead vocalist of the Christian rock band Newsboys. Biography Furler was born in McLaren ...

Five Iron Frenzy Five Iron Frenzy is an American band formed in Denver, Colorado, in 1995. Best known for playing ska punk music characterized by an offbeat sense of humor and prominent Christian themes, Five Iron was one of the pioneering figures of the Christi ...

* House of Heroes * Sanctus Real * Leeland *

Mandisa Mandisa Lynn Hundley (born October 2, 1976), known professionally as Mandisa, is an American gospel and contemporary Christian recording artist. Her career began as a contestant in the fifth season of ''American Idol'', in which she finished in ...

* Christy Nockels * Downhere *

Run Kid Run Run Kid Run is a Christian pop/rock band from Carmi, Illinois and Morganfield, Kentucky, formed in 2006. Their debut album '' This Is Who We Are'', was released on May 18, 2006 through Tooth & Nail Records. All of the members, except Paul Stewar ...

Remedy Drive Remedy Drive is an American alternative rock band founded in 1998 in Lincoln, Nebraska. They are now based in Nashville. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist David Zach, bassist Corey Horn, and drummer Timmy Jones (with an extended ap ...

* Becoming the Archetype * Andy Mineo *

Everyday Sunday Everyday Sunday was an American Christian rock band from Columbus, Ohio with the founding member Trey Pearson as lead singer. The band released two albums on Flicker Records including '' Stand Up'' and '' Anthems for the Imperfect''. ''Wake Up! ...

* Abandon Kansas * Sleeping Giant * KB * John Rueben * The Wedding *

Wolves at the Gate "Wolves at the Gate" is the third story arc that spreads from the twelfth to the fifteenth issue of the ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight'' series of comic books, a continuation of the television series of the same name. It is written by Dr ...

* Children 18:3 *

Jenny & Tyler Jenny & Tyler are a husband-wife folk-pop band originally from Newark, Delaware, and currently based in Nashville, Tennessee. The group consists of singer-songwriters Jenny Somers and Tyler Somers. Their style is a fusion of folk, pop, funk, ...

* Write This Down * Love & Death *

One Sonic Society One Sonic Society is a contemporary worship music collective from around the globe. That collective is composed of songwriter Jason Ingram on vocals, guitar and piano, Delirious? lead guitarist Stu G, Stuart Garrard on guitar and vocals, List of ...

*These Hearts *

Matt Hammitt Matt Hammitt (born October 19, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, speaker and author. He was the lead singer for Sanctus Real, which has released seven studio albums with Sparrow Records, toured internationally and released 14 top five ...

*GoFish * Silverline *

Stephanie Smith Stephanie Smith is an American contemporary Christian music singer-songwriter. She is signed to Gotee Records. Her first studio album, '' Not Afraid'', was released on May 27, 2008, digitally and in stores on December 23, 2008. She received nat ...

* Kiros * Everfound *

Fades Away ''Tim'' is the third and final studio album by Swedish DJ and producer Tim Bergling, known by the stage name Avicii, released on 6 June 2019. It is his sole posthomous album release following his death a year earlier. It includes the single "SOS", ...

*We Are Leo * Ilia * Willet *

An Epic No Less An Epic No Less (sometimes stylized, An Epic, No Less) is an American Christian music band. They come from St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri. The band started making music in 2009. Their membership is Todd Larson, Daniel Chancellor, Hannah Chancellor ...

* George Moss *The Skies Revolt * Loftland *

Classic Petra Petra is an American music group regarded as a pioneer of the Christian rock and contemporary Christian music genres and was, for many years, regarded as the "world's most popular Christian rock band". Formed in 1972, the band took its name from ...

*Broken Walls *Marah and the Mainsail *Triple Stitch *Brandon Reid *Alan Greene *Rachelle Hope *

Brian Sumner Brian Sumner is a British skateboarder, Christian pastor and traveling evangelist, originally from Liverpool, England. Sumner came to America at age 15, to pursue a career as a professional skateboarder. He currently resides in Huntington Be ...

* Tom Henderson *Josh Brewer

2011 Festival

Main Stage: *Relient K *Tenth Avenue North *Jeremy Camp *Sidewalk Prophets *Britt Nicole *Manafest *Hawk Nelson *Fireflight *Manic Drive -Souled Out Stage: *Disciple *Blindside *Write This Down *Children 18:3 *The Wedding

2010 Festival

Abandon Abandon, abandoned, or abandonment may refer to: Common uses * Abandonment (emotional), a subjective emotional state in which people feel undesired, left behind, insecure, or discarded * Abandonment (legal), a legal term regarding property ** Chi ...

