Happy December, mamas!
Now on to the calendar:
Tiger Workshop: Curiosity, Intrigue, Magical Mysteries
In this workshop for Scout Level: Tiger, explore the science behind this mysterious world of wonder and discover new tricks to fool your fellow scouts (or even your pack leader). Advanced registration and payment required. Fee per Scout is $15, which includes time to extend the learning in exhibit hall after the workshop. One adult leader/chaperone per Tiger Scout are free. Registration closes at noon on November 30.
Date: Saturday, December 1
Time: 9:30-11:30 a.m., encore workshop at 1-3 p.m.
Location: Scott Family Amazeum 1009 Museum Way, Bentonville
Studio Squad: Paper Possibilities
Curious about paper? Join us in the studio as we get our hands dirty and craft our own paper from pulp to page. This event is designed for kids ages 11-13 and free, sponsored by Nickelodeon. Register online or with Guest Services at 479.657.2335.
Date: December 1
Time: 4-5:30 p.m.
Location: Scott Family Amazeum 1009 Museum Way, Bentonville
Children’s Day at the Fort Smith Museum of History
Participate in a Build-a-Pal workshop and choose a stuffed animal to make. Build-a-Pal includes the stuffed animal, an outfit of choice, a birth certificate and a bag. Decorate a cookie, paint an ornament, enjoy hot chocolate and write a letter to Santa to be mailed in a special North Pole only mailbox. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be available for photos. Museum admission included for children. Tickets are $40 per child.
Date: December 1
Time: 11 a.m.- 3 p.m.
Location: Fort Smith Museum of History 320 Rogers Avenue Fort Smith
Jingle Bell Jog 5K & Reindeer Fun Run
Runners and walkers of all levels and ages are invited to participate. This 5K course begins and finishes inside the Botanical Garden and goes along the Lake Fayetteville Trail. The kids’ Reindeer Fun Run takes place inside the garden. Runners will also enjoy complimentary breakfast, door prizes, music, and special guests. Ugly Christmas sweaters, Santa hats, elf ears – anything that sparkles and jingles is highly encouraged.
Date: Saturday, December 1
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Botanical Garden of the Ozarks 4703 N. Crossover Rd. Fayetteville
Minwajimo: The Glue of Indian Culture
Dr. Gregory Gagnon, law professor and citizen of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa, will speak in MONAH’s Native Conversation Series. Dr. Gagnon will explore the seminal place of stories in American Indian Culture, describing major categories of stories and offering traditional and contemporary examples. The presentation will also give focus to Trickster Stories and their contribution to understanding American Indian Cultures.
Date: Saturday, December 1
Time: 5:30-7 p.m.
Location: Museum of Native American History 202 SW O Street Bentonville, AR 72712
The Heritage League of Siloam Springs will host the annual Christmas Parade in Siloam Springs, beginning with Mayor John Mark Turner lighting up the city. This community tradition draws thousands of people downtown and to the streets along the route to join in the Christmas spirit.
Date: December 1
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: Downtown Siloam Springs: the parade starts from the Siloam Springs Middle School on Dogwood, heads east on Tulsa, north on Mt. Olive, east on Jefferson, north on Maxwell, west on Main, north on Broadway and west on University coming to an end near the Mt. Olive and University intersection.
The Northwest Arkansas Conservatory of Classical Ballet will present its 6th annual, professionally-staged production of The Nutcracker. The beloved holiday classic, cherished by old and young alike, will feature guest artists from NWA Ballet Theatre and Principal Guest Artists from New York’s American Ballet Theatre. The Conservatory casts over 100 dance students from studios across Northwest Arkansas, giving them the unique opportunity to train, rehearse, and perform with local and world-renowned professionals.
Date: Saturday, December 1 and 2
Times: 7-9 p.m. on Dec. 1 and 2-4 p.m. Dec. 2
Location: Arend Arts Center 1901 SE J. Street Bentonville, AR 72712
Fort Smith Symphony: It’s Time for Christmas
This concert features a tremendous array of traditional holiday music favorites for the entire family performed by a full symphony orchestra. The Fort Smith Chorale, the Fort Smith Symphony’s Kool Cats Jazz quartet, instrumental and vocal soloists will join the symphony performances. The concert is sold out, but the box office can place your family on the waiting list.
Date: December 1
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: ArcBest Performing Arts Center 55 South 7th Street Fort Smith, AR 72901
Santa and Firefighters in the Park
Join the Fire Department as they bring Santa for a special treat to Downtown Eureka Springs.
