Submitted photo Freddy the Elf is shown on a family visit during last year’s inaugural run of the Freddy the Elf Contest.

For the second year, Freddy the Elf is gracing lawns throughout Fredonia, and those with a keen enough eye to find him could potentially win prizes.

Festivals Fredonia began placing Freddy the Elf, a large inflatable elf, in various lawns last year, and this year is incorporating Freddy into their home decorating and kids coloring contest. Freddy the Elf was placed in a lawn around Fredonia, with hints being given out on the Festivals Fredonia Facebook page, and will be at a new house every other day, with new hints given out.

“We brought it out last year because people still couldn’t really go out and do anything,” said Larry Fiorella of Festivals Fredonia. “But you could go out and find Freddy, take a picture of him, and be there. We figured we’d keep it going, it’s good for the kids.”

When Freddy is found, the finder can take a picture with him, upload it to social media with #FreddyFFElf and email the picture to FreddyFFElf@gmail.com for the chance to win a Shoptauqua gift card that will be drawn on Dec. 26. The success of the event’s first year made it an easy decision to bring back.

“It went over really well last year,” Fiorella said. “We had a lot of people engage with it on social media.”

But Freddy isn’t the only festive thing gracing Fredonia. The home decorating contest, which began taking registrations on Nov. 15, will continue to take them until Dec. 10. The judging will be done from Dec. 15 to 17 and will award the categories of Best Display of the “Light up the Town” theme, Best Display of Color, Most Outlandish, and Most Creative. To register, visit festivalsfredonia.org/miracle-on-main-street.

As for the youth coloring contest, children will be asked to complete a coloring sheet using any utensil they choose. One entry will be accepted and there will be age ranges of 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Winners will be notified on Dec. 5, and the coloring sheet can be printed at festivalsfredonia.org/miracle-on-main-street.

The winning artworks will be posted on the Festivals Fredonia social media pages.

Additionally, the Miracle on Main Street event will also take place on Saturday, Dec. 4 and will last until 6 p.m., where an Ugly Sweater Holiday Party will follow at Coghlan’s at 9 p.m. Fiorella said they just want people to come enjoy the festivities in any way that makes them comfortable.

“We’re just trying to get things back to normal and if people feel comfortable wanting to attend with or without masks, that’s great,” Fiorella said. “We want people to have the opportunity to participate.”

For more information about Festivals Fredonia, visit https://festivalsfredoniany.org/.