Happy November 2018 in Northwest Arkansas, mamas!
There are so many things to do in NWA over the next two months, it’s a little nuts. Be sure to check out our ultimate Holiday Events Guide for families for lots more Christmas fun in Nov/Dec!
Toyland is possibly the biggest toy event in Northwest Arkansas. Walmart fills the Downtown Bentonville square with vendors to give families the first look at the latest toys of the season. Some vendors provide toy giveaways and games. Come as early as you can because around 4 p.m. it gets more packed than any other First Friday.
Date: November 2
Time: 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Location: Downtown Bentonville 102 E. Central Avenue
Peter Pan at Walton Arts Center
Peter Pan, who comes to hear the stories Mrs. Darling tells each night, has lost his shadow. After Wendy Darling re-attaches Peter’s shadow in exchange for a kiss, Peter becomes entranced by Wendy and convinces her and her three brothers to return with him to Neverland – a magical world of pirates, fairies and a gang of boys destined to stay young forever. Tickets are $9 for children and $15 for adults. Select performances are adapted to serve those with sensory-input disorders, and “pj friendly” evening shows are available, too.
Date: November 2-3 and 9-10
Time: 7 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m., 2 p.m., 7 p.m. on Saturday
Location: Starr Theater at Walton Arts Center
Learn about the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge’s grizzly bear Bam Bam and all of his omnivorous friends during this weekend of bear-focused education. Participate in fun activities and programming covering all things Ursus.
Date: November 3
Time: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Location: 239 Turpentine Creek Lane Eureka Springs, 479-253-5841
Community Spotlight: Bubbles and Balloons at the Amazeum
Not all bubbles and balloons are round. You can make bubbles in different types of shapes and polyhedrons—cubed shaped bubbles. Using household items, youll learn how to create them in these unique shapes.
Date: November 3
Time: Noon- 2 p.m.
Location: Scott Family Amazeum 1009 Museum Way Bentonville, AR 72712
Wolf Workshop: Air of the Wolf
Calling all Scouts, level wolf: Come investigate the air that is all around you. How does air make sound? Why can some things fly? Join us as we discover just what air can do. A fee of $15 is required for each scout, but pack leader and co-leader are free. Advanced registration is required—it closes at noon on November 2.
Date: November 3
Time: 9:30-11:30 a.m. and again from 1-3 p.m.
Location: Scott Family Amazeum 1009 Museum Way Bentonville
Be our guest as we say farewell to our building and celebrate the new Helen R. Walton Children’s Enrichment Center building. This free event includes food and fun activities for the entire family.
Date: November 3
Time: 1 p.m.
Location: 306 NE J St. Suite 3 Bentonville, AR 72712
Playtime creates bright futures and strong bonds. Activities are designed for infants 6 to 17 months old and their favorite adult to play together in a way that encourages physical growth, social-emotional development and emerging language skills. A new topic is explored each month. Fee for each child and adult pair is $10 for members or $15 for non-members. Advanced registration is required.
Date: November 7
Time: 10-11 a.m.
Location: Scott Family Amazeum 1009 Museum Way Bentonville, AR 72712
Nature Night: Owl Prowl at Crystal Bridges
Give a whoot-whoot during this owl prowl. Learn an owl call and see if a feather friend answers you back! The event is free, no registration required.
Date: November 7
Time: 5:30-7 p.m.
Location: North Forest at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art 600 Museum Way, Bentonville
71st Annual Ozark Folk Festival
Celebrate this long-running annual American folk festival with the Barefoot Ball, free music in Basin Spring Park, Hedgehoppers, a headline concert by Funky Feat at The Aud, folk music and dance.
Date: November 7-10
Time: Varies by day.
Free music in Basin Springs Park will take place from 2-6 p.m. November 9.
Location: Eureka Springs
Preschool Playdate: Pattern Palooza
Enjoy colorful collages, storytime, and creative play inspired by Crystal Bridges’ temporary exhibition Art for a New Understanding: Native Voices, 1950s to Now. Playdate begins with an 11:30 a.m. performance in the Great Hall. Join artist Marie Watt in a “sewing circle” event, bringing the community together in artmaking and conversation. Meet the artist, connect with neighbors, add to a new collaborative work of art, and take part in conversations around the theme of equity. No sewing experience is required. The event is free, no registration required.
