JACKSON, Wyo. — Happy holidays, Jackson! On Friday, Nov. 28, from 5 to 7 p.m. the Annual Town Square Lighting returns to Jackson Hole Town Square to welcome the start of the winter holiday season.

Lights will turn on at 5:30 p.m. and transform Town Square into a “sparkling winter wonderland” according to an announcement by the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce. Santa will arrive shortly thereafter by firetruck.

Attendees can enjoy complimentary cookies and hot cocoa while listening to music from the Jackson Hole Community Band and Choir.

The event is a long-standing tradition, although it’s unclear when it began. According to the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce, the arches were first constructed progressively by the Rotary Club in 1953, 1966, 1967 and 1969. Those original arches were all auctioned off to community members over the years, and the profit was used to reconstruct the arches as we know them today.

Hannah is a Buckrail Staff Reporter and freelance web developer and designer who has called Jackson home since 2015. When she’s not outside, you can probably find her eating a good meal, playing cribbage, or at one of the local yoga studios. She’s interested in what makes this community tick, both from the individual and collective perspective.