The One Town In Arkansas That Turns Into A Winter Wonderland Each Year

So maybe Arkansas doesn’t dependably have white Christmases. That doesn’t mean we don’t have winter wonderlands. As the towns of Arkansas light up their city squares and bedeck their city parks with holiday spirit, most of our hometowns become little Christmas villages. One town, however, rises above the rest when it comes to holiday spirit, and that town is Fayetteville. Each year Fayetteville hosts the Lights of the Ozarks, and each year the Fayetteville Square is transformed into an incredible winter wonderland, complete with lights, carriage rides, hot chocolate, and all the holiday spirit you can imagine.

You’ll find the Lights of the Ozarks at the intersection of Block, Mountain, East and Center Streets. Maps and places to park are available here.

There are almost half a million lights at Lights of the Ozarks.

The Fayetteville Parks & Recreation department spends about 3,300 hours decorating the square every year.

People come from all over to walk through Fayetteville’s own winter wonderland.

Lights of the Ozarks is more than just lights. They also have carriage rides...

...and pony rides...

...and camel rides.

I bet you’ll feel a lot like a wise man. (Or woman. Or child.)

You may even catch a glimpse of a real live reindeer.

They honor the hogs, of course.

The Lights of the Ozarks are a great place to brush up on your photography skills...

...or spend time with your loved ones...

...or simply connect with your inner child.

One thing is for sure: when you arrive on the Fayetteville Square, you’ll be transported to a winter wonderland.

The lights come on every day at 5 p.m. and stay on until 1 a.m.

And you need to head up the hill to wander through this amazing holiday display.

For more holiday fun, try this incredible train ride. To learn about Arkansas's Trail of Holiday Lights, click here.