Rally is researching the season
Christmas with kids in Rogers
In Rogers, Christmas starts on the brick streets of downtown, where a parade kicks off with the lighting of a tree. Families have lined the route with blankets and cocoa for decades.
2026 Christmas events are coming in late November
We are confirming this season's Christmas events in Rogers with every host. Subscribe and we'll email you the day they are released.
Free. One email a week with new events in Rogers. Unsubscribe anytime.
Already confirmed in Rogers
1 events confirmed so far; more are coming.
26th Annual Holiday Open House
When: Sat, Dec 12, 10 am to 2 pm; Santa reads at 11 am and 1 pm
Where: Rogers Historical Museum and Hawkins House, Rogers
Cost: Free
The story of Christmas in Rogers
How Rogers celebrates
The Rogers Christmas Parade is the heart of the season. It has been a tradition for decades, and it is held on the first Friday evening in December. The parade begins with the lighting of the tree in the middle of downtown, then follows about a mile of brick-lined streets, with more than 70 floats, school bands, and cars covered in lights. Rotary clubs line up the entries, and a crew of volunteer "safety elves" keeps the route safe. Uptown, the tree at Founders Plaza is described as the largest tree in Arkansas.
Christmas last year in Rogers
The 2025 parade used the theme "Hometown Christmas." The Rotary Clubs of Rogers handled float entries, lineup and judging, and four awards went out. Rogers Parks and Recreation won the lights award, the Providence Academy Grammar School Christmas Choir won the award for most impressive float featuring children, Cornerstone Baptist Church of Lowell won for best religious theme, and a Christmas Vacation float won for best use of the theme. The Christmas Village, a vendor market at Frisco Plaza that began in 2023 with 35 booths, was listed beside the parade again.
Fun facts about Christmas in Rogers
The parade award names are playful: Spectacular Sparkles, Elfin Magic, Glory of Angels and Knock Your Stockings Off. In 2020 the pandemic paused the parade, so groups sent in videos for a virtual show instead. About 70 groups marched in 2021, and school bands ride for free. When the Christmas Village began in 2023, kids could get a free photo with Santa and the Grinch, and dancers from Ballet Westside performed Nutcracker dances before the parade.
Trains and Christmas near Rogers
Little train fans near Rogers have a few good stops. The Arkansas & Missouri Railroad runs vintage passenger excursions from nearby Springdale over the Boston Mountains, and it has offered a Holiday Express Pajama Train. The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railway keeps steam engines and a working turntable beside its depot. In Fort Smith, the Trolley Museum lets kids ride a 1926 Birney streetcar and see Frisco steam locomotive 4003 in its car barn, open Friday to Sunday.
- Arkansas & Missouri Railroad: The closest heritage railroad to Rogers, with vintage passenger trips from Springdale and a Holiday Express Pajama Train.
- Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railway: A historic depot with a working turntable and steam engines on display, a fun day trip into the Ozarks.
- Fort Smith Trolley Museum: Kids can ride a 1926 Birney streetcar and see Frisco steam locomotive 4003 in the car barn.
Traditions today
- Rogers Christmas Parade: Floats, school bands and Santa travel through brick-lined downtown streets on the first Friday evening of December, starting with a tree lighting.
- Rogers Christmas Village: A vendor market at Frisco Plaza that began in 2023, with local makers, food trucks and free photos with Santa and the Grinch.
- Parade float awards: Floats compete for the Spectacular Sparkles, Elfin Magic, Glory of Angels and Knock Your Stockings Off awards.
- Founders Plaza tree lighting: An Uptown tree lighting at a tree described as the largest in Arkansas, with funds going to Saving Grace NWA.
- Storefront lights and decor: Downtown Rogers and Frisco Plaza shops put up tinsel, wreaths and lights, and Pinnacle Hills Promenade keeps decorations up into early January.
- Holiday tours at the Hawkins House: The Rogers Historical Museum offers guided tours of the 1895 Hawkins House each holiday season about patriotic Christmas displays.
A fact for kids
In the Rogers parade, floats can win a prize called Knock Your Stockings Off. There is also a team of volunteer "safety elves" who help keep the route safe.
Questions about Christmas in Rogers
When is the Rogers Christmas Parade held?
The Rogers Christmas Parade is traditionally held on the first Friday evening in December. In 2022 it stepped off at 7 p.m. on December 2, and in 2023 it began at 6:30 p.m. on December 1. Dates can shift, so check our Rogers Christmas events guide on this page for this season.
How long has Rogers had a Christmas parade?
Rogers has held its Christmas parade for decades, though the exact first year was not found in the sources we read. Mayor Greg Hines described the parade in 2022 as having a long history of bringing families downtown with blankets and cocoa. It is run by volunteers and local Rotary clubs.
Where does the Rogers Christmas Parade go?
The parade starts at 5th Street and Poplar Street, travels through downtown Rogers, and continues down 1st Street and Walnut Street. The route is about one mile long, so families can watch from nearly any spot along the way. Bring blankets, because it is a December evening.
How many floats are in the Rogers Christmas Parade?
The parade has more than 70 floats and entries rolling through downtown's brick-lined streets. In 2021 about 70 organizations entered, which was an average number for the parade. Entries include floats, marching groups, decorated cars and school bands, and school bands ride for free.
Who organizes the Rogers Christmas Parade?
