How Many Hours & Staff Does it Take to set up Bethlehem?

Описание: The Bethlehem Event is a recreation of the city of Bethlehem at the time Jesus was born. The theoretical reenactment will let visitors walk through and experience the sounds, smells, and tastes of life more than 2,000 years ago.

Putting on the event requires more than 2,000 volunteer hours to create the sets and experiences. There are over 50 actors and dancers that learn lines and backstories starting about 6 weeks before to have as accurate of recreation as possible and really allow the guests to experience the feeling of the town.

The town features live animals, food, and most shops as you would have seen them from goldsmiths, and wood carvers to perfumers, cheesemakers, and bakers. Planning and communication rely on historical accuracy from people who have visited, contacts, and historical documents from scholars and academics. The attention to detail and passion from volunteers to make sure it's as accurate as possible makes the re-creation of the first Christmas a memorable experience.

Almost every four years since 1980, English Lutheran transforms the fellowship hall, a large room that when created has the Bethlehem Event in mind. The last event was 5 years ago in 2017. The event was postponed in 2021.

This year's event coordination and production lead is Pete Bemis.

One of the biggest awws in the cities is the large 70’ x 14’ mural that includes city streets, a wash house and a peek outside the city walls serves as the backdrop for the indoor re-creation of Bethlehem.

Planners rely on historical accuracy and detail to make the re-creation of the first Christmas a memorable experience.

After guests walk through the town they are invited to tour and purchase items crafted by modern-day artists of Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and Gaza areas of Palestine. The ​marketplace is an attempt to create awareness about the hardships artisans and retailers are facing currently in the Middle East. All profits from fair trade purchases will be given to support women, children, and the elderly in Bethlehem.

​The Bethlehem Event runs noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 17 and 18. Admission is free but pre-registration is required. Tours are groups of up to 17 and go every 10 mins. This allows extra space for each group and limits the waiting time.