Blytheville's Main Street Program Launched Holiday Lights Festival

Craig Ogilvie, travel writer
Arkansas Tourism

Editor's Note: The following is one in a series of features on Main Street Arkansas, which this year is celebrating its 20th year of service to 17 towns across the state.

BLYTHEVILLE – From its beginnings as a sawmill camp in the 1880s to an important travel gateway of today, this northeast Arkansas city has maintained a spirit of hospitality and good cheer. Perhaps that's why one of its newest festivals, "Lights of the Delta," is so successful.

Created and sponsored by Main Street Blytheville, the event attracts over 50,000 visitors each Christmas season for a scenic drive-through of 40 acres aglow with six million lights and 25 motion displays. Traditionally, the massive lighting display begins Thanksgiving weekend and continues through the holidays. The American Bus Association has named the "Lights of the Delta" among its "Top 100 Events" in the nation. Admission is charged by type of vehicle.

Downtown Blytheville is also blanketed with over one million crystal-clear lights that frame the annual Holiday Parade (early December), which attracts over 5,000 people annually. In addition, Founder's Park and the historic Main Street arches are draped in sparkling lights.

Blytheville joined the Main Street project in 1990, with Lisa Morris serving as the first manager. Local leaders who worked tirelessly to bring the program to Blytheville included Mary Gay Shipley (That Bookstore), Ron Dawson (Farmers Bank and Trust) and George Hubbard (Hubbard and Hoke Furniture).

A part of the state's Historic Preservation agency, Main Street Arkansas provides technical assistance and design services to help create economic development in downtown areas. A basic yearly grant is distributed to all 17 Arkansas towns currently served by the program. The remainder of each town's Main Street budget must be raised on the local level.

Among Blytheville's early Main Street accomplishments was a downtown "pocket park," which continues as a popular rest area for shoppers and downtown workers. Other projects included a museum and the "Parade of Trees" celebration, featuring a wide array of festive Christmas themes. The holiday lighting project started in 1995 when a volunteer campaign raised $30,000 to decorate a portion of the downtown district. With the help of the area chamber of commerce, city government, and interested individuals, a local museum was also established in 1995, occupying a room adjoining Main Street's downtown office.

Blytheville's annual Chickasaw Chili Cook-off, now in its 25th year, became a Main Street-sponsored event after the program was established. The festival, held in a four-block area of downtown, is held in early October with more than 40 teams competing. Food booths, live entertainment, and games for children are also part of the free celebration.

Main Street also inherited the annual "Springtime on the Mall" festival, which turned 25 years old in 2004. Also staged downtown, the event includes special art exhibits, food vendors, live entertainment, antique car show, crafts and children's activities. Admission is free.

In August, 1996, the grand old Kress Building became a part of the Main Street program and renovation work started on the two-story brick building that has been an area landmark since 1938. The Main Street office and the Blytheville Heritage Museum occupied the first floor of the building in early 1997.

"We are extremely proud of the museum's growth since the move into larger quarters," Main Street manager Bret Sparks explained. "The exhibits now cover the entire first floor and community support for the museum has been super."

With space getting tight, Sparks is planning another change for the Main Street office. "Within a year or two, we will be moving into the classic 1939 Greyhound Bus Depot at 109 N. Fifth Street," Sparks said. The building was secured in October 2003, after a campaign that raised over $100,000 for the project. The depot will also serve as a visitor information center.

Designed by Memphis architect Noland Van Powell, the Blytheville bus station is the only surviving example of some15 or 16 depots built in the Art Morderne style by Greyhound in five states. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. Planning and restoration will take several months, according to Sparks.

The museum will remain in the Kress Building, under the auspices of the city government.

Another "gem" of downtown is the century-old Ritz Theatre, which was restored as a community project in the 1980s. Originally built for vaudeville acts, then converted into a movie theater, the Ritz maintains its sleek art deco look from a major makeover in 1951. Since 1982, the historic venue has hosted live stage acts, showcased regional talent, beauty pageants, school events, art exhibits and conferences.

For more information about Blytheville's Main Street program, contact the office at (870) 763-2525 or e-mail [email protected].