CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 26, 2014 – For the seventh consecutive year, thousands of visitors are expected to visit the Billy Graham Library for the annual Christmas at the Library celebration Dec. 1-23.
“Christmas at the Billy Graham Library is one of the most beautiful times of year,” said Tom Phillips, vice president of the Billy Graham Library. “It’s a time when people from across the Southeast visit the Library and discover the most meaningful gift of the season – the birth of Jesus Christ in a manger some 2,000 years ago.”
Each December, the Billy Graham Library welcomes families, groups and individuals to experience the retelling of the birth of Jesus Christ, complete with a live Nativity depicting the very first Christmas night. Guests can also enjoy holiday favorites including horse-drawn carriage rides; Christmas story time for children; live music from carolers; a beautiful light display; a large, ornamented Christmas tree; holiday shopping and more. Carriage rides are $7 per adult and $3 per child under 12.
Newly added in 2014, a Star of Bethlehem illuminates the sky above the Nativity as it did the night of Christ’s birth, guiding the shepherds to the manger. A special lighting ceremony will take place on Monday, Dec. 1 at 5 p.m., to officially begin the Christmas at the Library season.
A special Christmas dinner, served at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association headquarters, is available Thursday through Saturday each week. Space is limited. Dinner is $18.95 per adult and $8.95 per child 12 and under. No charge for children three years and under. Reservations can be made by calling (704) 401-3200.
The Library’s operating hours during December will be Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Christmas activities begin at 5 p.m. The Library is closed on Sundays. Guests can pet animals from the live Nativity from noon to 2 p.m. each day.
Throughout the day, visitors are also invited to tour The Journey of Faith, the main presentation of the Library, which covers the life and ministry of evangelist Billy Graham.
Admission and parking at the Library is free. Visit www.billygrahamlibrary.org for more information.
Other Events and Announcements
Phil and Kay Robertson, stars of A&E’s hit reality series Duck Dynasty, will be at the Library to sign copies of their books, UnPHILtered and Miss Kay’s Duck Commander Kitchen, on Thursday, Dec. 11. Additional details will be released soon.
The Billy Graham Library will be closed to the public Jan. 5-10 while regular maintenance is performed and system upgrades are being made. The Library will reopen Jan. 12.
Tim Brown, author of The Making of a Man, will be signing copies of his book at the Library on Saturday, Jan. 24 from 1 to 3 p.m. Brown, a former NFL wide-receiver for the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was recipient of the Heisman trophy during his time spent at the University of Notre Dame. Additional details will be released soon.
About The Billy Graham Library
The Billy Graham Library opened in 2007 and has since had more than 890,000 visitors from around the world. Admission to the Library and the Journey of Faith is free. For more information on the Library and upcoming events, or to schedule a group tour, please visit www.BillyGrahamLibrary.org. You can also stay connected with the Billy Graham Library on these social media sites: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and on the Library blog.
MEDIA INFORMATION:
*An online press kit with downloadable graphics, photos and video b-roll is available on DropBox. You can access it via this link: www.bit.ly/ChristmasAtTheLibrary.
*Media are invited to cover Christmas at the Library. To schedule a date and time if interested, please contact:
Lisa Moseley
lmoseley@bgea.org
(704) 401-2116 (office)
(980) 939-4377 (cell)