First time attending Santa Clara First Baptist's annual Bethlehem (Christmas nativity) production, which runs 12/11-12/15 from 6:30-9pm. They transform their church parking lot into ancient village of Bethlehem (a lot of sand!) with real actors, animals, activity booths showing life at the time. Free entry and free hot chocolate. We arrived after 8pm so got to check out a few booths and watched the last re-enactment (once every half hour). Overall neat immersive experience, great for families. If parking lot at high school is full, street parking in neighborhood is available. read more

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We used to come here every year until pandemic hit. So good to be back! Came here on a Friday night and it wasn't too crowded. Love how they make it like you traveled back in time and experience the night when Jesus was born! It's such a great production and it's our favorite family tradition Last day for this year is 12/16 Monday! Highly recommended! read more

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Wow! What an incredible experience! The effort and production that go into this are absolutely amazing. I've never seen anything like this at a typical church--it's such a unique way to experience the story of Jesus's birth. This event is perfect for families, with lots of activities for kids and a story that literally moves throughout the town. The live animals add such a special touch! The play itself runs about every half hour, and I'd recommend making time to watch it. Also-free hot chocolate! It does get very busy, and parking can be a bit of a challenge, but it's absolutely worth the trip. Since it's only on for five days a year, I'd definitely go back again. Such a one-of-a-kind experience! read more

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Too crowded! Put limits on how many can enter at once! And they need to show us where to go first..... the angel Gabriel? the wise men? what is the order to do? We watched the wise men and then missed the angel... Better communication is needed, or maybe some signs?? read more

So much work was put into this and it was a great experience! Parking was difficult so definitely plan ahead to get there with time to look! Overall many activities and a nice Christmas activity to do with your families and a great reminder of what Christmas is all about. read more

Awesome and praise Jesus the King!! A beautiful depiction of ancient Bethlehem! I highly recommend!

I went to see this play for the first time yesterday. I truly enjoyed myself. It was very crowded and at times hard to see because I'm short. Luckily, the play keeps repeating and I was able to go stand in a better place to watch it. Dress warm because it is outside. A must see with the whole family! read more

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We attended for the first time last year with my two preschool aged kids. Loved the interactive stations. Highly recommend making this a part of your Christmas tradition. Bundle up though. (This review was from about 2017ish. Never hit publish, lol.) read more

Very interesting and fun event! I believe kids will enjoy much more than adults but it was beautiful to see everything as old times. read more

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Kudos to the Santa Clara Baptist Church community for the time and effort that they put into this amazing reenactment of the birth of Christ! Live animals, beautiful music and a newborn baby. No charge and free hot cocoa. It's an experience you won't read more

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I enjoyed everything besides there being a real baby as Jesus. The infant was screaming hysterically during its entire skit when we watched. I know it's apart of the play to be in the manger but it was not necessary to just have the baby in the cold crying laying down. I was disturbed and I believe others around me also felt uneasy about the baby not being soothed as they started realizing it wasn't just a doll and were like why hasn't the baby stopped crying. read more

This is a wonderful presentation of the journey of Mary & Joseph to Bethlehem trying to find a place to stay in a very crowded town. Bethlehem is recreated on the property of Santa Clara First Baptist Church. It equals Hollywood in its production. Wonderful costumes, live animals and actors. read more

What an incredible production and recreation of the birth of Lord Jesus and the city! My kids had a great time and got a lot to learn! Def revisit the next year again. read more

Before we moved out the of Bay Area 3 years ago, we attended Bethlehem three separate years. They do a such a great job with interactive booths, immersive reenactment of the nativity story, powerful personal testimonies, and just great Christian people. Us adults enjoyed it just as much as the kids. Something for everyone. Immersive Bethlehem experience we have ever been too! You won't want to miss it! read more

The first thing you notice is the actors with amazing costumes, decor and the real life animals! You are literally transported back in time! Everyone participating is extremely warm and inviting. They also provide free hot chocolate for all visitors. There are multiple stalls with activities like learning Roman sword fighting, non alcoholic wine making, script work, fishing, perfume making, bracelet making, dry fruits shop, bread making, blacksmith and wool yarn making along with camels, lamas, goats, horses and sheep in between them which are very interesting for young kids as well as adults. There is an ongoing show about the birth of Jeasus Christ which has a very high production quality and dedicated actors. Would recommend this immersive experience for anyone wanting to enjoy a wonderful Christmas experience. The organizers have worked really hard and have made a wonderful experience. read more

Family friendly, hands on experience! It feels like your back in Bethlehem! Alot of work and much appreciated! Good job!

