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By Kelsey Kendall

Here comes Big Blue right down Monarch Way – decked in his festive new blue holiday suit.

Big Blue is getting ready to serve up bushels of fun at Miracle On Monarch Way, a special holiday photo experience, Nov. 9.

Families can take photos with Big Blue and experience the hap-happiest season with a holiday book reading by students from the Department of Teaching and Learning, children’s activities and all kinds of special treats like Lolly’s Creamery ice cream, Old Dominion 91����Ƶ’s officially licensed BBQ sauce, Big Blue Q, samples of the new licensed coffee from Town Center Cold Pressed and spice rub.

For the first time, Big Blue has a custom holiday suit to celebrate the season. Made from Monarch blue velvet that goes with his tawny fur, it was designed and created by Jessica Gaffney, lecturer of costume design and costume shop manager, with help from theatre students. The Monarch blue coat with light blue trim features the ODU logo on its chest. The matching hat had to be specially made to fit over Big Blue’s crown, which he always wears.

Gaffney’s sketch of the costume not only served as the basis for the pattern. It will be featured on all kinds of holiday merchandise.

“I think the community loves Big Blue so much,” Gaffney said. “This is just a really great way to engage the community.”

Oh what fun, it has been for the students to help in the project as they learn what it takes to design a costume for the beloved character.

Makiah Jones, a junior theatre major, works in the costume shop through a work-study program. She is one of the students helping sew the velvet suit. Helping on this project was an opportunity for her to see the design process unfold. She watched as Gaffney ordered samples of different fabrics and colors to best match the vision and learned techniques to attach the cuffs to the sleeves and the best stitch to sew together the velvet pieces to make a coat – a zigzag that allows the fabric to stretch as Big Blue moves.

“I think being able to work on stuff that’s going to be a part of things that are important to the community is a really big step, and it’ll help me improve,” Jones said.

This year’s Miracle on Monarch Way is set to kick off a new tradition for the ODU community.

“Big Blue is such an iconic spirit leader for ODU,” said Brian Eubank, executive director of 91����Ƶ licensing. “I’m excited and hoping this event becomes a holiday tradition that will create memories for families and the ODU community for years to come.”

Registration for Miracle on Monarch Way is $20 per group. The event will be held at the ODU Bookstore, located on 4417 Monarch Way in Norfolk, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. To register, go to the ODU website. Ticket proceeds will benefit the Big Blue fund, which support’s the mascot’s costume needs.