* BarlowGirl * Brian "Head" Welch * Children 18:3 *Colossus * David Crowder Band * Day of Fire *Disciple *Eric Timm *

* Family Force 5 *From The Eyes Of Servants * House of Heroes *

John Mark McMillan John Mark McMillan (born November 27, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. Career In 2002, McMillan released his debut album ''Hope Anthology, Volume 1''. This independent album was followed by ''The Song Inside: The Sounds of Br ...

* John Reuben * Kari Jobe * MercyMe * Mikeschair * Parachute Band *Reilly *

Seabird Seabirds (also known as marine birds) are birds that are adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent evolution, as the same enviro ...

Showbread Showbread ( he, לחם הפנים ''Leḥem haPānīm'', literally: "Bread of the Faces"), in the King James Version: shewbread, in a biblical or Jewish context, refers to the cakes or loaves of bread which were always present, on a specially-de ...

* Silverline * Spoken *These Hearts *

The Overseer The Overseer is a Christian metal band from Bentonville, Arkansas started in 2007. They released an independent EP in 2010 entitled ''The Overseer'', and two successive studio albums with their label Solid State Records entitled '' We Search, We ...

*Triple Stitch and More *White Collar Sideshow *Willet * Write This Down

2009 Festival

A Life Echoed
Children 18:3
David Lunsford

DecembeRadio DecembeRadio was an American Christian rock band formed in 2003 and composed of bassist and lead vocalist Josh Reedy, lead guitarist Brian Bunn, rhythm guitarist Eric Miker and drummer Boone Daughdrill. Reedy, Bunn and Miker first ventured out o ...

Disciple
Downhere

Esterlyn (band) Esterlyn is a Christian worship band from Boise, Idaho performing throughout the United States as well as globally. Esterlyn released their debut national album in 2010 through VSR/EMI before selling over 25,000 units independently. In 2011, the so ...

Everfound
Family Force 5
FM Static
House of Heroes
John Reuben

Krystal Meyers Krystal Nicole Meyers is an American Christian rock and contemporary Christian singer, songwriter and musician. She released three albums under Essential Records: ''Krystal Meyers'', '' Dying for a Heart'', and '' Make Some Noise'' and is kno ...

Kutless
Life's Breath

Lincoln Brewster Lincoln Brewster (born July 30, 1971) is an American contemporary Christian musician and worship pastor. As a guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Brewster became a sought-after session guitarist in the early 90s. Brewster is the former senior wo ...

Manic Drive Manic Drive is a Canadian Christian rock band, formed in 2004 by brothers Michael and Shawn Cavallo. After receiving interest from a record label, they released ''Reason for Motion'' in May 2005. Over the last several years, the band has release ...

Michael Gungor Band
Nevertheless
Newsboys

Rush of Fools Rush of Fools is an American Christian rock/ contemporary Christian music band from Birmingham, Alabama. They are known for their 2007 hit single " Undo", co-written with producer Scott Davis, which was the most played song of 2007 on Adult Co ...

Sanctus Real
Sarah Reeves

Seventh Day Slumber Seventh Day Slumber is an American Christian rock band from Dallas, Texas formed in 1996. They were an independent band for five years until they signed with BEC Records in 2005. They are best known for their song "Oceans from the Rain" which wa ...

Silverline
Spoken

Stellar Kart Stellar Kart was an American pop punk band from Phoenix, Arizona, signed to Inpop Records and Capitol Records. The band released their first album, '' All Gas. No Brake'', in February 2005. Most of their singles have been accepted exclusively o ...

Superchick Superchick, originally known as Superchic '', was an American Christian alternative pop/rock band. Their music incorporated various styles such as pop, punk, rock, rap, and R&B. Their sound has been compared to mainstream artists like No Doubt ...

Thousand Foot Krutch Thousand Foot Krutch (often abbreviated TFK) is a Canadian Christian rock band formed in Peterborough, Ontario, in 1997. The band has released eight studio albums, two live albums, and three remix albums. The band currently consists of foundin ...

The Switch Kids
The Wedding

TruEmotion On2 Technologies, formerly known as The Duck Corporation, was a small publicly traded company (on the American Stock Exchange), founded in New York City in 1992 and headquartered in Clifton Park, New York, that designed video codec technology. It ...

VOTA VOTA (formerly known as Casting Pearls) is a Christian rock band from Lincoln, Nebraska, featuring Bryan Olesen, a former guitarist with Christian rock band Newsboys. Several of the band's songs have been featured on rotation with national radio ...

