Lighting of the Ozarks in Fayetteville, AR

Every single year, Fayetteville goes all out for this lighting ceremony. The whole town comes out and completely covers the Historic downtown section of Fayetteville.

The 2022 Lighting of the Ozarks was spectacular, as it brought out the whole town for a massive parade on Friday, November 18. There was everything you’d expect for a Christmas celebration, including fun games and food (aka hot chocolate) — my favorite.

The lights continued to shine every night until January 1, 2023. In this article, i’ll take you through the highlights of the festival and discuss similar festivals throughout Northwest Arkansas.

Video:

2022 Lights of The Ozarks in Fayetteville

As usual, the event was as exciting as ever, thanks to the meticulous efforts of The City of Fayetteville Parks and Recreation Department employees. They dedicated over 3000 hours to decorating the city’s downtown section with 500,000+ LEDs.

The following companies were the sponsors of 2022’s event:

Slim Chickens: A restaurant company with multiple branches across the US, Northwest Arkansas, and Fayetteville.
Lewis Automotive Group: An NWA auto establishment that repairs vehicles and sells new and used ones.
Symphony of Northwest Arkansas: SONA is a professional orchestra that has hosted concerts in Northwest Arkansas since 1954. They performed a community carol on the lighting night.
Smith Two-Way Radio: Smith Two-Way Radio is a 1929-founded company headquartered in Fayetteville that offers radio services.
Ozark Natural Foods: It is a grocery shop focusing on organic products. They also offer catering and restaurant services, serving customers breakfast, lunch, and dinner in Fayetteville.

The palpable yuletide joy filled the atmosphere from the first day during the parade, but residents still crowded the section until New Year’s eve. They came for the activities galore every night under the lights, and Santa graced us with his presence on the following weekend dates:

Lighting night: 5:00–9:00 pm
Friday, December 9: 5:00–8:00 pm
Saturday, December 10: 6:00–9:00 pm
Sunday, December 11: 3:00–6:00 pm
Friday, December 16: 5:00–8:00 pm
Saturday, December 17: 6:00–9:00 pm
Sunday, December 18: 3:00–6:00 pm

People, especially kids, met up with him and took photos for free, but he didn’t accept letters in person. Interested folks dropped them at the mailbox in front of Experience Fayetteville Visitors Center, still around the downtown square.

Hopefully, he replied to those who wrote their addresses.

With no restriction to leashed, well-behaved dogs, no visitor was short of companions to share the nights. Overall, it was a fun experience for anyone who came around, especially on the lighting night.

The following vendors were the most consistent on the lighting nights:

Sweet Scoops Blender Bar: Sweet Scoops Blender Bar is an ice cream shop in Farmington, Ar. However, throughout the Light of the Ozarks season (November 18, 2022, to January 1, 2023), they opened a food truck on Fayetteville Square. Their location was the go-to site for hot chocolate during the night.
Hype Coffee: One of the fan-favorite coffee shops in Northwest Arkansas, Hype Coffee was also around most nights to enhance the Lights of the Ozarks experience. Their customers enjoyed coffee, hot chocolates, eggnog, apple cider, etc.
The Little Red Barn: The Little Red Barn, a food truck that takes pride in its churro, among other pastries, was in the area most of the eventful nights for downtown visitors who craved their treats.

Other notable food vendors during the period included the following:

Tula
Cheers at the OPO
Tiny Tim’s
Big Box Karaoke
Taste of Thai
Vetro 1925
Damgoode Pies

That said, if you’re in Ozark and in the mood for Bagels, I strongly recommend visiting Mountain Bagel Truck. They have some of the best Bagels I’ve had in my life. You can read all about it in my review of Ozark Mountain Bagel Truck Fayetteville. [

Christmas Lights Celebration in Northwest Arkansas

The Lighting of the Ozarks is one truly magical event that NWA residents look forward to during the holidays. However, there are other alternatives for such a thrill, especially if you’re away from Fayetteville.

Riverside Festival of Lights is a new location to marvel at holiday lights in Northwest Arkansas. It features several other activities, from carriage rides to photos with Santa. However, if you insist on the Lighting of the Ozarks’ vibe, Bentonville’s Lighting of The Square is the most similar option.

Everyone loves and prepares for Christmas so much here that your favorite light show may just be your neighbor’s setting. I’m sure this video of my neighborhood will impress you.

Also, I have a 3-day itinerary that can help you decide what activities to do if you’re overwhelmed by everything Northwest Arkansas has to offer.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a foodie, a sports person, a sightseer, or want to spend quality time with your kids; I have something for you. Check out the link below to learn more:

https://www.allthingsnwa.com/3-day-itinerary-northwest-arkansas

Riverside Festival of Lights

Riverside Festival of Lights is new, debuting in 2022, but its stunning display has become one of the best in NWA. The center dedicates acres of land on Chamber Springs Rd, Siloam Springs, to holiday light decorations.

If you ever get tired of staring at the holiday glares, you can also enjoy the following activities:

Pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus
Kid Train Rides
Pony and Camel Rides
Reliving the first Christmas with the nativity setup
Pay tributes to First Responders and Armed Forces
Purchase hot chocolates

The Stewart Family Lights Display

The Stewart family has always gone over the top with their outdoor Christmas lights since 2003. However, they made it open to the public in 2013, which continues to be the case every holiday.

In 2022, they announced they set up over 5 million LEDs, so expect to have the time of your life here if you genuinely love Christmas lights. You can also enjoy other activities, such as fireworks displays and pony rides.

The venue is at 4279 E Wyman Rd, Fayetteville, and they are usually open from November through New Year.

Bentonville’s Lighting of The Square

Just as Fayetteville takes pride in the Lighting of the Ozarks, Bentonville has a light show at its historic square.

Bentonville Parks and Recreation department spends hours setting up the venue to illuminate the section in style from 6 pm every holiday season.

To get a better idea of the overall experience, check out my article discussing Christmas lighting in Bentonville.

In short, the 2022 season kicked off on Saturday, November 19, and visitors enjoyed several events, including:

Games and crafts at Santa’s workshop
Pictures with Santa
Live holiday performances from several groups
Contests among individuals and local businesses

Final Thoughts

The lighting of the Ozarks in downtown Fayetteville is one of the biggest and most anticipated Christmas festivals in Northwest Arkansas. I was around on the first day, the most eventful of all, as they paraded around the area.

The festival features games, food, socializing, and special events, making it a perfect way to spend time with your friends and family.