One Awesome Night Returns to Pugwash

The second edition of One Awesome Night will take place this evening at the Pugwash Farmers Market.

The event is a re-enactment of the truly Awesome Night that took place over two thousand years ago in the little Town of Bethlehem.

Caesar, the reining Roman Emperor, feared he was missing certain tax revenue because he did not have an accurate count of citizens throughout the Roman Empire.

He ordered all men to return to their place of birth, taking their families with them, to register for his imposed census.

So it was that a man named Joseph took his pregnant wife-to-be to his home town of Bethlehem. As the story unfolds, there was no room at the inn and Mary went into labour in a stall next to the animals where she gave birth to her son who rested in a manger, a feeding trough for the animals.

The Pugwash Farmers Market has been transformed into the Town of Bethlehem, complete with animals, a manger scene, and a bustling crowd under the watchful eye of Roman soldiers.

All are in period costumes and visitors are encouraged to join them by dressing as townspeople would have dressed that long ago, like the photo below.

This year the presentation includes a narrated story by players from Cumberland Performing Arts, and representatives from area churches offering warm drinks and refreshments, with pony rides for children.

There is no charge for this event, but watch out for the tax collector, shown in the attached photo, who might tell you otherwise. This is one night when you can safely ignore the demands of the tax man.

The Village of Pugwash invites you to the official Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the Pugwash Library at 5:30. Following a few Christmas songs everybody is invited next door to the Town of Bethlehem and the Nativity Story at 6 pm.

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