Dustin Staggs

NWA Democrat-Gazette

This holiday season, 37 North has put together an experience that lets families live out their “Polar Express” dreams with a festive train journey and a visit to the Stewart Family Christmas Light Display.

The evening begins at 5 p.m. at The HUB Bike Lounge in downtown Bentonville, where guests are encouraged to dress in their most comfortable holiday pajamas (while also bundling up for the weather). From there, a shuttle takes passengers to the Arkansas and Missouri Railroad station in Springdale, where there will be time for pictures with Santa and holiday decorations before the train departs.

The hour-long round-trip train ride from Springdale to Johnson has everything to complete the Christmas experience. Passengers are treated to hot chocolate, cookies and the opportunity to write letters to Santa.

Danny Collins, founder and CEO of 37 North, said this experience is what the company is all about.

At 37 North, Collins said they are in the business of curating exceptional outdoor experiences that make people optimize their time and have a blast outside in nature so that they want to enjoy it again and again. This winter, they also have events like enjoying the Christmas lights at JINGLE! in Springfield, Mo. and then returning to teach participants how to build a campfire at Farmer’s Park.

“We really try to incentivize people to get out even in these winter months,” Collins said. “[They’re] some of the best times to get outside and do sightseeing and tour and just do whatever you can to spend more time outside even when we all just want to bundle up indoors as much as possible.”

This is the second year that 37 North has collaborated with the Arkansas and Missouri Railroad for a holiday train journey, and tickets for the last three days this winter are going fast.

What’s new this year is that the final stop on the festive tour is the Stewart family’s Christmas lights. 37 North purchased entry tickets that are included with the price of the train ride.

Upon returning to the station in Springdale at 7 p.m., 37 North will shuttle its passengers to the light display.

“We just wanted to find something else more unique to pair it with,” Collins said. “We are a tour operator in a lot of ways, and we’re here to just kind of do everything, including the transportation, so you can just sit back, relax and enjoy it.”

The Stewart Family Christmas Light Display has been a Northwest Arkansas holiday tradition since 2003, when the setup began with 3,000 lights and three inflatables. It has certainly evolved into a festive spectacle, with now over 6 million lights and hundreds of Christmas inflatables.

For some families, decorating for Christmas before Thanksgiving is considered early. Carlin Stewart, who owns and maintains the attraction with his wife Ashley Stewart, said that for his family, they begin decorating for their big Christmas tradition in the middle of July.

The light show includes not only an impressive display of lights but also a train ride of its own, pony rides, camel rides, food trucks and weekly appearances by Santa Claus. Visitors can even meet the Grinch on weekend evenings.

“The best thing that we can provide out here is just bringing families together and just remember the reason for the season,” said Stewart. “That’s Jesus Christ, our Savior, is born. So, without that, there’s no reason to celebrate Christmas.”

Guests will depart from the Stewart family’s lights at 8:45 p.m., where the evening concludes back at The HUB Bike Lounge at 9:30 p.m., where families may reminisce on their holiday adventure.

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FAQ

Holiday Train Ride

WHEN — 5-9:30 p.m. Dec. 20 and 21

WHERE — 37 North Container at The HUB Bike Lounge, 410 S.W. A St., Bentonville

COST — $85.84 per ticket. Price includes admission to Stewart Family Christmas Lights Display. Spots are selling fast.

INFO — 37northexpeditions.com/all-adventures

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FAQ

Stewart Family Christmas Lights Display

WHEN — Open 5-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 5-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday (including on the holidays) through Jan. 4.

WHERE — 4279 E. Wyman Road, Fayetteville

COST — Admission is $10 a person. Children age 2 and younger enter for free.

INFO — facebook.com/StewartFamilyLights