Holidays 2026 · Nov 26 – Dec 31 · checked October 21, 2026
Christmas in Eureka Springs, 2026
Eureka Springs' Christmas season, with 2026 dates from the Chamber, the city's tourism office and each host: the Crescent Hotel lights its tree Friday, Nov 27, the town tree lights in Basin Spring Park Saturday, Nov 28, at 5:30 PM, the Christmas Parade of Lights rolls Friday, Dec 4, at 6 PM, and the year ends with Bash with a Splash and the midnight Water Drop on Thursday, Dec 31. Most of it is free.
Orange pins and badges are open this weekend, from each place's posted schedule.
The essentials
The 2026 dates at a glance
- Lights
- Great Passion Play lights from Thanksgiving night, Nov 26 · Crescent Hotel tree lighting Fri Nov 27, 6 PM · town tree lighting Sat Nov 28, 5:30 PM
- Parade
- Christmas Parade of Lights, Fri Dec 4, 6–7 PM, downtown. Theme: "Christmas Songs."
- Santa
- Santa in Basin Spring Park Saturdays Dec 5, 12 and 19 · the Christmas Express train Saturdays Dec 5, 12 and 19 · Santa's Mountain Village at the Crescent Dec 12 and 19
- Tours
- Preservation Society Christmas Tour of Homes Sat Dec 5, 2–6 PM · Christmas at the Inns Sat Dec 12, 1–5 PM ($30)
- New Year's Eve
- Bash with a Splash downtown, Thu Dec 31, 8 PM–12:15 AM: parade at 8:30 PM, Water Drop at midnight
Source: eurekaspringschamber.com
Getting around in December
- Parking
- Free two-hour metered street parking all December, per the Chamber's parade page. On New Year's Eve, free Park & Ride from six lots (including the Community Center, Planer Hill and the railway depot) to the downtown trolley depot, 7 PM–12:30 AM.
- Trolley
- Eureka Springs Transit's December service is Wednesday–Saturday, 10 AM–5 PM, on the Red and Blue routes only. No trolleys Thanksgiving (Nov 26), Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year's Day.
- Thorncrown Chapel
- Open through December, 9 AM–5 PM, then closed January and February (thorncrown.com). Christmas services Sundays Dec 6, 13 and 20 at 11 AM; candlelight services Fri Dec 18 and Sat Dec 19 at 4:30 PM.
Christmas lights in Eureka Springs
- Opens Nov 28Family-friendly
Town tree lighting (free)
Eureka Springs Tree Lighting
Basin Spring Park, 4 Spring St, Eureka Springs
- When:
- Saturday, Nov 28, 2026, 5:30–6 PM
- Admission:
- Free
- What's there:
- Fiddling Santa and his elves light the town tree. It's also Shop Small Saturday: coffee, Santa and swag bags in the park, 9–10 AM.
- Opens Nov 27Family-friendly
Hotel tree lighting & Christmas Tree Forest
Christmastime at the 1886 Crescent Hotel
75 Prospect Ave, Eureka Springs
- When:
- Tree lighting Friday, Nov 27, 2026, 6 PM; the Christmas Tree Forest runs all December
- Hours:
- Holiday Hangout rooftop bar (4th floor) daily 4–8 PM from Nov 27 · Stories with Mrs. Claus by the lobby fireplace, Sundays at 7 PM
- What's there:
- The hotel's page lists sleigh rides as a heading with no 2026 details yet, and its ice rink is expected the last week of December or first week of January, weather permitting.
- Opens Nov 26Family-friendly
Drive-through lights & snow village (by donation)
Great Passion Play Christmas Lights
935 Passion Play Rd, Eureka Springs
- When:
- Nightly from Thanksgiving, Nov 26, 2026, through Jan 2, 2027
- Hours:
- 5–8 PM per the 2026 schedule (the page's text still shows last season's 4–8 PM, so check before you go)
- Admission:
- By donation
- What's there:
- 300+ Christmas trees and dozens of nativities on the drive up to Christ of the Ozarks, plus a snow village with trains
- Opens Dec 12Family-friendly
Downtown shop windows come to life (free)
Living Windows
Downtown Eureka Springs
- When:
- Saturday, Dec 12, 2026, 5–7 PM
- Admission:
- Free
Eureka Springs Christmas Parade of Lights
Floats, walkers, bands and Santa at the end, through the decorated downtown. The decorating contest winners are announced in Basin Spring Park just before it starts.