The Rotary Clubs of Rogers and Downtown Rogers coordinate the parade, including float entries, the lineup and judging. First National Bank of NWA has sponsored it with the City of Rogers as a partner. Volunteers, including a school Interact club in 2023, help on parade night.
What awards do floats win at the Rogers parade?
Floats compete in four categories with fun names: Spectacular Sparkles for lights, Elfin Magic for the most impressive float featuring children, Glory of Angels for a religious theme, and Knock Your Stockings Off for the best use of the theme. The Rotary clubs handle judging, and in 2025 four awards went out.
What was the Rogers Christmas Parade like in 2025?
The 2025 parade followed the theme Hometown Christmas. Rogers Parks and Recreation won the lights award, the Providence Academy Grammar School Christmas Choir won the children's award, and Cornerstone Baptist Church of Lowell won for best religious theme. A Christmas Vacation float took the best theme award.
What is the Rogers Christmas Village?
The Rogers Christmas Village is a vendor market at Frisco Plaza held beside the parade. It began in 2023 with 35 booths of local makers and four food trucks, plus a free photo booth with Santa and the Grinch. It was listed again with the parade in 2025.
Did the Rogers Christmas Parade ever stop?
Yes. The 2020 parade was put on hold because of the pandemic, and groups sent in videos for a virtual presentation instead. In 2021 the parade returned in person with about 70 organizations. The Rotary clubs and local sponsors have kept it going since, and it was back on its traditional date in December 2022.
Why are the parade volunteers called safety elves?
The parade crew calls its volunteers safety elves because they help keep the route safe. In 2021 there were 14 of them, and they put up and took down the barrier tape along the route. It is a fun way to tell kids that even helpers get an elf job at Christmas.
Where is the biggest Christmas tree in Rogers?
The tree at Founders Plaza in Uptown Rogers is described as the largest tree in Arkansas. Its tree lighting ceremony raises money for Saving Grace NWA. Downtown, the parade also begins with a separate tree lighting in the heart of the historic district. See our Rogers Christmas events guide on this page for dates.
Is there a Christmas tree lighting in Rogers?
Yes, there are two. The Rogers Christmas Parade starts with the lighting of a tree downtown, and the Founders Plaza tree lighting takes place Uptown in November. Both are long-running community moments for families. For this season's times, check our Rogers Christmas events guide on this page.
Where can kids see Christmas lights in Rogers?
Downtown Rogers and Frisco Plaza decorate storefronts with tinsel, wreaths and lights, and Pinnacle Hills Promenade and Village on the Creeks keep seasonal displays up through early January. Our Rogers Christmas events guide on this page lists this season's specific displays.
How can I explain the Christmas parade to a toddler?
Tell your toddler that the parade is a long line of lit-up trucks and floats that drives slowly past, with Santa, bands and sometimes the Grinch. Before you go, practice waving and talk about bright lights and loud drums. Bring blankets and cocoa, as Rogers families have done for decades.
Does Santa come to the Rogers parade?
Santa is a regular in Rogers. Visitors to the parade may see him alongside the Grinch and superheroes, and the Christmas Village has had a free photo booth with Santa. Pinnacle Hills Promenade also hosts Santa every December, with pet photos offered by reservation.
What is the Hawkins House Christmas tour in Rogers?
The Rogers Historical Museum offers guided tours of the 1895 Hawkins House each holiday season. The 2026 tours, called A Patriotic Christmas, run from November 14, 2026 through January 2, 2027, and explain how patriotic tributes became part of holiday displays from the Civil War through World War I.
Where can kids see trains near Rogers at Christmas?
The Arkansas & Missouri Railroad runs vintage passenger excursions from Springdale, close to Rogers, and offers a Holiday Express Pajama Train. Book ahead online or by phone. The route crosses the Boston Mountains, and families can ask about holiday trips when they call.
Is there a train museum or steam engine to visit near Rogers?
Yes. The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railway has steam engines on display and a working turntable, but its season runs April to October. The Fort Smith Trolley Museum lets kids ride a 1926 Birney streetcar and see Frisco steam locomotive 4003, and it is open Friday to Sunday.
What makes Christmas in Rogers special?
Rogers celebrates with a hometown feel: a brick-street parade that begins with a tree lighting, playful float awards, volunteer safety elves and a vendor market that started in 2023. The parade has more than 70 floats, and the 2025 theme, Hometown Christmas, fits that small-town spirit.
Can a school or group join the Rogers Christmas Parade?
The Rotary Clubs of Rogers handle float entries, lineup and judging, so groups that want to take part should contact them through the parade's announcements. School bands ride for free, and entries have included bands, church groups and city departments. Our Rogers Christmas events guide on this page has current details.
Sources
- Rogers Announces 2025 Christmas Parade Float Winners, Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce
- Rogers Christmas Parade Continues Standing Tradition in Downtown, Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce
- Rogers Christmas Parade returns Friday, at least, Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
- Rogers Christmas Parade Adding Christmas Village for 2023, Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce
- 25 Things to Do in Rogers: Parades, Lights, Holiday Fun, Destination Rogers
- How to Celebrate the Holidays in Rogers, Destination Rogers
- Holiday Fun in Northwest Arkansas: Your 2025 Family Christmas Guide, Macaroni Kid Rogers-Bentonville
- Arkansas & Missouri Railroad, Rally Takes the Train
- Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railway, Rally Takes the Train
- Fort Smith Trolley Museum, Rally Takes the Train