Lowcountry Community Church hosts 3rd annual Christmas experience.

Bluffton, SC. (WTOC) -Lowcountry Community Church held its third annual Lowcountry Christmas Experience Sunday night, drawing more than 10,000 people to the free community event.

The church invited thousands from the area to enjoy festivities that included a petting zoo, meeting Santa, a half mile long light show, a live nativity scene and artificial snowfall to end the evening.

“We wanted to bring the magic back to Christmas. Christmas is so hectic for so many, so we just said show up. It’s a totally free event,” said Jason Best, pastor at Low Country Community Church.

Community members praise event experience

Bellamy Swanson, who attended the event, called it a “10 out of 10 experience.”

“It’s so much fun,” Swanson said.

Tristin Swanson said this was his first Christmas with the church and said this event was so special to him.

“For everybody to come out here tonight and be here as one has been something that I haven’t experienced before like this myself, so to see all of my friends and be here with my family and our other friend has just been really spectacular to share this,” Tristin Swanson said.

Attendee Leah Woods said her biggest takeaway was celebrating the holidays with loved ones.

“So if you leave with nothing else today, I hope you felt a smile, I hope you saw laughter, and I hope that you felt the love of Jesus from this church,” Woods said.

Andrew Meloche, one of the event organizers, said it was a blessing to provide this experience for the community.

“Just to remember what Christmas really is, which is first and foremost that it’s all about celebrating Jesus, and then it’s all about spending time with loved ones because it seems like every year Christmas gets more and more crazy, and so I think we all need that reminder just to slow down, take a beat, and spend that time with your family, your friends, your loved ones, just those that mean the most to you,” Meloche said.

Low Country Community Church will hold five Christmas Eve candlelight services. Services are scheduled for Dec. 23 at 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., and Dec. 24 at 3 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.