Holiday Lights in NWA
It’s the most wonderful time of the year in Northwest Arkansas (NWA)! And there are so many ways to get in the holiday spirit - From lights to shops and shows we’ve got a full guide of activities to fill your December!
Lights, Lights, and more Lights!
Half of the joy of the Holiday season is after dark. And luck for us, NWA is home to over a dozen amazing light displays. Whether you want to check out a neighborhood decoration competition, or head to one of the beautifully illuminated downtown squares, there are plenty of lights to keep your cold December nights bright all month long!
Neighborhoods to Visit
If your child is starting school far away, or you have a small car, you can save a lot of stress by scheduling pickups at stores closer to your child’s school. Bed Bath and Beyond has a policy where you can pay at your home store and pick up closer to school. Many stores also offer online ordering with in-store pickup.
The following NWA neighborhoods are known for their extravagant Christmas decorations. Each participates in the annual holiday decorating contest, so they never disappoint! Check out as many as you can and then don’t forget to vote for your favorites! These beautiful displays might even inspire to start house hunting here so you can take part in the fun next year! If you do move, you know who to call to help you make it happen! The Neighborhood Holiday Decorating Contest happens in these neighborhoods, check it out!
Chapel Hill
Creekstone
Hanover
Kensington
Lochmoor Club
Willowbrook Farms
Windemere Woods
Woods Creek
Downtown Displays
Downtown Fayetteville is famous for it’s annual Lights of the Ozarks celebration. Fayetteville’s Square is decked out and ready for your visit. One step after dark in this wintry wonderland is sure to get even the biggest scrooge into the holiday spirit! Through January 1st, from 5:00pm to 1:00am the square will be lit up and hosting festive activities, holiday music, tasty treats, hot cocoa, and vendors – so it’s also a great excuse to get that last minute gift shopping out the of the way!
Fayetteville isn’t the only beautiful square. Downtown Bentonville’s Square is also lit up for your enjoyment until the end of the year. Eureka Springs is always glowing around the holidays, and Centerton even has a map available to help you make sure you don’t miss out on any of their great displays! Roger’s Railyard Park has been lit up this year and is hosting lights and holiday activities until the end of the season!
Unique Displays
Several local families and businesses also put on their own unique Christmas Decoration Showcases.
The Dye Family’s Christmas Lights Show happens every night until Dec 31 from 5:30-11:45pm.The lights are sequenced to over and hour of holiday music. Simply drive up to 10537 Oak Tree Circle in Rogers and tune your car radio to 91.9 FM radio. This display is free for your enjoyment courtesy of the Dye family’s commitment to spreading Christmas cheer!
Another family known for their Holiday Cheer is the Stewart’s. Their holiday event showcases over 5 million lights and dozens of displays and inflatables. Every night they have food trucks, camel and pony rides, and a visit from Santa! This event is $8.00 per person, but young children are free. The location is advertised as being handicap accessible. Check it out on weeknights from 5-10pm and weekends until 11pm at 4279 E. Wyman Road, Fayetteville.
If you decide to head over to Eureka Springs this Holiday Season you can catch more lights at Basin Spring Park, the Crescent Hotel, and a drive through event at the Great Passion Play.
Outdoor Ice Skating
If you’re in Downtown Bentonville to check out the lights, you might as well stop by Lawrence Park for NWA’s only outdoor ice skating rink! The rink is great for all age and skill levels boasting 7,000 square feet of ice to enjoy. Bring along hot chocolate, enjoy the lights and decorations, and get outside. This activity brings out the joy of the season and makes the cold quite fun! So bundle up, grab your favorite scarf and mittens, and come of down for a spin on your, or a pair of rented, skates!
Shows
December is the perfect time of year to catch a show, especially a holiday show! TheatreSquared will be showing A Christmas Carol through Dec 24 several times a week with a variety of showtime options. On Friday the 23rd you and the family can catch Polar Express at the Walton Arts Center. Tickets are free, but reserve your spot ahead of time because space is limited!
Events
Spend time in your own personal snow globe and warm up by a cozy fire with friends at Walton Arts Center’s “Winter Nights” event. Make reservations ahead of time for these fun activities where you’ll also enjoy twinkling lights, beautiful decorations, plenty of photo opportunities, and cozy holiday drinks.
Riverside is hosting a Festival of Lights every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 6-10pm. At this unique experience you can enjoy acres of beautiful Christmas lights while cozied under blankets in the back of a horse drawn carriage. You can also get a sneak peak into Santa’s workshop and Santa himself is often visiting! Find it all (and more sweet surprises!) at 17023 Chamber Springs Rd in Siloam Springs.
Holiday games abound this time of year. On Dec 20, Puritan Coffee and Beer in Fayetteville is hosting a Christmas Vacation themed Trivia night. Get your friends together and test your holiday knowledge at this local joint. If you love Trivia, but are busy on the 20th, Parkhouse in Siloam Springs is hosting Christmas Trivia. And on the 21st, Tontitown Winery will be hosting “Grinch Style Bingo” in the Lounge - don’t miss it!
On Dec 23 Shire Gastro Pub in Rogers will be hosting a holiday market. Swing by for food, drinks, and to support some local businesses while checking off the last gifts from your list. That evening, stop by Bentonville Brewing to catch their Magical Christmas Show.
Get Grinched in Eureka Springs! Pull out all the stops and dress I your green Grinchy best. Start your night at the Center Street Christmas Village at 5pm each Thursday. Then walk around town, shopping, eating and drinking while showing off your look and collecting tickets from participating locations. The Grinch who receives the most tickets by the final Thursday will receive a 1-night stay at the Crescent Hotel and a gift certificate to Skybar Gourmet Pizza.
Crystal Bridges’ famous, North Forest Lights sadly closed last year. However, the museum is hosting another event that is lighting up their forest. You can check out Listening Forest in the more traditional walk through. Or, you and a group of friends can rent out a snowglobe igloo and enjoy the lights of the exhibit from inside your own personal igloo! The snowglobes come are a cozy place to enjoy a December night with faux fur blankets, specialty food, cocktails, and a Snow Globe Concierge. We imagine will be just as lovely as North Forest Lights was.
Undercroft Bar in Bentonville has transformed into MIRACLE ON 2ND STREET. The bar has a festive holiday feel with seasonal cocktails. This Christmas locale is only here until Dec 31st, so be sure to visit during their operating hours: Monday - Thursday, 5pm-11pm and Friday-Saturday, 5pm-midnight.
For New Year’s Eve, Eureka Springs has fireworks for everyone to enjoy - 3B off Road and RV Park will be lighting up the sky at midnight to bring in 2023 with an abundance of light, color, and joy. What better way to ring in the new year and round out the holiday season than with fireworks?
Where is Santa?
You and your kiddos can find Santa at Bass Pro Shop every day until Christmas Eve – Afterall, you can’t expect him to be two places at once and on Christmas he’s got a job to do! Santa also has a habit of dropping by the Stewart Family Holiday Event every weeknight from 5-10pm and until 11pm on weekends. Santa also likes to visit Riverside Festival of Lights to take pictures with all the kiddos on the nice list and check in on his elves at the workshop.
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