A man died and at least six others were injured when a sign fell at the Big Church Festival in West Sussex, England, on Friday (Aug. 28), and organisers brought the event to a close.
Sussex Police said the man, 41, was from Eastbourne in East Sussex and died at the scene. His next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.
The festival draws tens of thousands of people to the Wiston Estate each year. Police said thousands were on the site on Friday.
"This is a tragic incident and our thoughts go out to the man's family and friends at this incredibly difficult time," Detective Chief Superintendent Richard McDonagh said.
"At least six other people were also injured during this incident and have been taken to hospital for treatment.
"I recognise the immense distress this will have caused people at the festival, and we are working with a number of partners as we seek to establish exactly what happened."
McDonagh asked anyone with information or video footage to contact police.
South East Coast Ambulance Service said on social media that it responded shortly after 3:30 p.m. local time to an incident at Wiston Park, Steyning, in West Sussex.
"Ambulance crews, critical care paramedics and specialist response teams are currently on scene working alongside our emergency service partners," the service said.
Big Church Festival was founded in 2009 by Tim Jupp, a former keyboard player with the Christian rock band Delirious?. It began as a single-day event, Big Church Day Out, and has grown into the UK's largest annual Christian music festival.
Organisers initially paused the event and asked for prayers. After the man's death was announced, they confirmed the festival had been closed.
"We are devastated by the serious incident that took place at Big Church Festival 2026 today, in which a sign fell, injuring at least seven people, one of whom tragically lost their life," the organisers said.
"First and foremost, all of our thoughts are with those who have been affected, their families and friends, and everyone who witnessed what happened.
"Following today's incident, we have made the decision to bring Big Church Festival 2026 to a close."
Organisers said their immediate priority is the "safety and wellbeing of everyone involved" and "helping those currently at the festival to leave the site safely."
"We will provide further information as quickly as we can through our website and official channels. Please look to these for updates.
"We are working with the emergency services, police and the Health and Safety Executive as they establish the circumstances surrounding today's incident. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who responded, and to our teams and community for the care they have shown one another.
"Big Church Festival is about bringing people together. Tonight, that community is grieving. Right now, our focus is on those directly affected by what happened today. We are heartbroken."
