The warm atmosphere of a small-town holiday filled the air Sunday night as Tamaqua capped its four-day Spirit of Christmas Festival with the lighting of the town tree at Depot Square Park.

More than 200 turned out to kick off the holiday season by being first to see the bright, sparkling Christmas tree, a local tradition.

“I’m from Austin and we didn’t have this kind of thing,” said Melissa Serfass, on hand with husband Jamie, a Palmerton native.

The couple moved to Hometown a few years ago and were attending their second Tamaqua holiday festival to see son Dominick, a tenth grader, perform with the Tamaqua Area Senior High School Jazz Chorale, led by director John Buglio.

For the past 23 years, Tamaqua’s event has been one of the most ambitious holiday celebrations staged by any community in Schuylkill County. Organizers say the busy schedule of events keeps everybody hopping.

“We had 118 kids who showed up to see Santa and Mrs. Claus on Friday,” said chairwoman Jean Towle.

Longtime volunteer Judy Hoppes said it was heartwarming to witness such a strong turnout.

“The line went all of the way outside of the front door of the Tamaqua Community Arts Center,” said Hoppes.

To help make Sunday’s event as bright as possible, Hoppes joined with Linda Heigele to place 20 luminaria around already-decorated Depot Square Park, aglow in a panorama of white mini-lights and red wreaths.

Heigele, too, has been volunteering for many years and has become a holiday tradition in her own right for her annual portrayal of Frosty the Snow Man, always a hit with the kids.

Sunday’s event also included awards for winners of two competitions — the annual cookie contest and this year’s new wrinkle, a pet parade.

Following the tree lighting, the crowd moved to the adjacent Tamaqua Community Ambulance building for cookies and hot chocolate.

“Not all communities get to put together something like this,” said Tamaqua Mayor Nathan Gerace.