Walnut Creek’s Journey to Bethlehem brings biblical Christmas story to life Dec. 5-6

When it comes to celebrating the Christmas season, there are two stories to tell.

The first one is the story featuring Santa Claus, elves, reindeer, Christmas trees, snowmen, lights, presents and the joy of giving to others.

The second is the biblical journey of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus, with the one gift being given to mankind.

That story focuses on the faith of Mary and Joseph, the birth of the Savior, the journey of the magi, the shepherds, the angels and what some people refer to as the true meaning of Christmas.

While there is room in people’s hearts to celebrate both sides of the Christmas story, the Walnut Creek community opted to faithfully commit to the biblical story during its annual Journey to Bethlehem, which will take place throughout Walnut Creek and culminate at The Farm in Walnut Creek Dec. 5-6 from 4-8 p.m.

Patrons taking the journey will experience a cast of characters portraying a marketplace, the innkeeper who provides a place for the birth, King Herod’s effort to locate the King of kings and a trek to The Farm, where the majority of the event will take place.

There, the shepherds tending to their flocks by night, the magi camping by firelight as they seek the newborn king and more from the story of the birth of Jesus await travelers.

The final scene features the angels singing their praises high above the newborn babe, Mary and Joseph as they gaze fondly at their son and the culmination of a story that has been revered for centuries.

Not only is the trek revered because of the story, but also it is remembered because of the attention to detail that makes every moment special, from the luminarias lighting the way along the trail to the horse-drawn hay wagons that take visitors through the journey on The Farm.

“Volunteers at The Farm put out 1,000 luminarias in white bags with sand and a candle,” committee member Rose Hershberger said. “On Friday evening we go through and snuff them out, relight them the next evening and on Saturday evening we clean them all up.”

From placing luminarias to serving as candle lighters, census takers, ushers, greeters, wisemen, wagon drivers, tour guides, Roman soldiers on horseback, parking attendants, food servers and more, there are hundreds of volunteers who create the ambiance to make this event a special one for those seeking true meaning of Christmas.

Aside from the story, visitors are treated to food along the way including freshly popped kettle corn, marshmallow roasting, Rice Krispies Treats, cookies, Amish cinnamon rolls, chocolate-covered pretzels, apples, cheese, hot chocolate and coffee.

“Everyone talks about the cinnamon rolls that are served here,” Hershberger said. “They were made initially by the neighbor ladies until 2024 when a local bakery made 112 big pans of rolls.”

The popcorn is made at the dairy barn in two cast iron kettles using about 400 pounds of popcorn.

To make things easy for patrons, The Farm runs shuttles from the parking lot to the live nativity, from the live nativity to the encampment of the three magi, to the houses for refreshments and back to the parking lot again.

The tour takes approximately two to three hours, with The Farm providing 20 wagons that take 40 horses plus some spare teams to pull over the two days.

In addition, there are several neighboring farmers who bring their teams and help shuttle people, every wagon hosting one driver and one tour guide.

Then there is the scene in the horse barn, where the newborn baby awaits travelers.

“Each year the highlight of the tour is the mesmerizing scene of the live nativity, with the top of the horse barn able to seat 300 people at one time for the live nativity presentation, which is 10-13 minutes. Then it takes about that long to exit and bring in a new crowd,” Hershberger said.

The serenity, purpose and music in the barn lift the traditional birth story to a whole new level.

Amazingly, this event began with only a few hundred people attending. Over the past 15 years, it has turned into something much more significant, with close to 10,000 people taking the tour during the two nights.

One of the main attractions that keep people coming back every year is it is very low-key with no fancy decorations, and it remains committed to avoiding the commercialized side of Christmas.

“From the beginning the Walnut Creek group wanted to put something together that would show people what Christmas truly represents,” Hershberger said, “the real reason for the season. It was decided from the beginning to keep it from being a commercial event.”

Because of the tour’s sincerity and commitment to the biblical story of Christmas, people have been extremely willing to donate supplies and help in many ways without their names being mentioned.

“Most of the local businesses that are asked to participate in Journey to Bethlehem are glad to help without any pay or recognition,” Hershberger said. “That’s what makes Journey to Bethlehem so special.”

The preparation begins six weeks ahead to get rooms for volunteers, who all get to eat at The Farm kitchen. Hershberger said they serve around 300 volunteers per evening including wagon drivers, tour guides, shepherds, angels, carolers and more.

“This event would not be possible if not for all the wonderful volunteers that show up and help in any kind of weather until everyone has gone through,” Hershberger said. “It makes for some late nights but precious memories.”

The public is invited to this free event to experience the drama, sights and sounds of first-century Israel with eight stops representing the search for the Christ Child.

Registration for the census, the tour’s first stop, will take place at Elite Flooring & Tile, 2433 state Route 39, Sugarcreek. Walking and driving are required for the self-guided journey.

For more information call 234-301-0325.