Christmas Events for Kids in Bentonville (2026)

Christmas Events for Kids
Written by Kelsey Cecil

Updated 4 min read

Rally the corgi has sniffed out the best Christmas events for kids in Bentonville for 2026, and here is what he found: 2 family events. They are Christmas Tree Ornament Workshop with JMB Custom Woodcrafts (December 10) and Rocking Horse Ornament Workshop with JMB Custom Woodcrafts (December 10). We check every date on the host’s own website, and each listing links straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Arkansas Christmas events for kids guide.

What Rally found in Bentonville

  • 2 Christmas events for kids in Bentonville
  • Meet Santa: Christmas Tree Ornament Workshop with JMB Custom Woodcrafts (December 10) and Rocking Horse Ornament Workshop with JMB Custom Woodcrafts (December 10)
  • Season: December 10
  • Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10

Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Bentonville

Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.

Holiday crafts

Christmas Tree Ornament Workshop with JMB Custom Woodcrafts

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Jason Buss, the local craftsman behind JMB Custom Woodcrafts and the maker of the Peel Museum's official holiday ornament, guides families through decorating a Christmas tree ornament of their own design. Each registration comes with one ornament kit plus a shared table of decorating materials, and the finished keepsake goes home with you.

The half-hour session is on Thursday, December 10, 2026, from 5:30 to 6:00 PM at the Peel Museum & Botanical Garden, during the museum's free After Hours with Santa evening. Space is limited, so pre-registration is required and a registration fee applies for each kit. Refunds are only given if the Peel Compton Foundation cancels for low participation or weather.

Parent tip: The workshop is only 30 minutes long, so arrive a little early and fit Santa photos, the scavenger hunt and hot chocolate in before or after your slot. Plan to sit beside younger children, since the museum asks that an adult help and supervise them.

Host
Peel Museum & Botanical Garden (opens in a new tab)
Address
Peel Museum & Botanical Garden, 400 S Walton Blvd, Bentonville, AR 72712 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Peel Museum & Botanical Garden (opens in a new tab)

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Rally’s Christmas research

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Holiday crafts

Rocking Horse Ornament Workshop with JMB Custom Woodcrafts

Expand to see the parent tip

In this session families decorate a rocking horse ornament modeled on Bucky, the Peel family rocking horse that is on display inside the museum. Craftsman Jason Buss of JMB Custom Woodcrafts leads it, and each registration includes one ornament kit and the use of shared decorating materials.

It runs on Thursday, December 10, 2026, from 6:15 to 6:45 PM at the Peel Museum & Botanical Garden, as part of the free After Hours with Santa evening. Pre-registration is required because space is limited, and a fee applies for each kit. The Peel Compton Foundation only refunds if it cancels the program for low participation or weather.

Parent tip: Find Bucky in the museum before the 6:15 PM start so your child can see the real rocking horse they are about to decorate. This is the later of the evening's two workshops, so it suits families who want to see Santa and hear the student carols first.

Host
Peel Museum & Botanical Garden (opens in a new tab)
Address
Peel Museum & Botanical Garden, 400 S Walton Blvd, Bentonville, AR 72712 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Peel Museum & Botanical Garden (opens in a new tab)

New Bentonville events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Bentonville daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Bentonville.

Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

We check every event above on the host’s own page for the date, time and cost, plus the things parents ask about, like sign-ups and ages. Looking for a Santa train instead? Those are on our Arkansas Christmas train rides page.

See every event on a December calendar

Plan your December

When each Bentonville Christmas event for kids happens

The first is Christmas Tree Ornament Workshop with JMB Custom Woodcrafts in Bentonville on December 10; the last runs to December 10. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.

Looking further afield? Our Arkansas Christmas events for kids guide lists every event we have found in the state, and we have city guides for Springdale, Fayetteville, AR, Conway and Little Rock. The national search sorts every event by distance from your town.

A story for the drive home

A morning with Santa or an evening of holiday stories tends to end the same way: tired kids, a long drive and one more book before bed. Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents, and every page is painted by hand. If your family is spending December missing someone, it was written for that too. For the car, print our free corgi and train coloring pages.

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first ride on a California train, hand-painted in watercolor. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

2026 Christmas events are coming in late November

More Christmas events arrive in late November. We add them here as soon as we confirm them.

The story of Christmas in Bentonville

Bentonville began as a settlement called Osage and took its present name from Thomas Hart Benton, a Missouri senator who pushed for Arkansas statehood. Today the Benton County seat marks the season at the Peel Museum & Botanical Garden, where a free evening with Santa comes with hands-on ornament workshops.

How Bentonville celebrates

The Christmas events listed here center on the Peel Museum & Botanical Garden on South Walton Boulevard, with sign-ups handled by the Peel Compton Foundation. On Thursday, December 10, 2026, the museum holds After Hours with Santa, a free evening of Santa photos, carols sung by Arkansas Arts Academy students, hot chocolate and a museum scavenger hunt. While that goes on, Jason Buss of JMB Custom Woodcrafts, who created the museum's official holiday ornament, leads two short workshops that need pre-registration: one for a Christmas tree ornament and one modeled on Bucky, the Peel family rocking horse displayed inside the museum.

Fun facts about Christmas in Bentonville

European settlers arrived around 1837 and called the place Osage before it was renamed for Senator Thomas Hart Benton. The city's incorporation is dated April 3, 1873. When the first railroad into the area bypassed the town, the Bentonville Railroad Company built about six miles of track to Rogers in 1883, and that line is still in use. The 2020 census counted 54,164 residents.

