The Newday Christian youth festival marked its 20th anniversary this year, drawing over 9,000 young people to the Norfolk Showground for a week of worship, teaching, and community.
From July 29th to August 3rd, 221 youth groups from across the country gathered to engage with their faith in an environment tailored to their age group.
The event provided a unique opportunity for many attendees to experience the gospel message, some for the very first time.
Throughout the week, daily sessions of Youth Alpha were held, addressing topics such as “Why does God allow suffering?”, “How to hear God,” “Does science disprove the Bible?”, and “Money and faith.” These sessions provided a space for young people to explore their doubts, seek answers, and consider a commitment to following Jesus.
According to Network Norwich, The festival’s programming was divided by age groups, with 12-14 year-olds and 15-18 year-olds attending morning sessions led by speakers Farriea Fernandes and Daniel MacLeod. Afternoons were reserved for free time, offering a wide range of activities such as dodgeball, football, netball, dodgems, and crazy golf, as well as workshops and prayer zones.
Sessions were also run for youth leaders, designed specifically for them on topics such as “Practical techniques for leading youth work,” “Helping youth leaders talk about gender and sexuality,” and “Translating God (Understanding Gen Z).”
Each evening, everyone gathered under the big top for worship and special events. Thursday night featured a healing service where over 400 people reported being healed from various ailments, including restored hearing and sight. The week culminated in a superhero-themed night on Friday, where attendees were encouraged to dress up and celebrate.
On their Instagram page, New Day wrote "9000 young people have experienced God's presence this past week at Norfolk Showground and God will show up again tonight!"
Reflecting on the festival's legacy, some speakers shared their personal stories of attending Newday as teenagers, highlighting how the festival played a pivotal role in deepening their relationship with God and leading them into ministry.