Tony Nolan

“WINTER JAM 2009” draws record-breaking crowds!

Thursday, March 05, 2009 | Ryan Horn

NASHVILLE, TN—March 3, 2009—“The Winter Jam Tour Spectacular,” well established as Christian music’s largest annual musical tour, is defying today’s challenging economy by notching yet another record-breaking year. Still in progress, Winter Jam 2009’s average nightly attendance increase of more than 4 percent over last year’s record-setting pace is highlighted by the recent stop in Greensboro, NC which boasted an unprecedented Winter Jam turnout of more than 20,000 people.

Despite escalating prices due to the current economic climate, Winter Jam has continued it’s commitment to the unique “no tickets” policy, which allows fans to pay $10 at the door for admission. Hosted for the 14th consecutive year by Grammy-nominated and Dove Award-winning artist NewSong, Winter Jam 2009’s headliner is reigning “GMA Artist of the Year” tobyMac. The Spectacular also welcomes special guests Hawk Nelson, current “GMA New Artist of the Year” Brandon Heath, Francesca Battistelli, Stephanie Smith, pureNRG and featured speaker Tony Nolan. The Afters, BarlowGirl and Family Force 5 are also performing at select Winter Jam dates. The 35-city tour, which launched in early January, will conclude at the Sommet Center in Nashville, TN on March 15.

Winter Jam’s total paid attendance last year surpassed 311,000 people with an average nightly turnout of more than 9,100 fans. As a result, Winter Jam was the fourth ranked tour in the world on Pollstar’s 2008 First Quarter Attendance Chart.

“Winter Jam’s success happens because a team of ordinary people who have been given extraordinary gifts by God, serve together for Gods glory,” says speaker Tony Nolan. “Each night the crowds roar and clap for the artist in the spotlight. But we are careful to never take God’s place at center stage, and at the end of the day, we applaud God for the attendance, babies sponsored and all the decisions that were made for His glory alone!”

During last year’s tour, more than 53,000 Winter Jam attendees made either a first-time commitment to follow Christ or rededicated their lives to Him. This year, the tour is on pace to see that number surpassed by almost 25 percent. Winter Jam 2008 also resulted in the sponsorship of more than 4,300 orphaned children through Holt International. As a world-leader in adoption and child welfare around the globe, Holt International returns as a sponsor of Winter Jam 2009 and is on pace to surpass the WJ08’s total.

Says Kim Brown, CEO of Holt International Children’s Services, “These compassionate child sponsors are providing food, shelter, clothing, medical treatment and care for children in Holt programs around the world. Since 2006 when Winter Jam began sharing the needs of Holt programs, over 17,000 sponsors have volunteered to provide monthly support for orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children. The sponsors’ support enables many of these children to be placed with permanent, loving adoptive families. In many other cases, this help will enable birth families to provide the care their children need, and those children won’t have to endure the heartache and hardship of being abandoned.”

In addition to Holt International, corporate sponsors for Winter Jam 2009 include Tangle.com, Precious Girls Club, HearItFirst.com, Stuph Clothing, Creation Fest, Camp Electric and Premier Christian Cruises. HearItFirst.com hosts the official Winter Jam site, which can be visited at JamTour.com.