Date: December 1
Time: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Location: Basin Spring Park 3 Spring Street Eureka Springs, AR 72732
36th Annual Christmas Tour of Homes
A walking tour of Eureka’s beautifully restored homes gives guests a glimpse of a bygone era. All stops on the self-guided tour will be lavishly decorated for the season and docents will wear period era clothing to relate the history of each home. Advance tickets are $20 and will be available at the Eureka Springs Historical Museum beginning Nov. 15.
Date: December 1
Time: 3-8 p.m.
Location: throughout Eureka Springs
My Grown-up and Me: Sensory Art
Children ages 2 to 4 with a caregiver can experience art with all senses at this class. Make art that creates sound, has yummy scents and feels fantastic, including unusual art materials like whipped topping, fruit drink mixes, and cocoa bean shells. Tickets are $50, register online through the Bentonville Community Center or by calling 479.696.0200.
Date: December 3
Time: 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Location: Bentonville Community Center 1101 SW Citizens Circle Bentonville
Children ages 4 and 5 can experience art with all of their senses. Make art that creates sound, has yummy scents, and feels fantastic, including unusual art materials like whipped topping, fruit drink mixes, and cocoa bean shells! $50, register online through the Bentonville Community Center or by calling 479.696.0200.
Date: December 3
Time: 11 a.m. to noon
Location: Bentonville Community Center 1101 SW Citizens Circle Bentonville
Afterschool Art: Ready, Set, Draw
Doodlers ages 5 to 12 can join us this December for a month of drawing. Each week we’ll study a new artist from the Crystal Bridges permanent collection, and then we’ll practice the techniques we found using different drawing materials including charcoal, colored pencils, scratchboard, and even drawing onto styrofoam. Entry is $50, register online through the Bentonville Community Center or by calling 479.696.0200.
Date: December 3
Time: 4-5:30 p.m.
Location: Bentonville Community Center 1101 SW Citizens Circle Bentonville
More than 30 trees will adorn the holiday focal point of the hotel’s nearly 15 acres. The annual Christmas forest is a community-wide decoration and fundraising event with all money raised sent directly to the charity. Those with the top three votes will receive an additional bonus from the Crescent and Basin Park Family. The Christmas Forest will remain on the East Lawn of the Crescent Hotel for display through January 1, 2019.
Date: December 3-January 1
Time: A lighting ceremony for the forest will take place at 6 p.m. December 1 on the Crescent Hotel’s eastern lawn.
Location: Crescent Hotel Gardens 75 Prospect Eureka Springs
If your child (ages 1.5 to 3) loves the color blue, this class is for you. Play eye spy, read a book, and make art, too. Entry is $10 or $8 for members. Register online or with Guest Services at 479.657.2335.
Date: December 5
Time: 1:30-2 p.m.
Location: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art 600 Museum Way, Bentonville
Children’s Concert: Melody’s Mostly Musical Day
Join Van Cliburn pianist Jenny Lin for this family concert inspired by her book, Melody’s Mostly Musical Day. Follow a child’s musical day from breakfast to bedtime featuring works from Mozart, Chopin, Gershwin and Chick Corea. This concert for the entire family was developed with Steinway and incorporates live music, props, storytelling and screening of the illustrations for each musical selection. The event is free. Register online or with Guest Services at 479.657.2335.
Date: December 5
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art 600 Museum Way, Bentonville
Infants 6 to 17 months old and their favorite adult will play together in activities that encourage physical growth, social-emotional development, and emerging language skills. A new topic is explored each month. Fee per child/adult pair is $10 for Amazeum members and $15 for non-members. Advanced registration and payment required.
Date: December 5
Time: 10-11 a.m.
Location: Scott Family Amazeum 1009 Museum Way, Bentonville
Learning becomes deeper and longer lasting when everyday play experiences include a caring adult. STEAM Studio is about discovery. Be a co-creator of knowledge as you discover with your child!
Studio activities are designed with children aged 2 to 6 in mind, but mixed-age family groups with children 6 and under are welcome to come in and play and stay together. Ask guest services for location upon entering the Amazeum. No registration is required. Fees are included in paid daily admission or membership.
Date: December 5
Time: 2-4 p.m.
Location: Scott Family Amazeum 1009 Museum Way, Bentonville
Families with children 6 years and under can explore, play and discover together in the STEAM Studio, which embraces children’s natural curiosity and develops an interest in science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM).
