What began a decade ago with a handful of crèches as a sharing among the local congregations of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has grown to become the 10th annual Community Crèche and Music Festival, with more than 250 nativity scenes of all sizes and styles on loan from members of various churches in Davis, Woodland, Winters and Dixon. The event also includes extensive musical program.

“There is such a wide array of crèches that it is hard to categorize them,” said event coordinator Sheila Pratt. “There are puppies and bears, a tiny one in an actual acorn, a carved stone one from Ecuador, a hollowed-out gourd from Panama, a carved wood crèche from Germany and several clay and pewter ones from Mexico.”

There are also items from countries such as Zimbabwe, Israel, Spain, Chile, the Philippines, Egypt, Ireland and many from less exotic yet heartfelt places, such as those hand-made by children.

This year’s Crèche and Music Festival will run rom 3 to 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meetinghouse on the corner of Gum Street and Pioneer Avenue in Woodland.

Three years ago, the crèche exhibit expanded to include a program of music, with performers playing as visitors walk through to view the crèche exhibit, and then two years ago the Community Concert made its debut on Saturday evening.

“There will be piano, guitar and vocal solos, along with small groups like a piano and string bass, and larger groups, such as local church choirs playing or singing throughout the exhibit time and at our concert,” said Jessica Loehrmann, musical director.

For details on the schedule or to find out when specific performers will be showcased, visit www.woodlandcreche.org.

“We are so excited, because it is becoming truly an interfaith event, with performers from several surrounding communities,” Loehrmann added. “For instance, the Woodland Chamber Singers and the Woodland United Methodist Gloryshakers are set to perform, as is the Davis Flute Choir and Jeanine Cooper and her music students from Dixon.”

The centerpiece of the musical program is the Community Choir that will close the Community Choral Concert from 7 to 8 p.m. Saturday. After local choirs from churches and community groups perform, the evening will culminate with all the choirs combining to sing “O Holy Night” and Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus.

“Last year we were all just so excited to have the chance to sing together with a professional choir and members of other congregations,” Loehrmann said. “The sound and the sweet feeling of Christmas there was just amazing! It was a real treat for everyone involved; listeners and singers alike.”

Two of the newest elements, introduced a couple of years ago, are becoming very popular. The Christ-centered art exhibit features any type of art of the Savior that is not a nativity. Last year, those items included an original painting of Joseph holding 4-year-old Jesus and a watercolor of Christ’s hands cupping a child’s face. The exhibit has doubled in size this year.

“We had so many people wanting to lend their art work last year that we didn’t have enough space and had to turn them away, so we have devoted one entire side of the building to this exhibit,” Pratt said.

The Family Room bustled with activity from the moment it opened.

“It is the best place in the whole building, because all the kids have so much fun dressing up like Mary or Joseph, a shepherd or an angel and getting their picture taken in our specially built manager,” Pratt said.

“Sometimes a little girl will just want to hold baby Jesus and get her picture taken and other times a whole family will dress up and have a picture taken that they use for their Christmas card.”

While they are waiting for their picture to be printed, the kids do a craft project, such as making nativity scene puppets from Popsicle sticks.

“It has become so popular, because parents don’t have to hold their kids’ hands and say ‘don’t touch,’ ” Pratt said, adding that even though it is a playful, hands-on experience, children do need to be accompanied by an adult.

For more information, visit www.woodlandcreche.org or email [email protected].

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Mary Marble of Davis shows off one of the nativity scenes that she lent for display at last year’s Creche Festival in Woodland. Sue Cockrell/Enterprise file photo

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Gay Morgan of Winters sets out some of the 16 pieces in this nativity scene, which also includes the backdrop of a wall. She and her daughter lent about a dozen creches for display at last year’s festival. Sue Cockrell/Enterprise file photo

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