FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Living Nativity
Pecan – Walnut Festival
Heart of the Shepherd @ Shepherd’s Cross
December 10, 11, 12 & 17, 18, 19, 2020 Thursday, Friday & Saturday 10:00 am – 8:00 p.m.

The Living Nativity at Shepherd’s Cross is an indoor and outdoor walk through event. Come on out and join us in celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ complete with farm animals and costumed characters inside an Amish built barn. Enjoy the outside games, hay maze, photo opportunities, as well as the Bible Garden and professional light display. Be prepared to enjoy the peaceful setting of an authentic working sheep farm. The Living Nativity will proceed even in the case of inclement weather.

As you open the barn door and step back in time you will experience spinning, weaving and wool working demonstrations. Enjoy complimentary apple cider & cookies upstairs as you browse the museum. Be sure to catch an hourly performance of Dramatic Story Telling or Live Music. This year’s story will be “The Inn Keeper’s Wife” the story of Christ’s birth from the perspective of the Innkeeper’s Wife, written & told by Frankie Campbell. We welcome many local talented musicians including violinist, pianists, guitarist, gospel musicians, and soloists. But there is always room for more. Contact us if you would like to perform.

ALL ACTIVITIES WILL ADHERE TO COVID RESTICTIONS. WE WILL HAVE SMALLER GROUPS AND HAVE IMPLEMENTED RIGID CLEANING GUIDELINES.

Many will contemplate the original Christmas as they take a wagon ride in the sheep pasture, (we offer an open air wagon or a covered sheep wagon) Journey with the Shepherds as they journeyed to see the Christ on that first hallowed night. Rides are available every half hour (cancelled in inclement weather). Covered wagon runs during daylight hours.

Children always enjoy our free Children’s Christmas activities including an audio-visual story, making a bird feeder, entering the coloring contest, visiting the Farm Museum, and Educational Silo.

Shepherd’s Shop will be open, featuring a host of Made in Oklahoma crafts & gifts. Over 50 artisans provide lovely unique hand-made Christmas gifts for sale. We also sell our 100% natural wool yarns and fibers processed here on the farm. We are Animal Welfare Approved. Our livestock on the farm are fresh grass fed, free range. Fresh lamb & beef meat is available. We are a Fair Trade Shop that sells hand made products from missions, and returns 100% of the proceeds to those missions.

This is a great opportunity to start Holiday traditions such as a Picture in the manger with family & friends, or add to you Shepherd’s Cross ornament collection with a take home Christmas ornament. We also offer a DIY Fresh Evergreen Wreath kit to take home. We host “The Living Tree” to provide gifts to the less fortunate. This is Heart of the Shepherd’s “Angel Tree.”

If your family would like to volunteer in the Living Nativity please contact us. Shifts are for two hours, throughout the day. Participants experience a memorable, peace filled, quality family time. Costumes are provided; pictures are made available after the event. Volunteers receive a Free Wagon ride, a free DIY craft and one DIY evergreen wreath kit per group.

This is walnut & pecan harvest season on the farm. Farm fresh black walnuts & native pecans will be available. Enjoy pre-picked or buy whole and we will crack. Amish made fudge & nutty treats are available.

The event is donation based admission. All proceeds benefit missions. Shepherd’s Special Bundle Deals are as follows:
#1: Basic Nativity Includes all donation based activities – suggested donation $5.00 per person.
#2: Shepherd’s Journey Package – $7.00 per person – Includes all donation based activities plus a wagon ride in sheep meadow & take home Christmas craft.
#3: Covered Sheep Wagon Package (daylight hours only) – $10.00 per person – Includes all donation based activities; covered sheep wagon ride & take home Christmas craft.
#4: Shepherd’s Journey & Wreath Package – $ 20.00 per person – Includes all donation based activities, wagon ride, take home Christmas craft & DIY take home fresh wreath kit.
#5: Covered Sheep Wagon & Wreath Package (daylight hours only) – $22.00 per person – Includes all donation based activities, covered wagon ride, take home Christmas craft & DIY take home fresh wreath kit.

Donation based activities are too numerous to count but include:
• The Living Nativity – every 30 minutes
• Nativity Dramatic Story Tellers & Musicians every 30 minutes
• Pecans & Black Walnuts – Crack & Education Exhibit
• Outdoor Photo Spots
• Indoor Photo Spots
• Peaceful Christmas Light Display
• Farm Museum
• Farm Silo – Open to the 4th floor
• Complimentary Apple Cider & Cookies
• Christmas Video – Every 30 minutes
• Gift Shop – Pecans, Walnuts, handmade, MIO
• Christmas Coloring Contest
• Bird Seed Feeder DIY
• Bible Garden
• See Alpacas in the paddock
• Watch Sheep in the pasture
• Scavenger Hunt
• Hay Maze (available during daylight only)
• 5 Outdoor Winter Games (available during daylight only)
• Indoor Games
• Living Christmas Tree – gift station

Shepherd’s Cross is an accredited Agritourism facility, Made in Oklahoma Company, and is Animal Welfare approved.

Event sponsored by Heart of the Shepherd – a Christian Public Non-profit organization (501-C3) that operates at Shepherd’s Cross To find out more information about this woolly event please visit our website: www.ShepherdsCross.com – go to Living Nativity at the bottom of the tool bar http://www.shepherdscross.com/livingnativity.html

Contact: https://www.facebook.com/ShepherdsCross
Shepherd’s Cross Inc. & Heart of the Shepherd Inc. Dr. Diane Dickinson, owner & executive director
sheepfarm@ShepherdsCross.com 918-342-5911