Stortford churches team up for star trail over crib and tree festivals weekend

Nativity scenes created by Bishop’s Stortford church and community groups will be on display when the town’s Methodist Church hosts its second annual Crib Festival.

Following the popularity of last year’s inaugural event, the public are once again invited to view the exhibition and enjoy other festive attractions at the South Street church on the weekend of December 14-15.

The cribs are being made by church clubs and by community groups that hire the Methodist Church as well as by local businesses and charities.

Church administrator Lynn Graseman said:"Last year we had some very inventive cribs that reflected the activity or business of the people who made it, and some were humorous.”

The church will be open 10am to 4pm both days, with Bishop’s Stortford Band playing outside from 10am to 12pm. On Saturday at 7pm there will be a community carol service with the Salvation Army Brass Band.

On Sunday, the church will be open between services from 11.30am and 3.30pm. Admission is free, although visitors can make donations to the Winter Night Shelter.

The Crib Festival is run in conjunction with Holy Trinity Church’s Christmas Tree Festival over the same weekend.

Visitors who start at the Methodist Church can collect a star and follow the trail of stars in shop windows along South Street to Holy Trinity, where they can then place their star on a Christmas tree.

Alternatively, visitors who begin at Holy Trinity can collect a sheep and follow the star trail to the Methodist Church to place it in a crib.