Date: November 8
Time: 11:30 a.m.- 2 p.m.
Location: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville
Family Access Night at Crystal Bridges
Family Access Night is a fun night out for families impacted by disability to visit the museum. Youth with disabilities and their families participate in engaging activities including gallery tours, studio art activities, and performances by local entertainers. The event is free, and pre-registration is encouraged. Questions? Call 479.657.2415 or email access@crystalbridges.org.
Date: Nov. 9
Time: 6-8 p.m.
Location: Crystal Bridges Museum of Art, Bentonville
International Science Center and Science Museum Day
Join us to celebrate International Science Center and Science Museum Day with this year’s theme “Science is a Human Right” and a goal to amass ideas and actions that illustrate how science centers and science museums bring people together across all barriers. Guests of all ages can enjoy special interactive activities.
Date: November 10
Time: All day
Location: Scott Family Amazeum, Bentonville
Amazeum Fun Patch Night for Girl Scouts
After the Amazeum closes to the public, Girl Scouts are taking over the museum for an exclusive STEAM event. Explore the exhibits and find special activity booths with hands-on challenges to earn a unique Amazeum fun patch. Open to Girl Scouts of all levels.
Advanced registration and payment required: $10 for a scout and one adult and another $7 for each additional adult or sibling. Girl Scouts must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Registration closes at noon on November 9.
Date: November 10
Time: 6-8:30 p.m.
Location: Scott Family Amazeum 1009 Museum Way, Bentonville, AR 72712
Native Conversations: Sun, Moon, and Starlore
Caitlin Ahrens, the Pluto Manager on KUAF 91.3, will host another installment of Native Conversations. “Sun, Moon, and Starlore” will delve into the fascination of constellations, the mixture of cultural stories and certain astronomical events, such as the annual Leonid meteor shower, worthy to be placed on the Dakota Winter Counts.
Date: November 10
Time: 5:30- 6:30 p.m.
Location: Museum of Native American History 202 SW O St. Bentonville
Explore Indigenous arts today from the powerful perspective of the temporary exhibition, Art for a New Understanding: Native Voices, 1950s to Now. Throughout the evening, enjoy ballet performances, artist interactions, a DJ and dancing, makerspace with screenprinting and beaded keychains, an Indigenous fashion show, access to the temporary exhibition and more. Grab the whole family and join us for an evening of fun at the museum. Entry to the event is $10 and $8 for members, but free to ages 18 and under. Register online or with Guest Services at 479.657.2335.
Date: November 10
Time: 6:30-10 p.m.
Location: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art 600 Museum Way Bentonville
These workshops are perfect for toddlers aged 18-36 months and a caregiver to learn and grow together. Special hands-on playtime will develop language, big body and fine motor skills. A new topic is explored each month. Advanced registration and payment required. The fee for a child and adult pair is $10 for members and $15 for non-members.
Date: November 14
Time: 10-11a.m.
Location: Scott Family Amazeum 1009 Museum Way, Bentonville
Designed for ages 4 and 5 with an adult, discover colorful textiles in the temporary exhibition, Art for a New Understanding: Native Voices, 1950s to Now. Experiment with dying and printing on fabric to create your own wall hanging. Entry is $10 or $ 8 for members. Register online or with Guest Services at 479.657.2335.
Date: November 14 and 17
Time: 1:30-2:30 p.m. Nov. 14 and 10:30-11:30 a.m. Nov. 17
Location: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art 600 Museum Way Bentonville, AR
Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra
Hop aboard a musical time machine to hear the syncopated classics of Scott Joplin brought back to life by the Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra. Peacherine celebrates the King of Ragtime and his stirring instrumental favorites, all played from the original historic orchestral scores. Scott Joplin tunes are classic melodies you hear everywhere, on soundtracks and streaming from ice cream trucks. This concert is musical fun for the whole family.
Date: November 15
Time: 7:30-9 p.m.
Location: Faulkner Performing Arts Center 453 N. Garland Ave. University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Lighting of the Bentonville Square
Thousands of people join us for a beautiful, classic Bentonville tradition. Before the lighting, enjoy live music and pictures with Santa. The ice rink opens at noon in Lawrence Plaza. The lights will come on at 6 p.m. on the Bentonville square and the lighting of the tree is at 6:30 p.m. in the Lawrence Plaza.