It was a wonderful experience.My daughter was excited to experience the birth of Jesus very closely.The entire event was planned very well and each and every character in the Bethlehem street done their part 100%.One of the best event for the Christmas.Highly recommended. read more

They did a good job of creating being in Bethlehem. There are activities for children as well. The parking attendants were not certain if overflow parking was available in the High School across the street. read more

Such a high quality production, and it's free! I went last year and already have it on my calendar. Beautiful!

The greatest place you can go, very organized and realistic, makes you experience the real atmosphere read more

Bethlehem - Performing Arts Near Me - Santa Clara, California

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AMAZING!! Our first year and it was such a great experience! A unique and meaningful way to celebrate Christmas! It was also educational! They offered free hot chocolate and there are restrooms and a place to sit indoor if need be. We parked on residential and had a bit of a walk. I wouldn't waste time in the high school lot unless you get there early because it was blocked, no way thru on one end. The kids had a great time exploring the marketplace and bringing home the souvenirs. There lots to see and do! All the people there were very nice and patient. It is so wonderful they are able to do this for the community for free. It wasn't freezing but it did start drizzling so glad we brought our umbrellas. It wasn't too crowded for Friday night. It is amazing so it is worth it to make the time to check it out. The other reviews are right-there's sand and we stayed about 1.5 hr. Inside Bethlehem is just amazing what they recreated. read more

Bethlehem - Performing Arts Near Me - Santa Clara, California

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The Bethlehem show is part of my family's annual Christmas tradition. Ever since we heard about it from church friends, we have been going since 2008 and my nieces and nephew love it!! It's so special to focus on Christ during the busy holiday activities that fill our schedules. I like that they usually have it on the first weekend of December, easy to remember and a great way to start the month. It runs Thursday to Monday, starts around 6:30pm and has a show every 30 mins., and ends around 9pm. Tip #1: plan to go early, so you can find PARKING, as it will be more enjoyable and especially if you have younger ones and don't want to park far away. There is so much to see and experience for children of every age. School aged kids will enjoy the various activities and booths for crafts demonstrating what life was life in Bethlehem during Jesus' time. Tip #2: if you are planning on meeting friends, go to the Wise Men camp, Shepherds area, and Roman soldier's training area before lining up for the show. Grab a hot chocolate while you wait in line! They give you a little map or postcard with the locations of the activities. Tip #3: I recommend doing the stations if you don't make it right in time for the start of the show. You can always loop back later for what you missed. This is our order this year for reference: 1. Census table: right after we entered, our family signed our names to be part of the census. 2. Wine making station: see how to stomp on grapes and make wine, they offer samples of "wine" in little communion cups 3. Llamas: pet or take photos with these furry animals 4. Roman Centurions: you can ask to have a photo taken with one of these roaming soldiers, if they are not busy ordering people around and moving the crowd along for the show (best during in between times) 5. Inn keeper's doorstep: we waited til the next show and stood right in front on the house where the scene will take place (based on previous experience), so when the soldiers drew a line in the sand, we stood behind it and had FRONT row view when Mary and Joseph come and ask for a room. This year was perfect, because my niece was in a stroller and she could see everything. 6. Hebrew writing: we went back to the booth where you can write your name in Hebrew. This year was cool because there were 2 seats and an iPad for a screen, so you put paper over the screen and just trace the letters displayed with a marker. The fun part we didn't know was how the guy knew what name to display when we tell him...and when we asked about the iPad, he had no idea what that was! 7. Bread: samples of bread and pita for you to taste 8. Fruits/vegetables: the nice lady told us about the seasonal produce of the area 9. Shepherds and parade of fire handlers/dancers/Wise Men: we heard the music and lined up to see the parade of actors who saw the star in the sky and followed it 10. Fabric Dying: you can see how they used to dye fabrics in different colors, they give you a little patch with a Bethlehem stamp on it 11. Bead bracelet: each person gets to put 5 beads to make a little bracelet 12. Manger scene: The Finale was when the last show finished, we went to sit in the front row of benches to wait for the performance to begin again. This was really the best part of the whole experience because we see the reason all the shepherds and Wise Men came from afar, to worship the newborn King! The songs they sing and the moments are a good reminder of what Christmas is all about. I was especially moved by the testimony this year from a lady who shared about losing her baby in the womb and how her and her husband have hope that the baby is with Jesus. Afterwards they have prayer ministers to pray for you and answer any questions you have. Tip #4: this is a great outreach to invite non believer friends to come and experience the story of Jesus' birth. The church does this big production every year and it's their gift to the community. For us to share the gospel of Christ to those who have yet to hear. You will be surprised how God will use this to bring someone to faith. On our way exiting, there is an opportunity to donate and support the efforts. Give what you can. 13. We stopped by the Shepherds area to look at the sheep, before heading home. I was so blessed by the whole experience this year, especially with my family. read more