Studio activities are designed with children aged 2 to 6 in mind, but mixed-age family groups with children 6 and under are welcome to come in and play and stay together. Ask guest services for location upon entering the Amazeum. No registration is required. Fees are included in paid daily admission or membership.
Date: December 6
Time: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Location: Scott Family Amazeum 1009 Museum Way, Bentonville
The Crystal Dining Room at the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs will be turned into a Winter Wonderland by St. James Episcopal Church members. The tables are covered with silver trays full of tea cookies and sandwiches. Each year a non-profit organization in Carroll County is chosen to receive the proceeds.
Date: December 6
Time: 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Location: Crescent Hotel 75 Prospect Eureka Springs
This is a fun, free event for youth with autism and their families. The museum will open early for families to explore the galleries, participate in hands-on activities, and create art. Pre-registration is encouraged. You can register online or with Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Questions? Call 479.657.2415 or email access@crystalbridges.org.
Date: December 8
Time: 9-11:30 a.m.
Location: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art 600 Museum Way, Bentonville
If your child (ages 1.5 to 3) loves the color blue, this class is for you! Play eye spy, read a book, and make art, too. Admission is $10, or $8 for members, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Register online or with Guest Services at 479.657.2335.
Date: December 8
Time: 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Location: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art 600 Museum Way, Bentonville
Free, fun events for the entire family begin in Basin Spring Park, caroling with momandpop at 5 p.m. and a Living Art Exhibit from 5-8 p.m. by Living Windows. An Elfie Selfie Scavenger Hunt will take place at the same time. Snow, street theater and other events take place throughout a night of shopping downtown.
Date: December 8
Time: 5-8 p.m.
Location: Basin Spring Park 3 Spring St. Eureka Springs
The inaugural Rogers Public Education Foundation Elf 5k and Fun Run will benefit the teachers and students in the Rogers School District.
Date: December 8
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Downtown Rogers, AR 72756. The race will begin on 1st Street in Downtown Rogers. Parking will be available Downtown.
Brownie Workshop: Programming Robots
Ever wonder how robots think? In this workshop, Brownies become engineers as they to discover the different ways of programming and coding robots, like Ozobot, Dash and Sphero. Fee per Scout is $15 with a $2 processing fee, which includes time to extend the learning in exhibit hall after the workshop. One Troop Leader and one co-Leader are free. Advanced registration and payment are required through Girl Scout Council.
Date: December 8
Time: 9:30-11:30am, 1-3p.m.
Location: Scott Family Amazeum 1009 Museum Way, Bentonville
The Botanical Garden of the Ozarks will host a one day Holiday Fine Art Market featuring the work of Art Ventures NW Arkansas artists. Stay warm browsing the artwork inside the Event Hall. There will be a wide selection of price points, as well as styles and mediums, including paintings, photography and more. A portion of the proceeds of sales will benefit the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks and Art Ventures. Admission to the market and garden on this day is free.
Date: Saturday, December 8
Time: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Location: Botanical Garden of the Ozarks 4703 N Crossover Road Fayetteville
Merry and Bright Christmas on Ice and Skate with Santa
Figure skating Christmas show featuring local skaters. Stay after the show for a Skate with Santa.
Date: Saturday, December 8
Time: 1 p.m.
Location: Jones Center for Families 922 E. Emma Springdale
Ozarks Chorale Holiday Concert
Beth Withey, artistic director and conductor, will direct the Chorale in a thoughtfully assembled program that celebrates the many aspects of the holiday season. You and your family will want to sing along with many of the familiar holiday selections, and you will be delighted by less familiar songs that are new and fresh in their celebration of the most wonderful time of the year. Tickets available at the door the evening of the concert. Organized by Carroll County Music Group 479-253-8369.
Date: December 8
Time: 7:30-9:30 p.m.
Location: The Auditorium 36 S Main Eureka Springs
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis
Mannheim Steamroller has been a favorite holiday tradition for more than 30 years. Experience the magic as the spirit of the season comes alive with the signature sound of Mannheim Steamroller. Tickets are $53-$55 each.
Date: December 9
Time: 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Location: ArcBest Corporation Performing Arts Center 55 South 7th Street Fort Smith
Discovery Tots workshops are perfect for toddlers ages 18-36 months and their caregiver to learn, play and grow together. This special hands-on playtime will develop language, big body, and fine motor skills. A new topic is explored each month. Fee per child/adult pair is $10 for Amazeum members and $15 for non-members. Advanced registration and payment required.
Date: December 12
Time: 10-11 a.m.
