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Christmas with kids in Conway
Conway's Christmas story goes back to big theater parties for children in the 1940s. Today the season opens downtown on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, when the city's tree lights up at Rogers Plaza.
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Illuminate: A Conway Christmas Tradition
When: Sat, Nov 28 (times to be announced)
Where: Rogers Plaza, Conway
Cost: See the Chamber page for ride and food prices
The story of Christmas in Conway
How Conway celebrates
Conway's newest big tradition is Illuminate, a Chamber of Commerce kickoff on the Saturday after Thanksgiving at Rogers Plaza downtown. Organizers say it has run for about seven years. Families come for the Ferris wheel and carousel, pictures with Santa, local music and the tree lighting, when the mayor leads a countdown. Older customs include a downtown Christmas parade and a November Christmas Open House at downtown stores. Before Illuminate, the city was known for drive-through light displays and, in the 1940s, children's Christmas parties hosted by the Kiwanis Club.
Christmas last year in Conway
We could not open a detailed report on the 2025 season, so here is the most recent coverage we found. At a recent Illuminate, part of Oak Street closed so vendors could set up, and the crowd enjoyed small business booths, a hot chocolate station, a funnel cake truck, a mini Ferris wheel and a carousel. Kids met Santa and dropped off letters, and the mayor counted down from 10 to light the tree. The 2023 edition listed a 54-foot tree, with horse-drawn carriage rides, Ferris wheel rides for $5 and train rides for $3. The tree and Santa's mailbox stay at Rogers Plaza through December.
Fun facts about Christmas in Conway
In the 1940s, Kiwanis Club Christmas parties at the Grand and Conway theaters drew over 3,000 children in some years, and each child went home with a sack of fruit and candy. Around 1970, Santa's Rocket Ship, a 65-seat ride, gave local kids rides and free candy. From 2006 to 2009, a mile-long drive-through Holiday Festival of Lights ran at Centennial Bank Soccer Park, with a model train, until flooding ended it. In 1997, a Trail of Holiday Lights put displays at Simon Park, the Chamber building and the courthouse.
Trains and Christmas near Conway
Conway's own Christmas has a train link: the 2023 Illuminate listed Brothers' Engine No. 1 train rides downtown for $3 a ride, and the 2006 to 2009 Festival of Lights had a model train. For a real railroad outing, the Arkansas Railroad Museum in Pine Bluff sits in former Cotton Belt shops and lets kids climb aboard many engines, including steam locomotive 819. The Missouri Pacific Depot Museum in Newport and the Fort Smith Trolley Museum are longer drives, so confirm hours first.
- Arkansas Railroad Museum: A big collection in former Cotton Belt shops, starring steam locomotive 819, where kids can climb aboard many engines and cars.
- Missouri Pacific Depot Museum: A 1904 Missouri Pacific depot listed on the National Register; confirm hours before visiting.
- Fort Smith Trolley Museum: Ride a 1926 Birney streetcar and see steam locomotive 4003 in the car barn; open Friday to Sunday.
Traditions today
- Illuminate: A downtown kickoff at Rogers Plaza on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, with rides, Santa and the tree lighting.
- Lighting the city tree: The mayor leads a countdown from 10 at Rogers Plaza, and the tree stays up through December.
- Letters to Santa: Kids drop letters into Santa's mailbox at Rogers Plaza through December.
- Christmas Open House downtown: Downtown stores open their doors in November to start the shopping season.
- Downtown Christmas parade: An annual parade that has been part of Conway's season for years.
- Neighborhood light displays: Home displays such as Tony Circle have been a local tradition, moving to First Baptist Church in 2016.
A fact for kids
Around 1970, Conway kids could ride Santa's Rocket Ship, a 65-seat ride that also gave out free candy.
Questions about Christmas in Conway
What is Illuminate in Conway?
Illuminate is Conway's downtown Christmas kickoff, run by the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce at Rogers Plaza on Oak Street. It features a Ferris wheel and carousel, pictures with Santa, local music and the lighting of the city tree. The 2026 edition is set for Saturday, November 28.
When does Conway light its Christmas tree?
Conway lights its tree on the Saturday after Thanksgiving during Illuminate. For 2026 the Chamber lists Saturday, November 28 at Rogers Plaza. The event page says more details will be announced soon, and it points families to conwaychristmas.com for the schedule before they head downtown.
How long has Illuminate been going?
Illuminate has run for about seven years, according to the Chamber's director of events. One local mom said her family had attended for three years and called it a tradition the kids love. One 2023 article called it Conway's newest family tradition during the holidays, so it is still fairly young.
Where is Rogers Plaza?
Rogers Plaza is at 900 Oak Street in downtown Conway, Arkansas. Part of Oak Street closes in the early afternoon on Illuminate day so vendors can set up, so allow extra time to park and walk. The tree and Santa's mailbox stay at the plaza through December.
Is Illuminate good for toddlers?