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Does anyone know if this event is canceled for 2020 or is something else in place? We have visited this every year but we come very far to see it read more

Excellent experience. Our kids loved it, we too. Welcomed by a hot chocolate drink and saw Shepherds listening to good news.. Younger kids enjoyed time with real sheeps, goat and llamas and elder one enjoyed time at various stalls. The plays were very nicely performed. A very warm and loving experience read more

it is wonderful event for Christmas! Highly recommended! Thanks to the church for the hard works!

The place transforms completely. It is great! Let's see how it goes this year with the drive thru

We brought our youth group to Bethlehem last Friday and arrived much later than we anticipated - albeit we ended up having a wonderful time nonetheless and heard nothing but positive feedback from everyone. The staff and participants who were dressed for the occasion were friendly, the scene was decorated beautifully, there were live animals (which the younger ones loved), and the whole Bethlehem team presented the story of Jesus excellently. My husband and I enjoyed it so much so, that we wanted to go back again to catch the entire presentation. We hope to go again next time! read more

Bethlehem - Performing Arts Near Me - Santa Clara, California

Went last night and it was amazing!!! I was in awe with everything! Thank you for providing this experience for the community

This is a MUST SEE! It's free and it's fun for the entire family. I make it a point to go every year. They re-enact the entire Christmas story. The costumes are amazing. They even have live animals - sheep, camel, oxen... There are even activities for the kiddies that give them an idea of what life was like back then. This church really put forth a ton of thought and effort to bring the story of the reason for this season to life. They only put this on for one weekend every year in December. Don't miss out!!! read more

Bethlehem - A real camel! - Performing Arts Near Me - Santa Clara, California

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This was SO fun. What a beautiful way to bring us back to that incredible night of our Lord's birth!

I have been in this production every year for the last 11 years, and I am very proud of this church for putting on a play of this magnitude for the community. Be a part of history and witness the events that led up to the birth of Jesus Christ. See Joseph and Mary search the city for a place to stay, see the lowly shepherds get visited by an angel and then proclaim the good news, see the noble entry of the wise men and their entourage looking for the new born king. Enjoy the music, drama, lights, and exotic animals as you "Experience the Birth". The ancient town of Bethlehem is being re-created in Santa Clara on over 40,000 square feet with actual-size buildings and bridges. The free event can be found at Santa Clara First Baptist Church, 3111 Benton Street, between Kiely Blvd and Lawrence Expressway. To recreate the ancient scene, the church parking lot is covered with over 150 tons of sand. More than 100 actors from First Baptist and other local churches dress up in Biblical-style clothing, much like that worn in Bethlehem at the time of the census 2000 years ago. Roman guards patrol the streets. A busy market place has interactive booths where children learn about weaving, basket making, perfume making, and baking. There is also a booth where parents can taste wine fresh from a wine press. The heart of the program is the retelling of the Christmas story. Roman guards enter the city and blow their horns to announce that a census is going to be taken; Joseph and Mary arrive on a donkey looking for a place to stay; the birth of Jesus is celebrated in the stable, accented by music and lighting; the shepherds are visited by a flying angel, then run through the city proclaiming the good news; and wise men from the East and their escorts enter the town on camel back, looking for the newborn king. read more

