Different, But Merry And Bright
It’s certainly been a year short on glad tidings, peace on Earth, and all things merry and bright. So, though things will look a bit different this season, we hope this roundup of holiday festivities will bring you some cheer.
BENTONVILLE
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
Christmas Lights
WHEN — Through Dec. 31
WHERE — Downtown Bentonville square
COST — Free
INFO — downtownbentonville.org
Lawrence Plaza Ice Rink
Skaters will be 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
Miracle Pop-Up Bar
Unique and unusual cocktails that play on classic holiday flavors, and Christmas decor covering every square inch will fill the Undercroft — the speakeasy below The Preacher’s Son — as well as spread to The Preacher’s Son’s patio to allow for greater distancing and more revelry in Miracle’s second year in Bentonville.
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
Peel Mansion Poinsettia Sale
Inaugural sale benefiting the Peel Compton Foundation’s annual programming. There are 400 red poinsettias and 100 white poinsettias available for purchase.
WHEN — Place orders now; pick up from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Dec. 4-5
WHERE — Peel Mansion, 312 N. Main St., Bentonville
COST — $20
INFO — peelcompton.org
Cookies with Santa
The Northwest Arkansas Chapter of Jack and Jill of America hosts its annual Cookies with Santa fundraiser to benefit The Children’s Advocacy Center of Benton County and Jack and Jill of America Foundation. This year Santa goes to the movies with a socially distanced outdoor showing of “Santa Baby!” and “A Snowy Day.” With music by AW Party Master and appearances by Mr. and Mrs. Claus. New, multicultural toy donation will also be collected to be donated to Sharing & Caring of Benton County.
WHEN — 4:30-8 p.m. Dec. 5
WHERE — Benton County Fairgrounds
COST — $15/child; chaperones free
INFO — facebook.com/jnjnorthwestarkansas
A Virtual Nutcracker
Presented by the NWA Conservatory of Classical Ballet and NWA Ballet Theatre.
WHEN — Dec. 12-13
WHERE — Online
COST — $50
INFO — stubs.net/event/3378/virtual-nutcracker-2020
EUREKA SPRINGS
Drive-Through Light Display
WHEN — Through Jan. 4
WHERE — Great Passion Play Grounds, 935 Passion Play Road, Eureka Springs
COST — Free
INFO — eurekasprings.org
Holiday Farmers Market
WHEN — 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Dec. 3, 10, 17, 24
WHERE — 44 Kingshighway, Eureka Springs
COST — Free
INFO — eurekasprings.org
Stationary Christmas Parade
In lieu of the annual Christmas Parade of Lights, the Eureka Springs Chamber of Commerce will host A Twist on Tradition: Giving Back Stationary Christmas Parade. Holiday floats and displays will be available for viewing around the city.
WHEN — 6-8 p.m. Dec. 4
WHERE — Downtown Eureka Springs; route begins at Chamber office, 44 Kingshighway
COST — Free
INFO — eurekasprings.org
Christmas at the Crescent
Lighting of the Christmas Tree Forest
WHEN — 6 p.m. Dec. 5
WHERE — 75 Prospect Ave.
COST — Free
INFO — crescent-hotel.com
FAYETTEVILLE
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
Holidaze Pop-Up Bar
The second year of Fayetteville’s successful pop-up bar takes the party outside (and inside) as Holidaze relocates to the Walton Arts Center for 40 days of cocktail cheer. 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 p.m.-midnight 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
Devan MacNeel of Rogers takes a photograph of herself and her friends after the annual Lights of the Ozarks display was turned on remotely on the Fayetteville downtown square. This year’s ceremony was held online with Mayor Lioneld Jordan flipping a prop switch at the KFSM studio while the lights’ activation was streamed simultaneously online. People are encouraged to visit the lights on their own time and avoid congregating in large groups because of the covid-19 pandemic.
(File Photo/Andy Shupe)
Downtown Fayetteville’s iconic holiday display — which comprises some 400,000 lights and takes more than 3,300 hours to assemble — is now in its 27th year.
WHEN — Nightly 5 p.m.-1 a.m. through Jan. 1
WHERE — Downtown Fayetteville square
COST — Free
INFO — experiencefayetteville.com
‘A Christmas Carol’
The TheatreSquared original by Amy Herzberg and Bob Ford returns with in-person shows and will be available to stream at home Dec. 2-27.
WHEN — Dec. 2-27, times vary
WHERE — TheatreSquared, 477 W. Spring St.
