Midland Nativity Exhibit

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Midland Nativity Exhibit Make the Midland Nativity Exhibit a part of your Christmas tradition.

The Midland Nativity Exhibit is an annual showing of more than 1000 nativity scenes of all types from around the world displayed in 11 specially decorated rooms and areas. It as an oasis from the hustle and bustle of the Christmas holiday to remind all about the true meaning of Christmas -- the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ. This event is free of charge, and it is held annually at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Midland, MI (at the corner of Eastman and Sugnet).

08/27/2026

As summer draws to a close, our thoughts naturally turn toward the Christmas season, nativities, and the upcoming exhibit.

New to the exhibit this year is this unique nativity, beautifully crafted from Jeepite—a one-of-a-kind material made from layers of automotive paint.

What Is Jeepite?

Jeepite is a material created from layers of hardened automotive paint overspray collected from Jeep manufacturing facilities. Similar to Fordite, Jeepite develops into colorful, multi-layered patterns that can be cut and polished into one-of-a-kind pieces resembling gemstones.

How Jeepite Is Made

Paint Accumulation: Over many years, layers of automotive enamel build up on factory walls, paint booths, and assembly equipment as vehicles are painted.

Heat Curing: The intense heat generated by industrial paint-drying processes helps cure and harden the accumulated layers, transforming them into a dense, stone-like material.

Harvesting and Cutting: Once removed from the factory, artisans carefully cut and polish pieces of the hardened paint to reveal vibrant layers and striking patterns hidden within.

Each piece of Jeepite is unique, with its colors and patterns reflecting the layers of paint accumulated during its time in the manufacturing environment. We are excited for this beautiful addition to the miniature exhibit!

Look in the comments for a video of the process.

This nativity was first shared in 2020, but at the start of this Christmas season, the message of this nativity is worth...
12/08/2025

This nativity was first shared in 2020, but at the start of this Christmas season, the message of this nativity is worth remembering.

Perhaps the most poignant nativity in our exhibit is this one. It is made from brass bullet casings from actual gunfire during civil wars that occurred in Liberia in West Africa. These wars resulted in the deaths of 150,000 Liberians. The artist collected the used casings that remained on streets and in the countryside. He cleaned them, pounded them down, and etched nativity figures into them. His vision was to take stark reminders of human violence and convert them into the nativity story representing the arrival of the Prince of Peace. It raises the question for us—what weapons of conflict of ours (harsh words, hurtful actions, withholding forgiveness) might we be willing to surrender with the help of that Prince of Peace? How might we be the Light of the World? (Matt. 5:14)

12/07/2025

Just a few more hours left for this year's exhibit. Come and feel the peace and hope these nativities represent.

12/06/2025

The Nativity story is the first room in our exhibit.

Tomorrow night is the night! Join us at 7pm for our community Christmas concert featuring Yeagi Broadwell and other incr...
12/05/2025

Tomorrow night is the night! Join us at 7pm for our community Christmas concert featuring Yeagi Broadwell and other incredible musicians from the Great Lakes Bay region. The concert is free, suitable for all ages, and a part of the Midland Nativity Exhibit which is open today until 9pm, tomorrow 11am-9pm and Sunday 11am-7pm.

Korean-born, Michigan-based violinist Yeagi Kim Broadwell is a versatile performer, educator, and music executive. Trained and active across Korea, Russia, Europe, and the U.S., she has collaborated with artists from Michael Bublé and Stevie Wonder to Bryn Terfel and Yannick Nézet-Séguin, performing in major venues worldwide. She is a graduate of the Novosibirsk Specialized Music School in Russia, Brigham Young University, the Rotterdam Conservatory in the Netherlands, and the University of Utah.

Yeagi teaches at Saginaw Valley State University and performs with the Saginaw Bay, Midland, and Flint Symphony Orchestras. She also serves as co-director of the Hemmeter Violin Club and the Saginaw Summer Music Workshops.

12/05/2025

The Midland Nativity Exhibit is open! This is a short video of the whimsical room. We welcome you to come and see all the beautiful nativities in person.

12/04/2025

The nativity exhibit set up is nearing completion! It will open this Friday and continue through Sunday. We invite you to explore our remarkable collection of over 1,000 nativity scenes from around the globe. This display is sure to captivate even our returning visitors with dozens of new nativities!

We are conveniently located at the corner of Eastman and Sugnet, and admission is free.

December 5th and 6th from 11am to 9pm
Sunday, December 7th from 11am-7pm

A Community Christmas Concert will be held Saturday at 7pm. It’s free to attend and all are welcome!

Meet Vocal Canvas! This octet is one of our featured performers at the annual community Christmas concert this Saturday ...
12/03/2025

Meet Vocal Canvas! This octet is one of our featured performers at the annual community Christmas concert this Saturday at 7pm. The concert is free and suitable for all ages.

Vocal Canvas is an octet of singers from the Midland area. Although the group's name is new, they formed as a subset of the Midland Center for the Arts Camerata Singers in 2019 with a performance of "The Luckiest" by Ben Folds. Since then, this collaborative group has worked with the award winning composer, Joel Thompson and performed at various choral concerts in the Midland area. They specialize in contemporary arrangements of a ca****la pieces of various genres such as spirituals and folk songs. These friends enjoy making music together in eight-part harmony and are excited for the opportunity to perform once again!

The Midland Nativity Exhibit is open December 5th and 6th from 11am to 9pm and Sunday, December 7th from 11am-7pm.

We are honored to have the Maplewood Quartet perform at our annual community Christmas concert this Saturday at 7pm! The...
12/01/2025

We are honored to have the Maplewood Quartet perform at our annual community Christmas concert this Saturday at 7pm! The concert is free and suitable for all ages.

The Maplewoods Quartet is a Saginaw-based string ensemble featuring violinists Yeagi Broadwell and Katie Seigfried, violist Elizabeth Deibel, and cellist/pianist Sherie Boss. United by their love of chamber music and community, the quartet performs a wide range of repertoire, from classical masterworks to contemporary favorites, bringing vibrant, heartfelt performances to audiences across Mid-Michigan.

The Midland Nativity Exhibit is open December 5th and 6th from 11am to 9pm and Sunday, December 7th from 11am-7pm.

Address

1700 W Sugnet Road
Midland, MI
48640

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