Over two thousand people traveled to Bethlehem this weekend, without ever leaving the city of La Crosse.
Those visitors attended the two-day “Bethlehem Event” at English Lutheran, where volunteer actors recreated a street scene from the time that Jesus was born. Most of the performers play the roles of merchants and other townspeople, as well as Roman soldiers. Live animals including a llama and donkeys also were part of the street scene.
The event is designed to be interactive, where visitors can get artificial gold coins to purchase food and other items. And you had to register for the taxman when coming into the town.
English Lutheran begins planning several months ahead of time for the Bethlehem event, which occurs once every four years.
Event volunteer Nikki Pohnl says the recreation of Bethlehem is too large to attempt every December. “It takes a lot to put this all together,” said Pohnl. “We talked about having it every three years, but then we hit election years sometimes, so the four-year, every four years seems to be a pretty good pattern.
Pohnl says the Bethlehem street scene inside the Lutheran church drew about 2400 visitors on Saturday and Sunday, with about 60 people needed each day to play the inhabitants of Bethlehem and carry out technical duties. Volunteers worked since October to build the replica homes and stores within the church, located near UW-La Crosse.
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