''The Stable (formerly known as Stable on the Strand)'' is an annual

nativity play A Nativity play or Christmas pageant is a play which recounts the story of the Nativity of Jesus. It is usually performed at Christmas, the feast of the Nativity. Liturgical The term "Nativity Drama" is used by Wellesz in his discussion of the ...

Townsville, Queensland Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. With a population of 180,820 as of June 2018, it is the largest settlement in North Queensland; it is unofficially considered its capital. Estimated resident population, 30 ...

, Australia. It has been described as "part installation, part fun fair and part theatrical performance". The play is staged from 18 to 22 December on The Strand in Townsville. The festivities also include a mock

Bethlehem Bethlehem (; ar, بيت لحم ; he, בֵּית לֶחֶם '' '') is a city in the central West Bank, Palestine, about south of Jerusalem. Its population is approximately 25,000,Amara, 1999p. 18.Brynen, 2000p. 202. and it is the capital ...

with actors playing soldier, shepherds and the

Holy Family The Holy Family consists of the Child Jesus, the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph. The subject became popular in art from the 1490s on, but veneration of the Holy Family was formally begun in the 17th century by Saint François de Laval, the first ...

The event attracts up to 40,000 visitors a year.

History

1999

The ''Stable'' was created in the

Mount Louisa Mount Louisa is a residential suburb in the City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The suburb contains the mountain Mount Louisa (). In the , Mount Louisa had a population of 8,825 people. Geography The suburb Mount Louisa is located to ...

youth center in 1999 by Jay Goodwin and Anne Harley, and was attended by 120 people on the opening night.

2002

The Stable moved to the Strand and acquired the name 'The Stable on the Strand'. The original

baby Jesus The Christ Child, also known as Divine Infant, Baby Jesus, Infant Jesus, the Divine Child, Child Jesus, the Holy Child, Santo Niño, and to some as Señor Noemi refers to Jesus Christ from his nativity to age 12. The four canonical gospels, a ...

was played by Lachlan Crossan.

2020

During the

Covid-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...

, Stable on the Stand changed to incorporate 'stations' around Townsville that people would drive past. This was also helped by the creation of the event-specific Star Chase app, which showcased the locations of the Stable on the Strand 'station' displays and local light displays for people to create their own driving tours of the attractions.

2021

Stable on the Strand relocated to

Riverway Riverway, also referred to as "the Riverway," is a parkway in Boston, Massachusetts. The parkway is a link in the Emerald Necklace system of parks and parkways designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in the 1890s. Starting at the Landmark Center end o ...

to explore the opportunity a different location provides when reaching their audience.

2022

The Stable on the Strand changed their name to The Stable. The Stable in 2022 - bringing a gift of love to the people of Townsville this Christmas through an exciting hybrid event. We are going to light up the city with Stable on the Streets displays by inviting the community to again create and register their Christmas displays. In December, an interactive map will come alive and allow people to drive around and see the visual displays depicting the message of Christmas. Come and join us at Stable at Riverway from the 18th -22nd December, as we immerse ourselves in the story of Christmas with live actors, realistic scenes, costumes, animals and activities for the whole family to enjoy. There will also be heaps of entertainment, a wide selection of food and a designated youth area. This is a great event for the whole family to come to this Christmas. A free bus will run along Riverway Drive to pick up families from within the area.

The story

The play is an interactive re-creation of the traditional Christmas story, and it involves up to 1,000 volunteers per year. In 2002, it was awarded the honour of Townsville's Event of the Year.

Features

*The Stable Village - vendors and actors in costume *Hospitality Areas - food and beverages *Stable on the Streets - Christmas lights displays around Townsville *Stable at Riverway - The story of Christmas with live actors, realistic scenes, costumes, animals and activities.

References

External links

Townsville City Council

Stable On The Strand
{{DEFAULTSORT:Strand Tourist attractions in Queensland Townsville Events in Queensland Recurring events established in 1999 1999 establishments in Australia Christmas events and celebrations