Nativity comes alive at these area events

Some of the most unique trappings of the holiday season every year are the living Nativities, those dramatic re-enactments of the events surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. They are populated by real people dressed in period-appropriate clothes and often feature livestock.

For a Christmastime treat, check out one of the six living Nativities coming up in the Wichita area. They are free unless otherwise noted.

▪ East Heights United Methodist Church, 4407 E. Douglas – 6, 6:30, 7 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Refreshments will be served inside the church, and the pipe organ will be played. East Heights’ living Nativity will be held in conjunction with the College Hill Holiday Lights Trolley Tour, which departs from the church between 5:30 and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are required for the trolley tour and are available in advance at Traditions, 3220 E. Douglas.

▪ Fulton Valley Farms, 5079 SW Fulton Road, Towanda – 7:45 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 24. The living Nativity is re-enacted every night of A Country Christmas at Fulton Valley Farms, which runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Admission to the light display is a free-will offering. The attraction also has live reindeer people can pay to see and take pictures with.

▪ First Christian Church’s “A Night in Bethlehem,” 1600 State, Augusta – 6 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Augusta’s First Christian Church puts on its living Nativity event every year, which re-creates the streets of Bethlehem, with shops, displays and other re-enactments. Admission is $1 or a nonperishable food item.

▪ Countryside Christian Church, 1919 S. Rock Road – “A Drive Through Christmas” features cast members and live animals re-enacting the Christmas story for carloads of guests driving through the grounds. The event, from 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, involves hundreds of volunteers. Free. Donations of canned goods or packaged snacks accepted for the Kansas Food Bank and the 84th Family Support Organization at McConnell Air Force Base.

▪ Rose Hill Christian Church’s “Journey to Bethlehem,” 314 N. Rose Hill Road, Rose Hill – 6:30 to 9 p.m. Dec. 15-17. The church’s “Journey to Bethlehem” is an outdoor event that re-creates Bethlehem, with indoor activities and games.

▪ Live Nativity and choral cantata, Hillside Christian Church, 8330 E. Douglas – 7 p.m. Dec. 24. The church’s annual event re-enacts the Nativity story with live animals to a choral cantata. This year, the cantata is called “Noel.”

This story was originally published December 8, 2016 at 11:32 AM with the headline "Nativity comes alive at these area events."