WILLET

2008 Festival

Headliners of the 2008 festival, as announced on Life 96.5, were

Switchfoot Switchfoot is an American rock band from San Diego, California. The band's members are Jon Foreman (lead vocals, guitar), Tim Foreman (bass guitar, backing vocals), Chad Butler (drums, percussion), and Jerome Fontamillas (guitar, keyboards, back ...

, Michael W. Smith and

Casting Crowns Casting Crowns is a contemporary Christian and Christian rock band started in 1999 by youth pastor Mark Hall, who serves as the band's lead vocalist, as part of a youth group at First Baptist Church in Downtown Daytona Beach, Florida. They lat ...

. Other 2008 participating bands included:

33Miles 33Miles is a contemporary Christian band with country music influences from Franklin, Tennessee. Background The band began playing in Nashville and signed to INO Records, who released the band's debut album, '' 33Miles'', in 2007. The album p ...

Ayiesha Woods Ayiesha Woods (born July 2, 1979) is a contemporary Christian musician signed to Gotee Records. She has released two studio albums on Gotee: '' Introducing Ayiesha Woods'' (2006) and '' Love Like This'' (2008). Woods is known for the hit songs " H ...

As I Lay Dying
Building 429
Day of Fire

Family Force 5
Grits
John Reuben
Leeland

Matthew West Matthew Joseph West (born April 25, 1977) is an American contemporary Christian musician, singer-songwriter, and actor. He has released five studio albums and is known for his songs "More", "You Are Everything", and " The Motions". He was nomin ...

MxPx MxPx () is an American pop punk band from Bremerton, Washington, founded in 1992 as Magnified Plaid. As of 2016, current members include Mike Herrera on lead vocals and bass guitar, Yuri Ruley on drums and percussion, Tom Wisniewski on lead gui ...

Natalie Grant

Sanctus Real

The Afters
This Beautiful Republic

2007 Festival

Jars of Clay,

TobyMac Toby McKeehan (born Kevin Michael McKeehan; October 22, 1964), better known by his stage name TobyMac (styled tobyMac or TOBYMAC), is an American contemporary Christian music singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He was first known f ...

and

Chris Tomlin Christopher Dwayne Tomlin (born May 4, 1972) is an American contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter, and worship leader from Grand Saline, Texas, United States, who has sold over 7 million records. He is a member of Passion Conferences an ...

were announced as the headliners of the 2007 festival. Other major bands and artists for 2007 included:
Anberlin
BarlowGirl
Big Daddy Weave
Casting Pearls
Family Force 5
Leeland
Tait

Project 86

Previous Bands/Speakers

Audio Adrenaline

Day of Fire
Dr. James Dobson
FFH

GoFish GoFish was a San Francisco-based online video sharing website founded in 2003 by Michael Downing. It was founded as a search engine for digital music, audio books, ringtones and other media online, and operated as GoFish until 2009 then the servi ...

Jeremy Camp
Mark Schultz
Newsboys
Pillar

Point of Grace Point of Grace is an all-female contemporary Christian music vocal group. The current trio consists of Shelley Breen, Denise Jones, and Leigh Cappillino. The group started out as a quartet in 1991, with original members Breen and Jones, as wel ...

Rebecca St. James Rebecca Jean Fink (; born 26 July 1977), known professionally as Rebecca Jean or Rebecca St. James, is an Australian Christian pop rock singer, songwriter and actress. She began performing in Australia in the late 1980s and released her first ...

Relient K Relient K is an American rock band formed in 1998 in Canton, Ohio, by Matt Thiessen, Matt Hoopes, and Brian Pittman Board Message during the band members' third year in high school and their time at Malone University. The band is named after ...

Rick Warren

Salvador Salvador, meaning "salvation" (or "saviour") in Catalan, Spanish, and Portuguese may refer to: * Salvador (name) Arts, entertainment, and media Music *Salvador (band), a Christian band that plays both English and Spanish music ** ''Salvador'' ( ...

Sanctus Real

Steven Curtis Chapman

Third Day Third Day was a Christian rock band formed in Marietta, Georgia during the 1990s. The band was founded by lead singer Mac Powell, guitarist Mark Lee (both of whom were the only constant members) and Billy Wilkins. Drummer David Carr was the ...

Three Cord Wonder

Tree63 Tree63 is a contemporary Christian music band from Durban, South Africa. History The band was formed in 1996 and originally, it was unnamed. In 1997, the band had to come up with a name before performing at North Beach, Durban, and came up w ...

References

{{reflist Christian music festivals Companies based in South Dakota Music festivals in South Dakota Tourist attractions in Minnehaha County, South Dakota