Ever wanted to take a stroll through the North Pole? Elizabethton Parks and Recreation has you covered.

With the holiday season in full swing throughout the city, Parks & Rec is offering the inaugural “Christmas at Covered Bridge Park” on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 2 p.m. until the start of the annual Downtown Christmas Parade.

Due to the increased popularity of the park, Parks & Rec Director Mike Mains said opportunities are endless near the Covered Bridge and Saturday’s event is just the tip of the iceberg.

“This is just one more step. We have a lot of things we want to do throughout the year, but this particular event is special and something we wanted to do to let people take advantage of the location and showcase the park,” Mains said Wednesday.

The historic Covered Bridge recently received a cheerful facelift with Parks & Rec maintenance staff, led by David McQueen and Garrett Johnson placing lights underneath the bridge that glisten off the Doe River.

During afternoon, a Christmas village will take over the park with different games, activities and refreshments available to the public. Carter County Drug Prevention Coalition and other organizations are anticipated to partner with the event.

A Christmas celebration wouldn’t be complete without a visit from Santa Claus. Mains stated that photos would be available for purchase and that attendees would have the chance to have their photo taken with Santa on the stage located at the park. Individuals will also have a chance to have their photo taken near the Covered Bridge with the Christmas decorations for the perfect holiday-themed family photo.

“We invite everyone to come out to the park, spend some time with us and their loved ones and enjoy the scenery,” Mains said. “I think down the road, this will be a very good event and we’re looking forward to unveiling this to the public next week.”

As 2017 comes to a close, Mains added the department is ready to hit the ground running for the new years as staff continues to look at different ways of providing special events for the region.

To learn more about upcoming events offered by Parks & Rec, call 547-6440 or visit their website.