COST — $20-$50
INFO — 777-7477, theatre2.org
A Historical Holiday
The Washington County Historical Society will hold its annual holiday event Dec. 6, outdoors at the west parking lot of Headquarters House, the Civil War-era museum in Fayetteville. The annual event is usually an open house inside the museum but plans have been altered this year because of the pandemic.
The TheatreSquared Amy Herzberg- and Bob Ford-original, “A Christmas Carol,” returns for its second year with in-person shows and will be available to stream at home Dec. 2-27. James Taylor Odom starred as Ebenezer Scrooge in last year’s production to James Bowen’s Jacob Marley.
(Courtesy Photo/Wesley Hitt for T2)
This year’s event will enable visitors to view the activity from inside their cars as a choir of living historians and Heritage School students in mid-19th century attire sing Christmas carols. Performances will begin on the quarter hour and will last for about 10 minutes. Father Christmas will also be present to pass out covid-safe goodies to visitors.
WHEN — 2-4 p.m. Dec. 6
WHERE — Headquarters House, 118 E. Dickson St.
COST — Free
INFO — 521-2970 or email info@washcohistoricalsociety.org, washcohistoricalsociety.org
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
FORT SMITH
‘The Nutcracker’
Western Arkansas Ballet’s 35th annual production of the holiday classic.
WHEN — 7 p.m. Dec. 11, 2 & 7 p.m. Dec. 13
WHERE — ArcBest Performing Arts Center at 55 S. 7th St.
COST — $15-$25
INFO — 785-0152, waballet.org
ROGERS
The Frisco caboose in downtown Rogers is decked out in holiday lights. The caboose is at First and Cherry streets near Railyard Park, which is under construction.
(File Photo/Flip Putthoff)
Virtual Art on the Bricks
“The Art of Giving” is the theme for the Downtown Rogers holiday Art on the Bricks virtual art walk. The public is invited to show their support for the local creative economy by viewing, liking, sharing and purchasing original art from talented artists and craftsmen from across Northwest Arkansas and adjacent areas.
WHEN — Through Dec. 24
WHERE — facebook.com/ArtOnTheBricks
COST — Free; art for sale
INFO — facebook.com/ArtOnTheBricks
DTR Holiday Market
The Farmers Market in Downtown Rogers will transition to a holiday market featuring vendors selling their winter crops, holiday treats, handmade crafts and gifts on select Saturdays in November and December.
WHEN — 12-5 p.m. Dec. 5 & 12
WHERE — 120 W. Poplar St.
COST — Free
INFO — downtownrogersinc.org/market
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
Victory Film Series
With live programming on hold for the rest of the year, Arkansas Public Theatre continues its film series with a little something for everyone. Each film chosen is tied to a significant date or reason for the showing and will feature a specialty cocktail available for purchase at the concession stand.
“Saving Mr. Banks” — 7 p.m. Dec. 5
“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” — 7 p.m. Dec. 11
“White Christmas” — 3 p.m. Dec. 12
“Krampus” — 7 p.m. Dec. 18
“Scrooged” — 7 p.m. Dec. 19
WHERE — 116 S. Second St.
COST — $10
INFO — 631-8988, arkansaspublictheatre.org
‘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 — Dec. 5-Jan. 2; Hawkins House hours 10 a.m.-4p.m. Thursday through Saturday
WHERE —322 S. Second St.
COST — Free
INFO — rogershistoricalmuseum.org
SPRINGDALE
Artist Fernando Vilchis paints a reindeer and Santa Claus themed window front at Mr. Taco Loco in downtown Springdale. The city of Springdale celebrated Christmas on the Creek this past weekend.
(File Photo/David Gottschalk)
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. The big man himself will be at the depot for socially distanced visits. Hot chocolate and cookies are served after each train ride. Times vary; multiple trips per day.
WHEN — Nov. 29, Dec. 5-6, 12, 19
WHERE — Springdale depot, 305 E. Emma Ave.; Van Buren depot, 813 Main St.
COST — $5-$40
INFO — amtrainrides.com
Parade of Trees
With a little ingenuity, a bunch of community spirit and a truckload of trees from Wisconsin, Springdale hosts this inaugural tree-decorating event.
WHEN — On display through Dec. 28
WHERE — Downtown Springdale
COST — Free to view
INFO — downtownspringdale.org/events
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FYI
Covid-19
All venues and events will be following state-mandated rules for coronavirus mitigation, but some organizations have stricter measures in place. It is recommended to familiarize yourself with each location’s protocols before attending.
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Please send holiday events to Jocelyn Murphy, What’s Up! associate editor, at jmurphy@nwadg.com.
