File photo Officials string blue Christmas lights around a Blue Spruce tree in the Darden Garden next to Elkins City Hall in 2024. This year’s Blue Christmas lighting will be Nov. 29.

ELKINS — “A Blue Christmas Celebration in Elfkins” will return for its second year on Nov. 29, honoring members of the Elkins City Police and Elkins Fire Department and marking the beginning of the holiday season.

The celebration will take place on Saturday, Nov. 29 starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Darden Garden next to Elkins City Hall. Festivities will include the ribbon-cutting event for the Elfkins elf village, the return of Snikle the Elf and the lighting of a Blue Spruce Christmas tree located in the garden.

“I’m very excited about it,” Elkins City Mayor Jerry Marco told The Inter-Mountain. “The Elfkins village is going to grow this year, and of course we’re doing the lighting of our Blue Christmas tree… on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and that’s to honor our first responders.”

Refreshments of hot chocolate and smores will be available at the celebration, as well as door prizes.

This year’s tree lighting will be performed by Kathy Hamrick, the wife of Tommy Hamrick, who served with the Elkins Fire Department for 34 years. Hamrick passed away on April 13 after fighting a battle with cancer. He was 59 years old.

Last year, the lighting of the tree was done by Addison “Addy” Crawford, son of deceased Elkins Police Department officer Ramon Goux.

This year will see four new additions to the Elfkins elf village in the Darden Garden.

“Last year, we displayed six pieces that were done by the students at the Randolph Technical Center students and Jon Clingerman, and they were painted by Peggy Ross and Tessa Daniels,” event organizer Kathy Vance told The Inter-Mountain. “This year, we are adding four new pieces that were painted by Becky Vest, and they are very detailed and showcase our Elfkins theme, as well as the Blue Christmas and Snikle, our official elf mascot.”

Snikle the Elf will also be making his seasonal debut during the Blue Christmas Celebration for the second year in a row.

Named by Elkins City Police Department Chief Travis Bennett, Snikle – which is Elkins spelled backward – is the larger-than-life official mascot of Elfkins, who will be making appearances around town during the holiday season.

“Looking forward to (the Blue Christmas Celebration). Lot of work goes into that behind the scenes,” Elkins Fire Department Chief Steve Himes said during Elkins City Council’s Nov. 6 meeting. “Hopefully it will be as good of a success, if not more so, than last year.”