There's So Much to Do This Weekend
The holiday season is in full swing, and that means there is no shortage of activities to keep you and your youngsters occupied.
Here's a list of things to do this weekend, but don't forget to check our our complete guide to Christmas holiday lights, tree farms, parades (some are this weekend!) and Santa stops for events that may not be included in this roundup.
Thursday
Stifft By Starlight: Stifft Station businesses are staying open late. Stop by for treats, arts and crafts, games, and shopping, starting at 5 p.m. There will be a holiday-themed photo booth, apple cider, giveaways, an ornament-making station, trivia, karaoke and more.
Disney Junior Holiday Party at the Robinson Center: Sing and dance along to Disney Junior songs and holiday classics with your favorite friends: Mickey and Minnie Mouse, the Puppy Dog Pals, Vampirina and more. St. Nick will be there, too! The party starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $32.75-$162.75.
Friday
Toy Parade in Little Rock: The 18th Annual City of Little Rock Fire Department and Division of Children and Family Services Toy Parade will start at 1 p.m. Santa and his LRFD elves will deliver toys and gifts for foster children in Arkansas to the DHS Central Office, where they'll be greeted by DHS staff and carolers. FREE
Food Truck, Fire & Music Night at The Bramble: Grab the kiddos, lawn chairs and blankets, buy some delicious eats from Delta Biscuit Co. and Low Ivy Catering, then relax to soft acoustic tunes by Farmer Fin. Starts at 5 p.m. FREE
Glow Party at Altitude Trampoline Park: DJ Songbird will be spinning tunes, and there will be games and prizes. Participate in dance offs, limbo, play with hula hoops and jump ropes, all for a $10 cover charge. All ages are welcome, and the price includes a bottle of water. The fun starts at 6 p.m.
Gingerbread House Workshop: Stop by the UA-Pulaski Tech Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Institute from 6-8 p.m. to design and decorate your very own Gingerbread House amid holiday tunes, while sipping on hot chocolate and nibbling on holiday treats. Pre-baked pieces and decorative goodies will be provided. The price of $60 includes adults plus up to two children; one adult can bring up to four children, and adult participation is required. The class is best for ages 5-17. Registration is required. To register by phone or for questions or issues with registration, call Kristin Howell at 501-907-6670, ext. 3407.
Saturday
Breakfast with Santa at Rusty Tractor Vineyards: You and your little ones can enjoy breakfast treats, plus arts and crafts projects and photos with Santa from 8:30 a.m.-noon. FREE, but donations are welcome.
Jingle Bell Run at Clinton Presidential Center: Time to work off those Thanksgiving calories and support the Arthritis Foundation. Starting at 9:30 a.m., show off your holiday-themed costume or ugly Christmas sweater then take off on a chip-timed 10K or 5K run, non-timed 5K run or 1-mile walk. There’s also an elf run for the kids. Register here by midnight Friday.
Free Elsa and Anna Braids: The Belle Cheveux Blow Dry Lounge and Salon knows Frozen 2 is all the rage right now, so it’s offering Elsa and Anna braids from 12-2 p.m. Come meet Olaf and Anna, too! Weather permitting, this will be in front of the salon, in the courtyard of The Promenade at Chenal. FREE. Then, after the braid event, join them for the Princess Party at Kendra Scott from 2-4 p.m.
Sunday
Rudy & Friends at the River Market: Stop by from noon-5 p.m. to take photos with Rudy the Reindeer and the big man himself. Stay for Santa’s workshop, Letters to Santa station, free face painting and the S-Elfie station. FREE
Sensory Friendly Santa: This Arkansas Autism Foundation event at noon is offered FREE of charge to families in an environment that is designed for people on the autism spectrum or with other sensory processing issues. Participants can visit with Santa one on one and even enjoy the company of the ABLEPaws dogs. There will be crafts, a movie area and cookies and hot cocoa. FREE photos will be available via an online download link, and Santa welcomes all ages and disabilities. Sign up here for an available time slot.
