Walk through Bethlehem in Downtown Perry

Posted on November 26, 2021

The story of Jesus’ birth will come to life during a special two-day “Walk Thru Bethlehem” experience planned Friday, Dec. 3, and Saturday, Dec. 4, at Rosehead Park in downtown Perry.

The interactive performance will be staged by volunteers from 10 local churches and two local businesses. Admission is free.

Tours will begin at 6:30 p.m. each night and continue at scheduled intervals throughout the evening until 8:30 p.m. The event is being hosted and sponsored by the Perry-Taylor County Chamber of Commerce, and is being coordinated by Nikki Anderson.

“This event is a living recreation of the life and times of those who went to be taxed as subjects of Caesar Augustus and are spoken of in the biblical story of the birth of Jesus Christ. With the help of local churches and volunteers, this guided tour will introduce you to the sorts of citizens one might have encountered during that time — bakers, fabric workers, basket weavers, stables, scribes, innkeepers, and at the end you will meet a couple whose child was born in a manger,” Chamber Director Dawn Perez said.

Participating churches include: Evangel Fellowship, First United Methodist, New Home Baptist Church, Crosspoint Baptist Church, First Presbyterian, Pisgah Baptist, First Assembly of God, Immaculate Conception Church and Midway Baptist.

Rain’s Train Stop Flower Shop and Parkside Cafe are supporting the event as well.

“We are trying to be as authentic as possible. Roman soldiers will help keep the tour moving along, and they will also collect your taxes. Census workers will proclaim the census, give out coins for guests to pay their taxes, set up the groups and call groups to the front when ready to visit Bethlehem,” Anderson said.