The annual Greenbelt Festival 2005 is drawing closer, and will be held on 26–29 August, at Cheltenham Racecourse. Following the growth of the Festival over the past 32 years, the organisers are expecting up to 20,000 people on site this year.

Gathered under the theme "Tree of Life", participants are to be made to think about the origin of the festival and how it can be grown into life beyond those four days in August.

Greenbelt Festival Director Beki Bateson explained how the concept of the Greenbelt is all about breaking through the confined form of Christianity based in a particular institution or a church.

He explained, "An institution must have rules; it must promote an orthodoxy and exclude people who want to think or behave differently. The problem is that Christianity is about a vision of total peace, of universal brother- and sisterhood."

"Our Christian culture needs to cultivate an anarchic lightness, a lust for freedom, a celebratory spirit. It needs to learn from the boom in festival culture," he continued.

Being backed by well-known Christian organisations such as Christian Aid, Church Mission Society, USPG, YMCA among many others, the Greenbelt Festival is set to be a huge Christian summer event.

A huge range of activities will be on display at the festival, from music to performance and visual arts, to comedy and worship and literature.

Matt Redman, Tim Hughes, Cathy Burton, The Proclaimers, Estelle, Superhero, and Four Kornerz will be among the various music talent gathered at the event.

There will also be a Children’s area for the younger delegates as well as worship and services for all to attend.

The Greenbelt Festival 2005 is hoped to grow on the successes of previous years and to retain the original message of the event. It will take place at the Cheltenham Racecourse from Friday 26th to Monday 29th August 2005.