After Thanksgiving tradition: Christmas in the Nighttime Skies returns for 35th year
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POCATELLO — A treasured holiday tradition will once again light up the Gate City as the 35th annual Christmas in the Nighttime Skies returns Saturday, November 29 — continuing a community celebration that has lasted for more than three decades.
Presented by the Marine Corps League and other local sponsors, the event brings thousands of area residents together for bonfires, food, fireworks, and the true spirit of giving. But this year’s celebration almost didn’t happen.
Toys for Tots organizer Jini Meeks said the event was at risk when the Vicki Jenkins family, which has organized the celebration since its inception, was unable to run it this year. Organizers and sponsors, however, felt strongly that the tradition must not be missed.
“This tradition is older than me. I’ve never known a year without it,” Meeks said. “It’s part of people’s after-Thanksgiving traditions, right along with the Night Lights Parade in Old Town.”
This year’s Christmas in the Nighttime Skies will be dedicated to DJ Jenkins, one of the original organizers, who passed away earlier this summer.
The event runs from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Bannock County Event Center (10588 Fairgrounds Drive), where families can warm up by the bonfires, enjoy stacked hot dogs, sip hot chocolate and soak in the crisp November air.
An aerial fireworks show, produced by ACME Pro Pyro, begins promptly at 8 p.m.
Admission is simple: donate a new, unwrapped toy. All gifts are donated to the Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation to ensure that local children — many of whom may not receive another present—have something special waiting under the tree.
“This year’s celebration also marks the beginning of the nation’s 250th anniversary — a perfect moment to gather, give thanks, and spread generosity,” the Marine Corps League said in a statement. “For many kids, this toy is the only one they will receive.”
How the tradition began
Christmas in the Nighttime Skies dates back to around 1990, when Vicki Jenkins helped launch the event at Kimberly Nursery on West Chubbuck Road. Jenkins hoped to bring the community together and brighten the holidays for families in need.
When Kimberly Nursery closed in 1999, the event moved to the Bannock County Fairgrounds/Event Center, where it has remained.
Over the years, Farm Bureau Insurance became a major sponsor, and the celebration has grown into one of Pocatello’s signature holiday gatherings.
The event collected more than 45,000 toys in its first 29 years and in a typical season draws 2,000 to 4,000 toys and as many as 2,000 attendees. Organizers say as much as half of all Toys for Tots donations in Bannock County often come from this single night.
“This event has always been about bringing people together,” Meeks said. “It’s a community tradition that must continue.”
How to support the ongoing tradition
For those who can’t attend Christmas in the Nighttime Skies but would still like to help, Meeks said checks can be made payable to MCL 698 with “fireworks” written in the memo line.
Mail to:
Marine Corps League
Bannock Memorial Building
300 N. Johnson
Pocatello, ID 83201
For the latest Toys for Tots drop off locations, follow Southeast Idaho Toys for Tots on Facebook.
