The Christmas season kicks into high gear in Eureka Springs over the next several days with holiday events filling up the calendar.
The annual Silver Tea, presented by members of St. James Episcopal Church, will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5, in the Crystal Dining Room at the Crescent Hotel. The tables will be covered with silver trays full of tea cookies and sandwiches. One hundred percent of donations will go to support “Back Our Kids,” a part of the Flint Street Fellowship. This program prepares backpacks for youth who may need additional nutritional support over the weekend.
The Great Passion Play’s annual Christmas light display is open from dark until 8 p.m. every night through Jan. 1. The Passion Play’s Christmas Snow Village, which consists of more than 300 buildings representing a 1930s to 1950s landscape of small-town America and features three Lionel 0 scale trains, a Lionel 0 scale trolley and a Polar Express train, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Dec. 31. The Passion Play grounds are decorated with more than 150 Christmas trees and dozens of nativities.
On Friday, Dec. 6, Main Stage Community Center will host Meet the Makers, an arts and crafts show benefiting Main Stage, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 67 Main St.
It wouldn’t be Eureka Springs without a parade, of course, and the annual Christmas Parade of Lights is one of the biggest of all. This year’s parade rolls through downtown Eureka Springs starting at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6. The parade features the theme “A Board Game Christmas!”
After the parade, a free showing of the Christmas movie “The Year Without a Santa Claus,” will be held in The Aud. Everyone is welcome to attend this free, family-friendly event.
On Saturday, Dec. 7, Main Street Eureka Springs will present the Elf Maker Market from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 125 Spring St., featuring five local makers offering unique handcrafted gifts. This event supports the Art Walk hosted by Eureka Springs galleries … Santa himself will be in Basin Spring Park from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, listening to wish lists from kids young and old and taking photos.
The annual Christmas Tour of Homes, a self-guided walking tour of some of Eureka Springs’ most beautifully restored homes, begins at 2 p.m. and continues until 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7. All of the homes will be decorated for the season with Victorian-attired docents relating the history of each home. Visitors will be treated to carolers, Christmas music and refreshments along the tour. For more information, visit www.EurekaSpringsPreservationSociety. org.
Also on Saturday, Dec. 7, the Good Shepherd Humane Society will celebrate 50 years of compassion and community service with the Santa Paws Bash from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Inn of the Ozarks Convention Center. The evening will include dinner, live music and entertainment and silent and live auctions.
Another free Christmas movie, “The Man Who Invented Christmas,” will be shown from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, at The Aud.
On Sunday, Dec. 8, the Ozarks Chorale will present its annual holiday concert, “Sounds of the Season” at 7 p.m. at The Aud. Tickets are $10 for adults. Students are admitted free.
There’s more holiday music at The Aud on Monday, Dec. 9, as the Little Scotties from Eureka Springs Elementary School present their annual holiday performance from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
