To kick off your holiday season in style and put yourself in the holiday spirit, come to Jerome’s annual Light Up the Mountain celebration on Saturday, Nov. 26, from 3 to 8 p.m. And bring the kids.

Stop in for pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus from 3 to 5:30 p.m., next to the police station on Main Street. The lighting ceremonies are scheduled to begin at the upper park at about 6 p.m., including a reading of “The Night Before Christmas.”

And wait until you see all the new lights. In addition, the sponsoring Jerome Chamber of Commerce will be holding its annual lighting display contest for stores and homes in Jerome, so the whole town will be ready to help you start the season with a smile. And it’s all free.

Free parking is provided in the large parking lot above the fire station and free shuttle service will be provided. And luminaria will be on display throughout Jerome’s business district.

This is a perfect opportunity to enjoy a visit to the town once known as the “Billion Dollar Copper Camp” and get started with your holiday shopping at the same time. The whole town is a National Historic Landmark, with many restored historic buildings. There are no national chains or “cookie cutter” stores in Jerome, meaning you have a chance to find that unique gift behind every door.

Every shop is something special. From art galleries and artist studios to rock shops and kaleidoscopes. From jewelry and vintage clothing to hand made pottery and the Mine Museum. From original saloons and one-of-a-kind restaurants to modern winery tasting rooms and an old fashioned candy store. There are options galore. And Jerome knows how to throw a party.

Live music will begin with Sister and the Sun performing their singular arrangements of soul, rock, reggae, and funk tunes outside the Turquoise Spider on Main Street from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Then look for and listen to Thunder & Lightnin’ on the steps by the upper park. This is high-energy Americana, from bluegrass and mountain folk tunes to their versions of tunes from popular artists like the Eagles, the Grateful Dead, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and Allison Krauss.

Then it’s time to move indoors to Paul & Jerry’s Saloon for the witty and weird, cheeky and charming music of Arizona-born singer-songwriter Tara Lynn Walrus. The music for this year’s Light Up the Mountain is sponsored by The Haunted Group.