Christmas hayride tells why season is important

With its annual Christmas hayride, Sharon Baptist Church hopes to share the true meaning of the holidays.

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The eighth annual "A Hayride Through the Life of Christ" starts Thursday and lasts until Sunday at the Columbia County Fairgrounds off Columbia Road.

The 30-minute tour begins with the prophecy of Jesus Christ and includes about 15 scenes of his life, Crucifixion and Resurrection, said Jean Kelly, spokesperson for the Winfield church.

"We show why we celebrate this season, why we celebrate his birth," Kelly said.

Each year, the scenes are changed so that guests will see something different, she said.

Five wagons, each with its own narrator, will take guests through the tour from 7-9:30 p.m. each night. More than 70 people from the community are volunteering to take part in the event.

At each stop, actors will interact with people on the wagon and some scenes also include live animals, Kelly said.

The church's pastor, the Rev. Andy Collins, and his mother wrote each scene of the tour eight years ago, Kelly said. The crowd has grown through the years, with more than 2,000 people attending the event last year, she said.

This year, some Fort Gordon service members are planning to take the tour.

"They did that last year," Kelly said. "It was so wonderful when those soldiers came marching in. Everybody just gave them a round of applause. I wanted to cry."

The event is free and hot chocolate will be served. Kelly encourages guests to dress for cold weather.

For information, call the church at (706) 541-0067 or Kelly at (706) 541-1532.

IF YOU GO

What: A Hayride Through the Life of Christ, presented by Sharon Baptist Church

When: 7-9:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, Dec. 13

Where: Columbia County Fairgrounds off Columbia Road

More: Call (706) 541-0067 or (706) 541-1532