Location: Scott Family Amazeum 1009 Museum Way, Bentonville, AR 72712
Families with children 6 years and under can explore, play and discover together in an environment that embraces children’s natural curiosity. Learning becomes deeper and longer lasting when everyday play experiences include a caring adult. Be a co-creator of knowledge as you discover with your child!
Studio activities are designed with children aged 2 to 6 in mind, but mixed-age family groups with children 6 and under are welcome to come in and play and stay together. No registration is required. Fees are included in paid daily admission or membership.
Date: December 12
Time: 2-4pm
Location: Scott Family Amazeum 1009 Museum Way, Bentonville, AR 72712
Preschool Playdate: Wiggles and Squiggles
Show us your best wiggles and finest squiggles at this month’s Preschool Playdate. We’ll make action-packed art, hear funny stories, and more. The playdate will begin with a performance in the Great Hall featuring Al Papa Rap who will be performing bilingual songs for children and their families. Free, no registration required.
Date: December 13
Time: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Location: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art 600 Museum Way, Bentonville
Families with children 6 years and under can explore, play and discover together in an environment that embraces children’s natural curiosity. Learning becomes deeper and longer lasting when everyday play experiences include a caring adult. Be a co-creator of knowledge as you discover with your child!
Studio activities are designed with children aged 2 to 6 in mind, but mixed-age family groups with children 6 and under are welcome to come in and play and stay together. No registration is required. Fees are included in paid daily admission or membership.
Date: December 13
Time: 10 a.m.-Noon
Location: Scott Family Amazeum 1009 Museum Way, Bentonville
Grand reopening of the Rogers Historical Museum
The Museum will celebrate the end of its large construction project by hosting a Grand Reopening event December 13th at 11 a.m. at the Hailey Building 313 S. 2nd Street. Join for a tour of the new gallery spaces in the Hailey Building and new education space at the Key Wing or take a guided tour of the Hawkins House. It also marks the date the Museum will be once again open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tours of the Hawkins House will begin at the Hailey Building and will take place on the hour with the last tour beginning at 4 p.m.
Date: December 13
Time: 11 a.m.
Location: Rogers Historical Museum 313 South Second St., corner of Second and Cherry in the Rogers Historic District
Contact: John Burroughs 621-1154 or jburroughs@rogersar.gov
This special program is for the museum’s youngest visitors, infants ages 3 to 24 months and a caregiver. Spend time in the galleries looking at and talking to your baby about art before enjoying sensory playtime. We’ll visit new artwork and make new discoveries together each month. Make sure you are able to hold your baby or have them in a front carrier; they need to see and physically react to the artworks. This is a time to bond with your baby, so please make other arrangements for any siblings. The fee is $10 per baby, free tickets for 1-2 adults per baby ($8/members), register online or with Guest Services.
Date: December 15
Time: 10-11:30 a.m.
Location: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art 600 Museum Way, Bentonville
(Ages 4 to 5 with an adult) You won’t leave seeing red in our class all about this ravishing color. Enjoy story time and create a radical red artwork. $10 ($8 for members), register online or with Guest Services at 479.657.2335.
Date: December 15
Time: 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Location: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art 600 Museum Way, Bentonville
A collection of favorite sacred and secular music celebrating the magic and beauty of Christmas. Featuring the SoNA Singers, regional high school choirs, and special guest soloists. Tickets are $32- $55.
Date: December 15
Time: 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Location: Baum Walker Hall at Walton Arts Center 495 W Dickson St, Fayetteville
A family favorite NWA holiday tradition returns, presented by Walton Arts Center and Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA). Join us for the 4th annual screening of the 1982 Academy Award®-nominated film The Snowman, based on Raymond Briggs’ classic children’s book of the same name. Tickets are $10. A student ensemble from Fayetteville High School performing holiday tunes in the lobby from 1:15-1:45 p.m. After the show, the whole family is invited over to Community Creative Center for hot chocolate, cookies and the opportunity to build a family of snowpeople out of clay! Click here to register.
Date: December 16
Time: 2 p.m.
Location: Baum Walker Hall at Walton Arts Center 495 W Dickson St, Fayetteville
Families with children 6 years and under can explore, play and discover together in an environment that embraces children’s natural curiosity. Learning becomes deeper and longer lasting when everyday play experiences include a caring adult. Be a co-creator of knowledge as you discover with your child!
Studio activities are designed with children aged 2 to 6 in mind, but mixed-age family groups with children 6 and under are welcome to come in and play and stay together. No registration is required. Fees are included in paid daily admission or membership.
