Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism

Sixty-five communities across The Natural State will show off their finest holiday finery during the annual Arkansas Trail of Holiday Lights, with the earliest event taking place Nov. 11 in Eureka Springs. The others soon follow with the majority of them lasting through the end of December.

Holiday Lights, Harrison

A vast array of activities is scheduled to take place throughout November and December. Both incredibly large and intimately small lighting extravaganzas are planned. Lights will cover downtown business districts, courthouses, city parks, trees, houses, and parades. In addition there will be such activities as concerts, caroling, costumed run/walks, decorated home tours, and business open houses. One location will have a live nativity, while some will have craft shows and fireworks. Several of the bigger displays are animated and drive-through.

A few out-of-the-ordinary events are also scheduled including outdoor skating rinks at Bentonville and Hot Springs, Caroling in the Caverns at Blanchard Springs Caverns in Mountain View, a progressive dinner in Sulphur Springs, Eureka Springs' Christmas ball, and horse-drawn carriage rides in Bentonville, Blytheville, Texarkana, and Searcy. Luminaries will be highlighted on special days in Heber Springs and at Old Washington Historic State Park. Wynne will have a lighted holiday train display over 70-feet-long, Hamburg features a little red wagon parade, while El Dorado boasts the world's largest man-made Christmas tree at the KTVE-TV tower. What has to be one of the longest -- if not the longest -- in length is the 40-mile-loop through Bull Shoals, Flippin, Cotter, Gassville, Midway and Lakeview. These six north Arkansas communities lie along Ark. 178, U.S. 62, U.S. 62B and Ark. 126. The picturesque Cotter Bridge and the Bull Shoals Dam are two highlights along the tour.

Pick up a copy of the 2005 Arkansas Trail of Holiday Lights brochure at any participating Shell SuperStop, Bank of America location or Arkansas Welcome Centers. Or better yet, order an Arkansas Vacation Planning Kit by logging on to www.Arkansas.com or calling 1-800-NATURAL and you'll receive a copy. The brochures' text and photographs can also be found at www.Arkansas.com. Just click on the holiday lights icon.