52nd Annual Christmas Frolic at Historic Arkansas Museum: Starting at 1 p.m., there will be living history performances by the Early Arkansas Reenactors Association, live demonstrations and hands-on activities. This event is an opportunity for families to celebrate Christmas like it’s the 19th century. Participants will make ornaments, holiday cards, wax seal letters, fabric wreaths, holiday sachets and pomander balls. Enjoy music and dancing with Sugar on the Floor, Lark in the Morning, Arkansas, Ricky Russell, Arkansas Country Dance Society and the Aeolus Recorder Group. Snap some holiday pictures and listen to scheduled readings of "The Night Before Christmas." Food and beverages will also be served. FREE
Holiday Open Houses in downtown Little Rock: These will be held from 1-5 p.m. at the Old State House Museum and at 2 p.m. at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center. The museum will host local music groups, like the Sweet Adelines and Little Rock Central High Madrigals, plus hands-on holiday activities. Also enjoy yuletide treats. The center is having a "Say It Ain’t Say's Sweet Potato Pie" contest. Registration for the contest has already closed, but visitors can still sample the entries and vote for their favorite. FREE, though toy donations are welcome at the center.
Christmas at the Church at Rock Creek: Join the church at 5 p.m. for a live Nativity scene, games, a train ride, karaoke, a petting zoo and more. FREE
Thursday-Friday
Holiday Open House at Dee Brown Library: DJ Harlem James will spin holiday tunes at 5 p.m. Thursday and 7:30 a.m. Saturday while you enjoy snacks and crafts, including signs and noisemakers for the Southwest Little Rock Christmas parade on Dec. 14. Attendees will also decorate cookies. FREE
Holidays in Hillcrest: Starting at 5 p.m. Thursday and 5:30 p.m. Friday, local merchants and restaurants will have a variety of offerings, including spiced apple chai tea; visits and pictures with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus; a cookie decorating station; a reindeer food prep table; an ornament decorating station; and a station for writing and decorating letters to the big man himself. There will also be a Christmas tree raffle, live music and hay rides (weather permitting).
Events at Barnes & Noble in Little Rock: Bestselling children’s author/illustrator Jan Brett will give a tiger drawing demonstration and talk about her research trip to India following a signing of her latest book, “The Tale of the Tiger Slippers,” at 5 p.m. Thursday. At 7 p.m. Friday, the store will have crafts, hot chocolate, cookies and a Polar Express storytime. A book fair benefiting Arkansas Children’s Hospital starts at 9 a.m. Friday.
Friday-Saturday
SoMa Holiday Market at Bernice Garden: Local makers and vendors will display their wares from 5-9 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. And don’t miss the holiday tree lighting at 6 p.m. Friday.
Friday-Sunday
Holiday Events at Outlets of Little Rock: The shopping center is supporting 105.1 The Wolf’s and KSSN 96’s Toy Hill Toy Drive by collecting donations for the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots program in its parking lot from 5 p.m. Friday-5 p.m. Sunday. Bob Robbins will broadcast live the entire time. There will be music, fire trucks, ambulance and club car caravans, motorcycle parades and more. The Outlets will also host Holiday Sip & Shop from 5-8 p.m. Friday, also benefiting Toys for Tots. Pay $10 for special deals, discounts, door prizes, complimentary tastings from local restaurants, beer and cocktail samplings, music, food trucks, games, and more. This event is for parents only (ages 21 and up). But never fear, bring the kiddos (ages 12 and under) Saturday morning, from 9-11 a.m., for cocoa and cake pops with Mrs. Claus at Starbucks. She’ll read a story and then you can snap a photo of them with her and an elf. FREE
Saturday-Sunday
Merrily Ring and Handel’s Messiah at Wildwood Park for the Arts: Come from 4-7 p.m. Saturday for seasonal songs performed by the Praeclara Ringers. Guest bell choirs from central Arkansas will join the concert with individual contributions as well as mass ringing. Tickets are $5-$10. Sunday’s event, which is at 3 p.m., will feature more than 150 singers, six choirs, an orchestra and some of the most accomplished soloists in the state. Adult tickets are $20, and student tickets are $10.
A Ferncliff Christmas at Ferncliff Camp & Conference Center: From 5-8:30 p.m. each day, come view the centers living Nativity scene on its illuminated trail, and enjoy music, crafts, and activities. Shop the holiday market, too. FREE, but you may pay for a ticket to help offset the cost of the event. Donations are welcome. Get your ticket(s) here.