It’s Going to be A Dickens of a Christmas in Eureka Springs

Jill M. Rohrbach, travel writer
Arkansas Tourism

EUREKA SPRINGS – Weaving together the heart, beauty and history of Christmas is the Victorian town of Eureka Springs with its "A Dickens of a Christmas" festivities, which began Nov. 11 and will run through Dec. 31. A special Celebration Weekend is scheduled for Dec. 1-3.

This romantic revival of Christmas traditions will embrace Charles Dickens’ influence on how this holiday is celebrated. His 1843 masterpiece, "A Christmas Carol," rekindled the joy of Christmas and re-emphasized the season as a time of giving and thinking of less fortunate others.

Eureka Springs is the ideal stage with its Victorian-era architecture. More than 150 independent and unique stores and restaurants fill its elaborate gingerbread Victorian storefronts. On street after street, turn-of-the-century homes in colors of vibrant, flower bouquets hug cliff sides. Secluded and peaceful, Eureka Springs’ entire downtown area is on the National Register of Historic Places.

During the Celebration Weekend, merchants will dress in Victorian garb. Merriment will include the annual Christmas Parade; Santa in the Park; the Preservation Society’s Tour of Homes; the Eureka Springs Historic Museum’s Christmas Ball; "Beyond Dickens" at the Great Passion Play; The Gavioli Chapel’s Christmas concert; Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge’s "Bless the Beasts and the Children;" the Gallery Co-op’s "For All the Days of Christmas, My True Love Gave to Me" themed events; and, the historic Crescent Hotel’s annual Brunch with Santa.

The grand marshal for the parade will be Bruce Knapp, an employee of Arvest Bank in Eureka Springs. Knapp donated a kidney to an old college friend of his wife’s earlier this year.

Activities will be highlighted with music throughout the town, including "A Season of Celebration" performed six nights a week at Pine Mountain Jamboree. Eureka Springs is also a featured destination in the state’s Trail of Holiday Lights brochure.

"Most area residents already know that we were selected as one of the top 15 holiday towns in America by Arts and Entertainment (A&E) Television. But, we want to make sure visitors know that the reason why is the genuine Victorian ambience that we have here at Christmastime. 'Tis the grand illumination of the historic hamlet that makes our authentic architecture stand out. The season kicks into high gear with our Charles Dickens-themed Christmas Parade, Candlelight Tour of Homes, one-of-a-kind gift shopping, so much seasonal family entertainment, there's no place like here for the holidays," said Lynn Berry, executive director of the City Advertising and Promotion Commission.

The following is a list of events taking place throughout "A Dickens of a Christmas" and the Celebration Weekend. The full Eureka Springs schedule of events with time, date and place is available online at eurekasprings.org or by calling 1-866 WISH EUREKA.

• "A Season of Celebration" special Christmas shows, six nights a week, at Pine Mountain Jamboree, Nov. 6-Dec. 9.
• "Beyond Dickens" at The Great Passion Play, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 10-Dec. 9.
• Gallery Co-op themed Christmas promotion, "For All the Days of Christmas, My True Love Gave to Me," Thanksgiving-New Year’s.
• 18th annual Antique Show and Sale at Inn of the Ozarks, Nov. 18-19.
• Santa in the Park and Lighting of the Christmas Tree at Basin Spring Park, Nov. 24.
• Eureka Springs Christmas Parade, Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol" theme, 6 p.m., Dec. 1.
• "Love ‘n’ Jazz" for Christmas at The Auditorium, a PaperMoon Attractions presentation, Dec. 1.
• Christmas Sale and Art Auction with Santa in the Park, 1-3 p.m., Dec. 2
• Candlelight Tour of Homes, 4-8 p.m., Dec. 2
• 4th annual Christmas Ball at Basin Spring Hotel, 7 p.m., Dec. 2
• "Pin This to a Guy Party" at Accent on Giving, Dec. 2
• Christmas at the Crescent Sunday Brunch with Santa, Chorale Concerts at lunch, Workshops, Sunday-Thursday, December 3-9
• St. James Episcopal Church Choir, free Holiday Concert, 4 p.m., Dec. 3
• 40th annual Silver Tea at the Crescent Hotel, 2 p.m., Dec. 7
• Ozarks Chorale Concert at The Auditorium, Dec. 9
• "Eureka! Home for Christmas" Concert at The Auditorium, 8 p.m., Dec. 15.
• Best Christmas Cookie Contest at the "Eureka! Home for Christmas" concert, Dec. 15.
• Christian Science Society Christmas Sing/Play Along, Dec. 17.
• "A Dickens of a Sale," special retail promotions, Dec. 18-24.
• Winter Solstice Party at Eureka Thyme, Dec. 21.
• Naughty Christmas PJ Party at Pied Piper, Dec. 21
• Ozark Mountain Hoedown Special Christmas shows, Nov. 24, 25, 26 -Dec. 1, 2, 3; 8, 9, 10; 15,16
• Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, "Bless the Beasts and the Children" celebration, 3:30 p.m., every Thursday- Sunday in November and December.
• Citywide Stocking Contest in two categories (12 and under and "older than 12 to 112"). Pick up your stocking at the Chamber of Commerce and decorate to your heart’s content.
• Gavioli Chapel, Seasonal events throughout December.
• New Year’s Celebrations, throughout Eureka Springs, Dec. 31.