Skating in Bentonville, trees in Eureka Springs add to fun
JOCELYN MURPHY
jmurphy@nwadg.com
Santa is down to that last check of his list, and we’ve got the last-minute holiday experiences that will brighten your December listed here!
BENTONVILLE
A Virtual Nutcracker
Presented by the NWA Conservatory of Classical Ballet and NWA Ballet Theatre.
WHEN — Dec. 13
WHERE — Online
COST — $50
INFO — stubs.net/event/3378/virtual-nutcracker-2020
Christmas Lights
WHEN — Through Dec. 31
WHERE — Downtown Bentonville square
COST — Free
INFO — downtownbentonville.org
Miracle Pop-Up Bar
At the Undercroft and The Preacher’s Son’s patio. Miracle on 2nd Street is a 21-and-up only pop-up, and reservations are required.
WHEN — 4 p.m.-midnight through Dec. 31
WHERE — 201 N.W. A St.
COST — Drinks for purchase
INFO — 445-6065, facebook.com/events/259646122118542
The Botanical Garden of the Ozarks in Fayetteville has on display what is believed to be the largest living wreath in the region. Created by horticulture designer Lee Witty, the wreath is approximately 7 feet across and consists of about 18 plant and tree varieties, including muscadine vine, arborvitae, Colorado blue spruce, American holly, cedar, osmanthus and pine. Witty used the prunings from the trees and plants in the garden to create this beauty. The wreath is hanging under the arbor on the Great Lawn. The BGO is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Tuesday and closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
(Courtesy Photo)
Lawrence Plaza Ice Rink
Skaters limited to 40 at a time to accommodate social distancing.
WHEN — Through Jan. 3
WHERE — 214 N.E. A St.
COST — $2 skate rental, $3 skate session
INFO — 271-3390, bentonvillear.com/1188/Lawrence-Plaza-Ice-Rink
North Forest Lights
An artistic light and sound experience in the middle of the North Forest, back at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art through April 4.
WHEN — Nightly Wednesday-Monday through April 4
WHERE — 600 Museum Way
COST — $7-$22
INFO — 657-2335, crystalbridges.org
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EUREKA SPRINGS
Christmas at the Crescent
Most activities, including Santa’s Brunch, open only to hotel guests. But all visitors can still enjoy the elegant Victorian-style Christmas decorations throughout the hotel and grounds, and can peruse the Christmas Forest on the East Lawn full of more than 30 uniquely decorated trees.
WHEN — Through Jan. 1
WHERE — 75 Prospect Ave.
COST — Free
INFO — christmasatthecrescent.com
Holiday Farmers Market
WHEN — 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Dec. 17, 24
WHERE — 44 Kingshighway
COST — Free
INFO — eurekasprings.org
Jackson Fischgrabe, 8, paints a vintage lighted Christmas tree during a painting workshop at Imagine Studios in Rogers. The studio has another event, Santa’s Workshop, where kiddos can hand-paint Christmas gifts on Dec. 18.
(File Photo/Charlie Kaijo)
Drive-Through Light Display
WHEN — Through Jan. 4
WHERE — Great Passion Play Grounds, 935 Passion Play Road, Eureka Springs
COST — Free
INFO — eurekasprings.org
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FAYETTEVILLE
Holidays at Home:
A Virtual Variety Show
Join Broadway stars, Chad Burris (“Mean Girls,” “Frozen”) and Katie Ladner (“Wicked,” “Heathers”) for an unforgettable evening of holiday sing-alongs with the Pilot Arts orchestra. The evening will also feature a local chef preparing holiday cocktails and mocktails as well as a holiday treat, and crafts for the family. Come sing, cook and laugh alongside Pilot Arts from the best seat in the house — yours.
Ticket purchase includes a pdf of all song lyrics and a list of supplies for cooking and crafting along. Link and interactive pdf will be emailed two days before chosen show date. Performance is streamed from home and will be available to view as many times as you’d like between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. on selected date.
WHEN — Dec. 17-20
WHERE — pilotarts.org
COST — $12-$20
INFO — pilotarts.org
Holiday Gift Market
Community Creative Center is partnering with the Walton Arts Center for the fifth annual market. Hand-crafted gifts created by Northwest Arkansas artists include pottery, jewelry, original paintings, cards and prints, home and decorative items, wearable art and other gift ideas.
WHEN — Through Dec. 23
WHERE — WAC main lobby, 495 W. Dickson St.
