Northwest Arkansas Christmas Lights 2026

The short version

Start on the Fayetteville square. Lights of the Ozarks is free, it's the biggest display in the region, and the lights stay on until 1 a.m. every night. If you'd rather stay in the car, The Light Show NWA at the fairgrounds is the drive-through to book.

Dates marked confirmed come from the organizer for 2026. The rest show last year's pattern until this year's dates are posted, and we update this page as they come in.

At a glance

Fayetteville

Lights of the Ozarks wraps the historic downtown square and the blocks around it. Light Night, when it all switches on, is Friday, November 20, at 6 p.m. with live music. After that the lights run nightly from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. through January 1. It's free and you walk it.

The Lights of the Ozarks Parade is Thursday, December 3, at 6:30 p.m., starting on East Avenue and running clockwise around the square. Santa visits the square on Friday nights, December 4, 11 and 18, from 6 to 8 p.m.

The Light Show NWA is a drive-through at the Washington County Fairgrounds on North McConnell Avenue: about a mile of displays set to music you play in your car. It runs November 20 through January 2. Tickets are sold online for timed entry, $25 to $35 and up per vehicle depending on the night.

Bentonville and Rogers

Downtown Bentonville lights the square on Saturday, November 21, with the lights on at 6 p.m. sharp. This year's theme is "Lights, Camera, Christmas!" and the square has more than 30 miles of lights. The Bentonville Christmas Parade is Saturday, December 12, at 6 p.m., with floats built around classic Christmas movies.

In Rogers, the Founders Plaza tree lighting at Pinnacle Hills is November 20 from 5 to 8:30 p.m., and the Rogers Christmas Parade runs downtown on December 4 at 6:30 p.m. Downtown Rogers and Frisco Plaza stay decorated from late November into early January.

If you remember Time Loop, the light and projection walk in Crystal Bridges' North Forest, last winter was its final season.

Eureka Springs

The Crescent Hotel lights its Christmas Tree Forest in the Fountain Garden on December 1 at 6 p.m., and you can walk it all month along a light trail through the gardens.

The Great Passion Play lights are a donation drive-through on weekend nights, listed from Friday, November 27 into January.

Downtown, the tree lighting in Basin Spring Park is Saturday, November 28, at 5:30 p.m., and the Parade of Lights is Friday, December 4, at 6 p.m. Santa is in Basin Park on Saturdays in December.

Springdale and Siloam Springs

Springdale's Christmas Parade of the Ozarks, hosted by the Rodeo of the Ozarks, is confirmed for Saturday, November 28, down East Emma Avenue. Downtown Springdale hasn't posted 2026 details for Christmas on the Creek, the daytime market and tree lighting that leads into the parade.

The Light Up Siloam Springs parade is listed for Saturday, December 5, at 5:30 p.m., with the downtown lighting right after.