Date: December 19
Time: 2-4 p.m.
Location: Scott Family Amazeum 1009 Museum Way, Bentonville, AR 72712
Children ages 3-5 years old and their favorite adult will become keen explorers of their world in this collaborative experience. Engaging activity zones inspire curiosity, skill-building and new ideas to grow on. Play equals learning is at the center of every workshop. A new topic is explored each month. The fee per child/adult pair is $10 for Amazeum members and $15 for non-members. Advanced registration and payment required.
Date: December 19
Time: 10-11a.m.
Location: Scott Family Amazeum 1009 Museum Way, Bentonville
Lowell Historical Museum Christmas Open House
Join us at the Lowell Historical Museum for our Annual Holiday Open House. Come enjoy refreshments and take pictures with the fabulous Butterfield Stagecoach and Santa. The useum partnered with Sheepdog Impact Assistance on their Holiday Outreach Program. Bring a new unwrapped toy or children’s clothing to help U.S. Veteran and first-responder families this holiday season.
Date: December 20
Time: 4-7 p.m.
Location: Lowell Historical Museum 304 Jackson Pl. Lowell
Families with children 6 years and under can explore, play and discover together in an environment that embraces children’s natural curiosity. Learning becomes deeper and longer lasting when everyday play experiences include a caring adult. Be a co-creator of knowledge as you discover with your child!
Studio activities are designed with children aged 2 to 6 in mind, but mixed-age family groups with children 6 and under are welcome to come in and play and stay together. No registration is required. Fees are included in paid daily admission or membership.
Date: December 20
Time: 10 a.m.- Noon
Location: Scott Family Amazeum 1009 Museum Way, Bentonville
Put on your PJs and join us for a special screening of the family-favorite Christmas story about a young boy on an extraordinary ride to the North Pole! Hot chocolate bar included. Tickets are $10. Remember to purchase pre-paid parking along with your tickets for a guaranteed space in the nearby parking deck.
Date: December 21
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Baum Walker Hall at Walton Arts Center 495 W Dickson St, Fayetteville
Make memories at the museum over your school break as you create with artists, make buttons in the gallery, and listen to fun music together as a family. Join us for special activities each afternoon, including artmaking, creative play, puppets, dance, and more. Sponsored by Nice-Pak Products, Inc. The event is free, no registration required.
Date: December 22-24; December 26- December 31
Time: 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Location: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art 600 Museum Way, Bentonville
Join the staff of Devil’s Den State Park to help us decorate the park’s Christmas tree by making ornaments in the style of the Civilian Conservation Corps from the 1930s. Then enjoy some hot cocoa and cookies!
Date: December 22
Time: Contact 479-761-3325
Location: Visitor Center 11333 West Arkansas Hwy. 74 West Fork
Looking for some fun family activities to brighten a brisk wintery day? Join us for our Annual Christmas Open House and enjoy some apple cider, hot chocolate, coffee, and cookies by the fireside. Participate in ornament/craft making, an elf scavenger hunt, a resource related program at 3 p.m., and some seasonal music and carols from our park interpreter at 3:40 pm. These activities are free and are great for the whole family. If you have an ugly sweater, wear it. Crafts and snacks are available at a first-come-first-serve basis as supplies are limited.
Date: December 22
Time: 3 p.m. December 22
Location: Mountainburg Visitor Center Lake Fort Smith State Park 15458 Shepard Springs Road Mountainburg
This workshop experience is designed as a family workshop exploration driven by the child’s natural interest and curiosity about the world around them. Workshops focus on making things with real materials. It includes opportunities for using tools and open-ended activities that emphasize process over product. Suggested for children ages 3-6 years and one adult caregiver. We recommend no more than 3 children per adult. A new topic is explored each session. Fees are $5 per child for Amazeum members and $5 per adult caregiver or $7 per child and $7 per adult for non-members. Advanced registration and payment required.
Date: December 29
Time: 10-11:30 a.m.
Location: Scott Family Amazeum 1009 Museum Way, Bentonville
Wish there was a fun, family event during the day to celebrate New Year’s Eve? At the Amazeum with Zing in the New Year, join us during the day to help celebrate the beginning of 2019. Make a wish for the New Year, then send it to the ceiling during our day-ending, wish-filled helium balloon drop. Zing in the New Year activities are included in paid daily admission and membership.
Date: December 31
Time: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Location: Scott Family Amazeum 1009 Museum Way, Bentonville