COST — Free; gifts available for purchase
INFO — waltonartscenter.org
Virtual Visit with Santa
WHEN — Through Dec. 24
WHERE — Northwest Arkansas Mall via createholidaymagic.com
COST — $9.99 and up, depending on package
INFO — northwestarkansasmall.com
‘A Christmas Carol’
The TheatreSquared original by Amy Herzberg and Bob Ford returns to stream at home through Dec. 27.
WHEN — Through Dec. 27, times vary
WHERE — TheatreSquared, 477 W. Spring St.
COST — $20-$50
INFO — 777-7477, theatre2.org
Holidaze Pop-Up Bar
At the Walton Arts Center. All proceeds, as well as fees from reservations, support Walton Arts Center’s Ghost Light Recovery Fund, as well as four local nonprofits.
Both alcoholic and nonalcoholic holiday drinks are available. To-go drinks are available until 9:30 p.m.
WHEN — 5-11 p.m. through Dec. 31; closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
WHERE — Walton Arts Center, 495 W. Dickson St.
COST — Drinks for walk-up purchase; reserved 2-hour seating $15
INFO — waltonartscenter.org/holidaze
Lights of the Ozarks
WHEN — Nightly 5 p.m.-1 a.m. through Jan. 1
WHERE — Downtown Fayetteville square
COST — Free
INFO — experiencefayetteville.com
Stewart Family
Christmas Light Display
The display is made up of more than 2 million lights, hundreds of inflatables, a ride-on train, camel ride, pony ride and refreshments.
WHEN — 5-10 p.m. daily
WHERE — 4279 E. Wyman Road
COST — $5 per person; ages 2 and younger free
INFO — facebook.com/StewartFamilyLights
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FORT SMITH
‘The Nutcracker’
Western Arkansas Ballet’s 35th annual production of the holiday classic.
WHEN — 2 & 7 p.m. Dec. 13
WHERE — ArcBest Performing Arts Center at 55 S. 7th St.
COST — $15-$25
INFO — 785-0152, waballet.org
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ROGERS
Imagine Studios
Holiday Events
Santa’s Workshop — 5:30-8 p.m. Dec 18. Create three hand-painted Christmas gifts. $45.
WHERE — 5212 Village Parkway, Suite 11
INFO — 619-6085, imaginestudiosnwa.com
Victory Film Series
“Krampus” — 7 p.m. Dec. 18
“Scrooged” — 7 p.m. Dec. 19
WHERE — Arkansas Public Theatre at the Victory, 116 S. Second St.
COST — $10
INFO — 631-8988, arkansaspublictheatre.org
Josh Murr, with the city of Huntsville Public Works, places the last bolt to brace a dedicated mailbox for Santa Claus at Polk Square in downtown Huntsville. The square is decorated with a holiday light display including a new Christmas Tree.
(File Photo/David Gottschalk)
Virtual Art on the Bricks
“The Art of Giving” is the theme for the Downtown Rogers holiday Art on the Bricks virtual art walk.
WHEN — Through Dec. 24
WHERE — facebook.com/ArtOnTheBricks
COST — Free; art for sale
INFO — facebook.com/ArtOnTheBricks
‘A Victorian Culinary Christmas’
Slip away into the past and experience a re-creation of some of the Christmas culinary traditions of yesterday in the Rogers Historical Museum’s new exhibit, “A Victorian Culinary Christmas,” on display at the historic Hawkins House. Guided tours of limited group size offered through Jan. 2.
WHEN — Through Jan. 2; Hawkins House hours 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday
WHERE —322 S. Second St.
COST — Free
INFO — rogershistoricalmuseum.org
Virtual Visit With Santa
WHEN — Through Jan. 7
WHERE — Pinnacle Hills Promenade via jinglering.com
COST — $24.95 and up, depending on package
INFO — pinnaclehillspromenade.com
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SPRINGDALE
Holiday Express
The Arkansas & Missouri Railroad welcomes guests aboard for the Holiday Express and Pajama Train. One-hour round trips from Van Buren to Rudy, and from Springdale to Johnson feature holiday-themed train cars with on-board caroling and letters to Santa. Times vary; multiple trips per day.
WHEN — Dec. 19
WHERE — Springdale depot, 305 E. Emma Ave.; Van Buren depot, 813 Main St.
COST — $5-$40
INFO — amtrainrides.com
Parade of Trees
Inaugural tree-decorating event.
WHEN — On display through Dec. 28
WHERE — Downtown Springdale
COST — Free to view
INFO — downtownspringdale.org/events
Please send holiday events to Jocelyn Murphy, What’s Up! associate editor, at jmurphy@nwadg.com.