Date: November 17
Time: 5-6:30 p.m.
Location: Downtown Bentonville square
New Daisy Workshop: What Robots Do
Daisies will learn what robots do and how they move by working with simple robots like Ozobot, Dash, and Little Bits. Advanced registration and payment are required through Girl Scout Council. Fees are $15 per scout with a $2 processing fee. One troop leader and one co-leader are free.
Date: November 17
Time: 9:30-11:30 a.m. and again from 1-3 p.m.
Location: Scott Family Amazeum 1009 Museum Way, Bentonville
Mini Camps are a shorter version of Amazeum week-long camps, but with the same level of fun and adventure. Explore a new theme during each Mini Camp. Open to children ages 6-11 years. Advanced registration and payment is required. One Day Mini Camp is $60 Amazeum for members or $70 for non-members. Two Day Mini Camp is $120 for Amazeum members and $140 for non-members.
Date: November 19-20
Time: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Location: Scott Family Amazeum 1009 Museum Way, Bentonville
11th Annual Turkey Trot for Heroes 5K
Proceeds benefit the Sheep Dog Impact Assistance Christmas Outreach, which provides gifts for children of military, law enforcement, fire and rescue and EMS families who are in need of assistance during the holiday season. The nonprofit also accepts unwrapped toys and gifts on race day to donate to this program. There are other options in addition to the 5K, including the Wild Gobbler 5K, 1-mile Fun Run/Walk or our Virtual 5K. The first 500 registrants receive a commemorative t-shirt.
Date: November 22
Time: 9-11 a.m.
Location: Center for Nonprofits 1200 W Walnut St. Rogers, AR
Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet presents the Nutcracker at Baum Walker Hall at Walton Arts Center. Tickets are on sale for $19-$52.
Date: November 23-25
Time: Varies by day, usually 2 and/or 7 p.m.
Location: Walton Arts Center, 495 W. Dickson St., Fayetteville, AR
On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Christmas on the Creek is a Springdale holiday tradition. We fill downtown with lights, live music, the region’s largest live Christmas tree, a handmade marketplace, photos with Santa, mini-train rides and more. This festival attracts thousands over the course of the day and evening—as the celebration culminates in the Christmas Parade of the Ozarks.
Date: November 24
Time: 3-8 p.m.
Location: 110 W. Emma Avenue Springdale
Skate-A-Long: The Polar Express
Come join us at Lawrence Plaza for a festive holiday movie after skating to the soundtrack with some of the movie star characters. Grab a picture with your favorite star after the Skate-A-Long. The Skate-A-Long Begins at 5:00pm. Movie will begin at 6:30pm. Pre-sale tickets are $10 or $15 on the day of the event.
Date: November 24
Time: 5-8 p.m.
Location: Lawrence Plaza 214 NE A St. Bentonville
Christmas Parade of the Ozarks
Meet us downtown on Emma Street to kick-off the holidays and get into the Christmas spirit with music, lights, rodeo queens, and wishes of a Merry Christmas. The parade begins at 6 p.m. goes west down Emma Avenue. Everyone is welcome to join.
Date: November 24
Time: 6-7:30 p.m.
Location: Emma Avenue Springdale
A Charlie Brown Christmas Live Production
A “Charlie Brown Christmas” event will include a Santa’s Village area complete with local food trucks, vendors, pictures with Santa Claus and the Peanuts Characters along with other fun activities. All proceeds will be donated to Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
Date: November 28
Time: 6-8 p.m.
Location: Loch Lomond Recreation Complex 15 Glenbarr Ln. Bella Vista, AR (at the corner of Glasgow Rd and Scotsdale Dr.)
Children ages 3-5 years old and their favorite adult will become keen explorers of their world in a collaborative experience filled with engaging activity zones to inspire curiosity, skill-building and new ideas to grow on. The fee per child/adult pair is $10 for Amazeum members and $15 for non-members. Advanced registration and payment required.
Date: November 28
Time: 10-11 a.m.
Location: Scott Family Amazeum 1009 Museum Way, Bentonville, AR 72712
The Parade of Lights rolls out at 6 p.m. through Eureka’s decorated downtown streets with floats, walkers, bands and thousands of lights.
Date: November 30
Time: 6-7 p.m.
Location: Eureka Springs