- Opens Dec 4Family-friendly
Lighted parade (free)
Eureka Springs Christmas Parade of Lights
Historic downtown Eureka Springs
- When:
- Friday, Dec 4, 2026, 6–7 PM
- Route:
- Through the historic downtown. The 2026 route map isn't posted; the Chamber's standing instructions stage floats on Ellis Grade at the Rosalie and walkers and bands on Crescent Drive, lining up from 5 PM.
- Admission:
- Free (free two-hour metered parking all December)
- What's there:
- Theme: "Christmas Songs." After the parade, a free showing of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer with hot cocoa at The Auditorium, 7:15 PM. Chamber: 479-253-8737.
Santa, trains & breakfasts
- Opens Dec 5Family-friendly
Visit Santa (free)
Santa in the Park
Basin Spring Park, 4 Spring St, Eureka Springs
- When:
- Saturdays Dec 5, 12 and 19, 2026
- Hours:
- The Chamber lists noon–5 PM each Saturday; the city's tourism site lists Dec 5, 3–5 PM, and Dec 12 and 19, noon–3 PM. Go in the overlap to be safe.
- Admission:
- Free
- What's there:
- Bring the kids, the pets and the wish list; there's a photo with Santa.
- Opens Dec 5Family-friendly
Christmas train ride, ES&NA Railway
Eureka Christmas Express
299 N Main St, Eureka Springs
- When:
- Saturdays Dec 5, 12 and 19, 2026
- Hours:
- Rides at 3, 4 and 5 PM: story time on the 3 and 4 PM trains, the illuminated ride at 5
- Admission:
- $15 a person; 2 and under free
- What's there:
- Christmas stories, photos with Santa and the conductor, hot cocoa, and a Christmas movie in the depot
- Opens Dec 12Family-friendly
Hotel Santa village and breakfasts
Santa's Mountain Village & character breakfasts at the Crescent
75 Prospect Ave, Eureka Springs
- When:
- Saturdays Dec 12 and 19, 2026
- Hours:
- Santa's Mountain Village noon–5 PM both days · Grinch breakfast Dec 12 and Elf on the Shelf breakfast Dec 19, both 9–11 AM
- Admission:
- Breakfast prices not posted; call 877-342-9766
Home tours, shows & downtown nights
- Opens Dec 5
Historic home tour (45th annual, Eureka Springs Preservation Society)
Christmas Tour of Homes
Historic homes around town; start at any stop
- When:
- Saturday, Dec 5, 2026, 2–6 PM
- Admission:
- Price not posted yet; tickets go on sale Nov 6 at 9 AM
- What's there:
- Back after a year off: decorated Victorian homes with docents at each stop, self-guided
- Opens Dec 12
Decorated inns tour (Chamber)
Christmas at the Inns
Starts at the Crescent Hotel, Tower House Inn or Heartstone Inn
- When:
- Saturday, Dec 12, 2026, 1–5 PM
- Admission:
- $30, including a trolley pass and Park & Ride parking at Planer Hill; 200 tickets per starting inn
- What's there:
- Cider, cocoa and cookies at each stop, and a Fan Favorite vote. Not the Preservation Society's home tour.
- Opens Dec 11Family-friendly
Holiday variety show
Home for the Holidays: Holiday Showcase
The Auditorium, 36 S Main St, Eureka Springs
- When:
- Friday, Dec 11, 2026, 7:30–9 PM
- Admission:
- Free with two canned goods for the local food bank
- What's there:
- Before it, the Hot Cocoa & Cookie Crawl through downtown shops, 5–7 PM.
