Bentonville, AR - It’s the most wonderful time of year as Downtown Bentonville prepares to kick off the holiday season with the annual City of Bentonville Lighting of the Square on Saturday, November 19th.  

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Bentonville Mayor Stephanie Orman will flip the switch to illuminate the Bentonville Square at 6:00 PM (no earlier, no later).  

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The free event welcomes all community members and is produced by the non-profit Downtown Bentonville Incorporated. City of Bentonville Lighting of the Square is presented by First National Bank of NWA.

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Grab a coat and come early as the holiday festivities begin at 4 PM.

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• Santa’s Workshop and the Better Homes & Gardens Journey Whoville Experience will start at 4 PM.  There will be games, crafts, and all kinds of fun entertainment
• Mainstage entertainment begins at 4 PM including performances by Turning Pointe Dance Center, the Chinese Association of Northwest Arkansas, Ozark Ballet Theater, Adrija Dance, Ocean Waves, Mariachi Amistad, Beer & Hymns, and Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation.
• Pictures with Santa will be from 5 PM to 7 PM and are provided courtesy of First National Bank of NWA.  
• Local businesses will compete in a holiday window contest with winners revealed starting at 5 PM.
• Ghirardelli will be offering hot chocolate and ornament decorating.

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The event is a culmination of hours upon hours of work from the team at Bentonville Parks & Recreation department.  The city has about 24 workers logging over 3 thousand hours to get ready for Christmas.

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ABOUT DOWNTOWN BENTONVILLE INC. A private, not-for-profit organization, Downtown Bentonville Inc. is uniquely positioned as a driving force to build and promote a welcoming and lively downtown for ​all​ community members. Downtown Bentonville Inc. works to activate downtown spaces through expertly-executed events, advocate for current and future downtown investments, and amplify the voices of all residents through its digital storytelling platform DWTN Media.