More than 200 Nativity scenes from around the world will be on display at the third annual Festival of the Nativity this weekend.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will host the free public event at its Southwest 24th Avenue chapel Saturday from 1 to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 6 to 9 p.m.
Darla Scoles, media relations specialist for the Gainesville Florida Stake Public Affairs, said 500 to 1,000 people are expected to attend the festival.
“It’s just a way for us to focus on Christ at Christmas time and not so much the retail side of Christmas and all that that entails,” she said. “We put this out as our offering to the community as a way to remind everyone what Christmas is all about.”
Depictions of the birth of Christ will be showcased in a variety of ways, including on quilts and ornaments, Scoles said.
Musical performances from local groups and children’s activities will also be a part of the festival. McKenzie Merchant, of the country-pop group Firefly — who have opened for Carrie Underwood and Justin Bieber — will also perform, said Angie Tipton, Latter-day Saints media relations specialist.
Faith Strasser, a UF tourism, events and recreation management junior, said the festival would be a nice way to start the holidays.
“It’s so easy to forget what the holidays are really about,” the 20-year-old said, “This would be a good way to kind of take a step back and remember what’s important.”
[A version of this story ran on page 5 on 12/5/2014]
