Berlin nativity parade, candlelighting set for Nov. 29
The Berlin Area Merchants invite the public to join them on Nov. 29, the day after Thanksgiving, to help celebrate the start of the Christmas season with a live nativity parade and candlelighting ceremony. The nativity parade will begin at 5:45 p.m. at the Berlin Village Gift Barn and conclude at the stage at the center of town, where the candlelighting ceremony is held and the Christmas story is read by Larry Kaufman.
The parade will feature Mary and Joseph, the three wisemen, carolers in horse-drawn wagons, angels, shepherds, and live animals such as camels, sheep, goats, donkeys and horses, all furnished by The Farm at Walnut Creek, which also will bring a sleigh and a team of oxen and more. Visitors also may encounter Frosty the Snowman and the Gingerbread Man dancing while giving candy to children along the street.
The Berlin Area Merchants will once again partner with several women in the community in sponsoring Operation Christmas Child, serving hot chocolate, coffee and cookies in exchange for a donation with 100% of proceeds going to sponsor shoeboxes. These boxes help children all over the world bringing school supplies, hygiene items and small gift items. Every year these women travel to Charlotte, North Carolina with a motor coach full of volunteers to help prepare shoeboxes to be sent overseas. Operation Christmas Child is a division of Samaritan’s Purse, a ministry started in 1970 and headed up by Franklin Graham, son of Rev. Billy Graham.
This is the 24th year for Christmas in Berlin.
“It started with a few merchants standing in the street corner singing Christmas carols and has grown in leaps and bounds since then,” said Elsie Sommers, owner of Sommers General Store.
Now Berlin sees thousands of visitors every year for this event, and some make it an annual appointment on the calendar, driving many miles and returning year after year.
For more information on motor coach tours going to Samaritan’s Purse, call Marilyn Shrock at 330-893-2546.