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I felt like I was in Christian Disneyland! It was our first time attending and both me and my 3-year-old were in awe. She loved the different activities, but also loved seeing the animals up close. She especially loved seeing baby Jesus (it was the highlight of her night!). I can't recommend this place enough as a Chrstimastime tradition - I know it will officially be ours going forward! read more

I've taken my family to this every season for the last four years. It's one of the first things I tell new friends. It's a full size Bethlehem with sheep, a camel, donkey, and miniature horse. There is a whole bazaar set up where people can learn about ancient crafts, jobs, and activities. Each year it seems like a find a new small corner. It does get very crowded. Aim for earlier in the week or a non-weekend night. Dress warmly and be prepared for carrying your child or putting them on your shoulders for the last scene. I wish they would put in more raised areas or additional seating at the end. read more

This is the best thing to do for Christmas in the greater Bay Area and even into the central valley where I live!!! This is a tradition for us for 3 or 4 years now and we go with the same people every year and drive down. :) I love to pretend what it would be like to be there in real life when Jesus was born and that is what this is!!!!! God Bless in Jesus Name Everyone!! :-) read more

This event is just amazing! It feels like you eally are transported to 1AD with a crowded marketplace, live animals, Roman soldiers, and all. This is fun for the whole family no matter their age! They have scenes to entertain you even while you're waiting in line! This is such a gift they give our city and I hope many new people will discover this. read more

The skit they had was very pleasant. I enjoyed the fact that it ran every 30 minutes in case people missed certain parts of it. There were quite a bit of interactive stands, like the wool and the pottery. I also enjoyed everyone's outfits. Very cool. It was also nice that things were spread out a little bit, so not everyone was crowded in one particular spot. The biggest flaw I saw was the way they handled the animals. The first "stand" I went to was the one with the shepherds and the sheep. Throughout the time I was standing there, I saw one of them chasing the sheep and possibly poking them. I'm not an animal expert, but I'm sure it was stressing them out. It was very uncomfortable to watch. The most shocking part of the night was when we got to where the llamas were to see the finale of the skit. While a group of us were standing there, waiting, I hear people laughing, so I turn around. Someone (I believe a staff ) was in the llama pit trying to grab the llama. I was assuming he was trying to calm it down or something, but the llama seemed to pull itself away from the person. Then all of a sudden, I see his hand go towards its head and it gets shoved onto the wall with a clear THUD. My friend and I were standing there in awe. I really think they could have thought this out more clearly, especially because they've had this event going on for so many years already. read more

One word: AMAZING! You MUST go! :) We try to go every year as a family. Best way to get Into the Spirit of Christmas! read more

Amazing!!! the work put into this beautiful event celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ is incredible. i went last year and can not wait to go again this year. if you haven't checked it out what are you waiting for? read more

Awesome Christmas experience. We go every year to show the kids the reason for the season. Shows more than just the religious side of the Nativity, but culture too. Real animals (sheep, donkey, camel, etc.) Great touch and feel experience. Turn wool into yarn, use yarn for weaving. Build bricks with mud and hay. Love this. It is crowded depending on when you go and available parking is usually a long ways away. Dress warm. read more

Wonderful! What a great "live" and interactive experience of what a small town might have been like in that time period. Enjoyed the various craftsmen and craftswomen. Loved that they showed children and let them try various crafts. The period costumes and people acting in character, as well as the live animals, including camels, down to the sand brought in to cover the ground, all made this a very unique and truly enjoyable experience. This really brought us back to the true meaning of Christmas! read more