Traditions today

  • After Hours with Santa: The Peel Museum & Botanical Garden opens for a free evening on December 10, 2026, with Santa photos, hot chocolate and a museum scavenger hunt.
  • Student carols: Students from the Arkansas Arts Academy sing carols during the museum's evening with Santa.
  • Ornament workshops with JMB Custom Woodcrafts: Jason Buss, the craftsman who makes the museum's official holiday ornament, leads pre-registered sessions where families decorate a keepsake to take home.
  • Bucky the rocking horse: The Peel family rocking horse on display in the museum is the model for one of the two ornament workshops.

A fact for kids

In 1901, Benton County, where Bentonville sits, grew more apples than any other county in the whole country.

Questions about Christmas in Bentonville

When was Bentonville founded?

European settlers first lived in the area around 1837 and called their settlement Osage. Benton County had been established on September 30, 1836, and the town square became the home of county government the following year. The city's incorporation is dated April 3, 1873.

How did Bentonville get its name?

The settlement was first named Osage, after the Osage Nation, who had used the area as hunting grounds. It was later renamed Bentonville to honor Thomas Hart Benton, a senator from Missouri who was a strong supporter of statehood for Arkansas.

Did Bentonville have a railroad?

The first railroad line into the area bypassed Bentonville and gave rise to the nearby town of Rogers. In 1883 the Bentonville Railroad Company linked the two towns with about six miles of track. The line has changed hands over the years but remains in use.

What is Bentonville known for?

Sam Walton bought a variety store on the town square in 1950 and opened Walton's 5 and 10 on March 18, 1951. That single store led to Walmart, which still has its headquarters in the city. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art opened here in 2011.

What happens at Christmas in Bentonville?

The Peel Museum & Botanical Garden holds After Hours with Santa on Thursday, December 10, 2026. The free evening includes Santa photos, carols by Arkansas Arts Academy students, hot chocolate and a museum scavenger hunt, plus two ornament workshops that require pre-registration and a fee.

Where do the Christmas events take place?

Both listed workshops are at the Peel Museum & Botanical Garden, 400 South Walton Boulevard. Walton Boulevard runs through the western part of the city and was long lined with buildings of the former Walmart home office, according to the city's Wikipedia article.

Who organizes the Christmas workshops at the Peel Museum?

Registration is handled through the Peel Compton Foundation's online store, and the sessions are led by Jason Buss of JMB Custom Woodcrafts, the craftsman behind the Peel Museum's official holiday ornament. Arkansas Arts Academy students provide the carols during the evening.

What is free at Christmas in Bentonville?

The organizer describes After Hours with Santa as a free evening, with Santa photos, carols, hot chocolate and the scavenger hunt included. The two ornament workshops carry a registration fee, which covers one ornament kit and shared decorating materials for each sign-up.

How many people live in Bentonville?

The 2020 census recorded 54,164 residents in the city proper, making Bentonville the ninth most populous city in Arkansas. It is one of the four main cities of the Northwest Arkansas metropolitan area and is described as one of the fastest-growing cities in the state.

Sources

  1. Bentonville, Arkansas, Wikipedia
  2. Christmas Tree Ornament Workshop with JMB Custom Woodcrafts, Peel Compton Foundation
  3. Rocking Horse Ornament Workshop with JMB Custom Woodcrafts, Peel Compton Foundation

Keep the Christmas magic going: track Rally the corgi on Christmas Eve, print free Christmas coloring pages, learn how to say Merry Christmas in 100+ languages, find train museums to visit with kids, or browse Christmas events in every Arkansas city.

Bentonville Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask

What Christmas events for kids are happening in Bentonville in 2026?

Two family workshops are listed at the Peel Museum & Botanical Garden on Thursday, December 10, 2026. The Christmas Tree Ornament Workshop runs from 5:30 to 6:00 PM and the Rocking Horse Ornament Workshop from 6:15 to 6:45 PM. Both take place during After Hours with Santa, the museum's free holiday evening.

Where can kids meet Santa in Bentonville?

Santa photos are part of After Hours with Santa at the Peel Museum & Botanical Garden, 400 South Walton Boulevard, on December 10, 2026. The organizer describes the evening as free, with student carols, hot chocolate and a museum scavenger hunt running alongside the two ornament workshops.

Are there free Christmas activities for kids in Bentonville?

The After Hours with Santa evening at the Peel Museum is described as free, including Santa photos, carols from Arkansas Arts Academy students, hot chocolate and a scavenger hunt. The two ornament workshops held that night are the paid part, with a registration fee that covers one ornament kit per sign-up.

Do the Peel Museum ornament workshops need registration?

Yes. Space is limited, and pre-registration through the Peel Compton Foundation's online store is required to hold an ornament kit. Refunds are only issued if the foundation cancels for low participation or weather, so check your calendar before booking either of the December 10 sessions.

Are the ornament workshops suitable for young children?

Both workshops are open to all ages, but the museum asks that younger children have an adult beside them to help and supervise. Each session lasts 30 minutes, which keeps it manageable for short attention spans. One registration covers one kit, so decide ahead whether siblings will share or each need their own.

Can a family do both workshops in one evening?

The schedule allows it. The Christmas tree session ends at 6:00 PM and the rocking horse session starts at 6:15 PM on December 10, 2026, both at the Peel Museum. Each needs its own registration. The rocking horse design is based on Bucky, the Peel family rocking horse on display in the museum.

Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Bentonville?

Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Arkansas Christmas train rides guide. This Bentonville guide covers Santa visits, story times, light shows and other events off the rails.

How do you confirm these events?

We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city or tourism calendar. We last checked every listing on November 10, 2026. Hosts change details, so always confirm on the host’s page before you go.

Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.

Kelsey Cecil
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