U.K. music festival, Big Church, halts as one killed, six injured

The annual outdoor Christian music festival in southern England stopped abruptly on Friday after a serious on-site incident killed one person and injured several people. Festival officials cancelled the remaining Friday shows and worked closely with emergency services and other relevant authorities, according to the festival’s statement. British-based news outlets, including The Independent, claimed that a sign fell and crushed several people.

Big Church’s thoughts and prayers went out to those impacted by the incident, the statement added. Festival organizers instructed day visitors to leave the grounds, asked that attendees camping on-site return to their camps and wait for further instruction.

On Sunday, the festival's organizers issued a statement identifying the deceased man as Pastor Robert Guanco. 

What is known about the injuries? South East Coast Ambulance Service confirmed that ambulance crews and critical care paramedics responded to the West Sussex location, with at least six individuals receiving care. The ambulance service said it was called about 3:30 p.m. local time.

Big Church describes itself as the largest Christian music festival in the United Kingdom, with an estimated 35,000 attendees during the three-day event. Its 2026 lineup featured more than a dozen big-name Christian artists, including Lauren Daigle, CeCe Winans, Bethel Music, For King + Country, and Matthew West.