- Opens Dec 3
Holiday tea (59th annual, St. James Episcopal Church)
Victorian Silver Tea
Crystal Dining Room, 1886 Crescent Hotel, 75 Prospect Ave
- When:
- Thursday, Dec 3, 2026, 1:30–3:30 PM
- What's there:
- Benefits People Helping People
- Opens Dec 18
Downtown shopping weekend
Finish the List
Downtown Eureka Springs
- When:
- Friday–Sunday, Dec 18–20, 2026
- What's there:
- The last weekend before Christmas: wear your Christmas pajamas, finish the shopping, find the merchants' deals
New Year's Eve in Eureka Springs
- Opens Dec 31Family-friendly
New Year's Eve street party (free)
Bash with a Splash
Basin Spring Park and downtown, 4 Spring St, Eureka Springs
- When:
- Thursday, Dec 31, 2026, 8 PM – 12:15 AM
- Hours:
- Carnival-style parade through downtown at 8:30 PM · the Water Drop at midnight
- Route:
- Free Park & Ride, 7 PM–12:30 AM, from Pine Mountain Village, Hart's, the Transit Welcome Center, the Community Center, Planer Hill and the railway depot to the downtown trolley depot
- What's there:
- Live music, a laser light show, pop-up performances and food trucks; the bars run a Bash with a Splash pub crawl. The Water Drop is Eureka's take on the ball drop, for the City That Water Built.
- Opens Dec 31
Early NYE show (free)
New Year's Eve with March to August at Gotahold Brewing
Gotahold Brewing, 409 W Van Buren, Eureka Springs
- When:
- Thursday, Dec 31, 2026, 5–7:30 PM
- Admission:
- Free
On the calendar
Verified events for the season, updated every night.
- Sat, Nov 71PM
Veteran's Day Parade
Community:Historic Downtown Eureka Springs· Eureka Springs
Free
Call ahead
These come up in older roundups, but nothing official confirms a 2026 season yet.
- Holly Route trolley lights ride. Ran Thursday–Saturday evenings in December 2025; 2026 dates aren't posted.
- Meet the Makers craft show and the Jinglin' Jeep Parade. Both ran in past Decembers; no 2026 dates on an official page yet.
- Basin Park Hotel. Its newest holiday post is 2025's shopping package; nothing posted for 2026, and no hotel NYE party listed.
Quick answers
- When is the Eureka Springs Christmas parade in 2026?
- Friday, Dec 4, 2026, 6–7 PM, through historic downtown. This year's theme is "Christmas Songs." It's free, and there's a free Christmas movie at The Auditorium afterward.
- When is the Eureka Springs tree lighting?
- Saturday, Nov 28, 2026, at 5:30 PM in Basin Spring Park, with Fiddling Santa. The Crescent Hotel lights its own tree the night before, Friday, Nov 27, at 6 PM.
- When are the Great Passion Play Christmas lights?
- Nightly from Thanksgiving, Nov 26, 2026, through Jan 2, 2027, 5–8 PM per the 2026 schedule, by donation.
- What's happening in Eureka Springs on New Year's Eve 2026?
- Bash with a Splash, Thursday, Dec 31, 8 PM–12:15 AM downtown: a carnival-style parade at 8:30 PM, live music, a laser show and the Water Drop at midnight, with free Park & Ride from 7 PM.
- When can kids see Santa in Eureka Springs?
- Saturdays Dec 5, 12 and 19 in Basin Spring Park (free), on the Eureka Christmas Express train the same Saturdays ($15), and at the Crescent Hotel's Santa's Mountain Village Dec 12 and 19, noon–5 PM.
- Is parking free in Eureka Springs at Christmas?
- The Chamber says metered street parking is free for two hours all December. The trolley runs Wednesday–Saturday, 10 AM–5 PM, in December.
Dates, hours and prices are as each business posted them on October 21, 2026, and they change. Spot something out of date, or run one we missed? Tell us.
Nobody paid to be on this list. Inclusion is editorial.