News & Views of Phillips Since 1976
Monday February 2nd 2026
La Natividad Returns
Outdoor candle-lit procession with Maria and Jose in La Natividad, In the Heart of the Beast Theatre
by Patrick Cabello Hansel
One of the most unique partnerships in the arts takes place literally in our backyard: La Natividad, the bilingual Christmas procession and celebration that is a partnership between In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre (HOBT), St. Paul”'s Evangelical Lutheran Church and Mercado Central marketplace. La Natividad will return this December 10 – 20 to our community. This beloved holiday show combines street theatre, HOBT”'s expressive puppetry, and an outdoor candle-lit procession. Based on the Mexican tradition of Las Posadas, the audience moves from place to place and becomes part of the action.
Beginning at HOBT”'s Theater and Mercado Central, the audience follows Maria and José through the streets as they look for refuge. The procession ends at St. Paul”'s Evangelical Lutheran Church, with the Nativity and a fiesta”” complete with music and food. Tickets for this unique performance and holiday celebration are on sale now, by calling 612-721-2535 or on-line.
But perhaps even more important, community members can be a part of the show by being actors, puppeteers, singing in the angel choir or volunteering at one of the fiestas.… Read the rest “La Natividad Returns”
How about also making Park, Portland, 26th and 28th Streets more “Accessible, Vibrant, Pedestrian and Biker Friendly with Less” and Slower Speeds?
Hennepin and 1st Avenues have been changed to two-way streets again so they will be “more accessible, more vibrant, with slower speeds and less around the block trips,” according to city planners and politicians, plus many pedestrian and bicycle improvements.
The City widened Park and Portland Avenues and 26th and 28th Streets decades ago:
- decreasing pedestrian space,
- removing old well-canopied trees
- decreasing space for new trees,
- and increasing speeds on former residential streets thus making them speedways unfriendly to residents, pedestrians and bikers alike.
Is it time to return residential streets so they, too, are more “accessible and vibrant” with less around the block driving and slower speeds coupled with improvements for pedestrians and bikers?
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