Little town of Bethlehem recreated in the town of Okotoks
Global News
Visitors to St. James Parish in Okotoks, Alta., get a chance to step back in time. Volunteers transformed a prairie field into the town of Bethlehem, a living nativity.
The scene near St. James Parish in Okotoks, Alta., is like a movie set depicting Bethlehem on the Prairies – complete with a synagogue, spice store, pottery shop and bakery. It’s everything you could expect to see in the town 2000 years ago – plus a snowblower.
“It’s wonderful out here. It’s challenging at times with the weather, but it makes it worthwhile once you see all the people come through,” said Gerry Vant Erve, a volunteer with St. James Parish who was part of a team of dozens of people helping construct the “town” on Saturday.
Volunteers have been working on the display since March, sparing no detail on re-creating the story of Christmas.
This tradition started back in 2017 and ran for a few years until COVID-19 restrictions put the event on hold. This year marks the first time the Living Nativity Scene has been back since the pandemic.
“They’re usually amazed by the size of it and by the amount of buildings that are here and overall space,” Vant Erve said.
There’s a wool shop where actors use turmeric and pomegranate to color wool and a blacksmith shop handing out items forged on-site.
“We make a shepherd’s hook that we give away, one per family, and a cross that we forge together,” said Keith Hartman who plays the role of the town blacksmith.
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