Follow the Star has long been a part of Dakota Hope Clinic’s Festival of the Trees, but it has grown and been refined into a uniquely developed production made possible by about 30 volunteers, including 21 actors, and live animals.

Co-coordinator Tara Wiley said, from the beginning, there was the desire to integrate the Christmas story into the activities at Festival of Trees.

“But by making it its own experience, for families to be able to walk through, it’s completely immersive. It’s sight and sound and smell and touch, and they can just get completely lost in the Christmas story,” she said.

Guides lead families along the trail, where they hear multiple perspectives from characters in the story as they follow the star to the manger scene.

Scott Mehlhoff, in the role of a wiseman, shows children the gifts for the baby Jesus during a previous Follow the Star presentation.

“It’s a really special experience. We estimate over 1,000 went through last year in four hours,” Wiley said.

Follow the Star is offered at Festival of Trees Saturday, Nov. 22, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Barnyard Buddies is providing a petting zoo and Miles and Sheyenne Hanson will have pony rides at the end of the trail.

Follow the Star particularly appeals to children.

“They get to pet sheep. They get to smell the frankincense and the myrrh. They get to knock on the doors to see if there’s any room in the inn – the whole thing. They really get to be part of it,” Wiley said. “We’re sharing why we are in this wild season that we’re in. We’re slowing down enough to actually remember what this is all about. But it’s also very intentional in inviting families and children into ‘You are part of the Christmas story.’ This is your journey, and you get to meet Jesus, not just during this little walk through this maze, but in your everyday life, and Dakota Hope is there to come alongside people who need to journey with Jesus in the crisis moments of their lives.”

Wiley said many actors return each year because of the enjoyment of seeing the looks on the faces of the children as they absorb the story. However, it is not just for children.

Jacob Smet and Mason Marsh stand watch over the flock as shepherds at a previous Follow the Star event during the Festival of Trees.

“That was the thing that was interesting to me last year. For every child that came through, there was at least one adult with them. But for most of these there were generations of adults,” Wiley said. “It was a full family event.”

Heidi Zaderaka, who is helping coordinate Follow the Star this year, looks forward to seeing the reactions of the children.

“What a beautiful way to start this season,” Zaderaka said. “It’ll open up for those families and those children just a deeper meaning and understanding and joy for what this all really means.”

“My hope is that it becomes a core memory,” Wiley added. “Not only do I read it on a page or hear someone read it at a Christmas Eve service, I’ve literally experienced it. I’ve walked the walk. I’ve considered what those moments were like. I’ve literally knocked on the door and heard someone say, ‘I have no room for you.’ I’ve come to the shepherds, and I’ve heard the angels sing, and I’ve seen the wonder on their face that these everyday human beings, who were considered just sort of the leftovers of their community, were honored by God to have their own special concert, and then go see Jesus. And if he does that for the smelly shepherds on a hill, that I got to hear, from the sheep that I got to touch, how much more is he doing that for me and inviting us to be part of that, to meet him in that way?”

Amy Jo Hoberz said her family has participated in Follow the Star every year.

Habebee Rice as Mary and Dorian Garland as Joseph volunteer as actors in a previous Follow the Star presentation.

“It has been so fun to see it evolve,” she said. “It’s such a great way to tell the story to kids and actually illustrate it with the characters. They have such neat touches that they bring to it.”

Her son, now 8, looks forward to attending because he enjoys the interactive nature of the Bible story, she said. Each year has had its own highlights that he’s loved, too.

“Last year, it was definitely the donkey,” Hoberz said.

Children who participate receive a passport that is stamped at each station. At the end of the Follow the Star journey, they can turn in their passports for a 3D nativity cutout that they can color and take home to continue the conversation.

This year, the Gideons donated 400 New Testament Bibles to give to the children. Patty Bretheim and Diana Reiner made ribbon bookmarks to give away with the Bibles.

Wiley said Follow the Star has new costumes this year because of local seamstresses who donated time and fabric to the project. Local churches and a business have donated props.

She estimated about 75% of volunteers return each year, but additional volunteers who would like to be actors or contribute to the production in other ways are always needed.

The festival imposes no separate charge to attend Follow the Star, which operates on volunteer service and the generosity of churches and other organizations, as well as donations to Dakota Hope that are accepted during the Festival of the Trees event.

Festival of trees opens Friday

Festival of Trees opens Friday, Nov. 21, at noon and runs until 9 p.m. Hours on Saturday, Nov. 22, are 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the North Dakota State Fair Center, Minot. New this year is a $5 door admission for ages 18 and older. Children are free.

The event is a fundraiser for Dakota Hope Clinic and includes a fun run, entertainment, silent auction, professional family photo booth and photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, wagon rides and vendors. A ticketed dinner and live auction will be held Saturday evening.

Dakota Hope Clinic is a charitable Christian outreach ministry formed to provide care, support and education related to sexual health, pregnancy, and childbirth in the Minot region. It has offices in Minot, Tioga and Bottineau.