Yes, it is built for families. Kids can ride a mini Ferris wheel and a carousel, meet Santa and drop off letters, and there is a hot chocolate station and a funnel cake truck. Evening crowds can be big, so bring a stroller or carrier and warm layers for little ones.
Can kids send letters to Santa in Conway?
Yes. Through December, children can drop letters into Santa's mailbox at Rogers Plaza, where the Christmas tree stays up and the rides continue. It is an easy way to extend the Illuminate visit and to explain to little ones how Santa receives their wishes.
How tall is the Conway Christmas tree?
The 2023 Illuminate listing described a 54-foot Christmas tree at Rogers Plaza. The tree stays up through December, so families can come back after the opening night for a quieter look. Tree size can change from year to year, so check the Chamber page for 2026.
Does Illuminate cost money?
Entry details are not posted for 2026. In 2023, listed prices were $5 per person for the Ferris wheel and carriage rides and $3 for train rides, with funnel cakes sold on site. Prices may differ now, so check the Chamber page or conwaychristmas.com before you go.
Is there a Christmas parade in Conway?
Conway's tradition list includes an annual downtown Christmas parade, alongside a November Christmas Open House at downtown stores. Dates change each year, so check local listings. See our Conway Christmas events guide on this page for confirmed 2026 dates for kids and families.
What did Conway do for kids at Christmas in the 1940s?
The Kiwanis Club held Christmas parties for children in sixth grade and under at the Grand and Conway theaters. In some years more than 3,000 children came, and each child left with a sack of fruit and candy. It is a nice story to share with kids today.
What was Santa's Rocket Ship?
Around 1970, Santa's Rocket Ship came to Conway: a 65-seat ride from Tyler, Texas, that gave rides and free candy to local children. In the 1950s and 1960s Santa also visited the Arkansas National Guard Armory, where toys and candy went to children under 10.
Did Conway ever have a drive-through light show?
Yes. From 2006 to 2009 a mile-long Holiday Festival of Lights ran at Centennial Bank Soccer Park, with a model train and Christmas music groups. It ended in 2009 after flooding. In 1997 a Trail of Holiday Lights placed displays at Simon Park, the Chamber building and the courthouse.
Are there home light displays in Conway?
Yes, neighborhood displays have long been part of Conway's season. A local history article notes that the Tony Circle display moved in 2016 from the Frederick's Place subdivision to First Baptist Church on Robinson Avenue. Check local listings each year, as home displays change.
Who lights the tree at Illuminate?
At a recent Illuminate, Mayor Bart Castleberry spoke to the crowd and led a countdown from 10 before lighting the tree at Rogers Plaza. Local sponsors also addressed the crowd. Kids enjoy joining the countdown, so it helps to explain the numbers backward beforehand.
How do I explain the tree lighting to a young child?
Tell them the whole town gathers downtown to count down together and turn on the lights that open the Christmas season. Mention the Ferris wheel, carousel and Santa so they have something to look forward to. Our Conway Christmas events guide on this page has dates and details.
What local businesses take part in Illuminate?
The event is hosted by the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce with a title sponsor and many local sponsors. Visitors find small business booths, a hot chocolate station and a funnel cake truck. Shopping downtown is part of the fun, and visitors can browse local booths as they wait for the tree lighting.
Is there a train museum near Conway?
The nearest in our list is the Arkansas Railroad Museum in Pine Bluff, in former Cotton Belt shops with steam locomotive 819 and many engines kids can climb aboard. Hours are limited, so call ahead. The Missouri Pacific Depot Museum in Newport and the Fort Smith Trolley Museum are farther.
Are there train rides at Conway Christmas events?
In 2023, Illuminate offered Brothers' Engine No. 1 train rides for $3 a ride, and an older drive-through light show had a model train. Offerings change yearly, so confirm for 2026 on the Chamber page. Museums such as the one in Pine Bluff offer a calmer train visit.
What is the Fort Smith Trolley Museum like?
The Fort Smith Trolley Museum lets visitors ride an authentic 1926 Birney streetcar through downtown Fort Smith, then explore a car barn with Frisco steam locomotive 4003, vintage buses and more trolleys. It is open Friday to Sunday, so plan a weekend trip.
Where can I find Conway's 2026 Christmas dates?
Start with the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce page for Illuminate on Saturday, November 28, and conwaychristmas.com for updates. Our Conway Christmas events guide on this page collects confirmed kid-friendly dates, so check it again as December gets closer and more schedules are posted.
Sources
- Illuminate: A Conway Christmas Tradition, Conway Area Chamber of Commerce
- Downtown Conway was merry and eventually bright with the annual Illuminate tree-lighting, University of Central Arkansas
- Illuminate scheduled Nov. 25, 501 Life
- Christmas in Conway history, Faulkner County Historical Society
- Arkansas Railroad Museum, Rally Takes the Train
- Missouri Pacific Depot Museum, Rally Takes the Train
- Fort Smith Trolley Museum, Rally Takes the Train