December events in the Arkansas River Valley

Lake Dardanelle State Park in Russellville offers free winter lake cruises on Dec. 1, 6, 9, 15, 17, 18, 23, 28, and 30. It provides a great chance of seeing an American Bald Eagle. Many other spectacular birds may also be in the area for viewing including American white pelicans, ducks, and snow geese. Dress warmly because temperatures and winds can be more severe on the lake. This year the park is taking reservations in an effort to accommodate as many people as possible for the popular tours. Call the visitor center at 479-967-5516 to reserve your seat. Boarding begins 15 minutes before the tour at the boat dock near the Fishing Tournament Weigh-In Facility. Also, in case of inclement weather, call one hour before tour time for possible cancellations.

Russellville’s Downtown Art Walk & Holiday Open House takes place Dec. 2. During this magical event, participating downtown businesses feature talented area artists and their one-of-a-kind works just in time for holiday gift giving. Downtown will be dressed for the season and guests can enjoy art, live music, and refreshments. The art walks are held quarterly on the first Friday in March, June, September and December from 5 to 8 p.m., and are a project of the Russellville Downtown Association, a committee of Main Street Russellville, in partnership with the Arkansas River Valley Arts Center. Visit www.mainstreetrussellville.com or call 479-967-1437 for more information.

The Fort Smith Symphony presents "A Jubilant Christmas," a fun-filled evening of traditional holiday music for the family, on Dec. 3 at the Arkansas Best Corporation Performing Arts Center. American baritone Jubilant Sykes has been the featured soloist with many of the world's finest orchestras and now performs with another outstanding orchestra--the Fort Smith Symphony. Admission, based on seating location, is $35 or $30 for adults and $20 or $15 for students. Call 479-452-7575 or visit www.fortsmithsymphony.org for tickets or more information.

Each holiday season, Van Buren offers its Living Windows displays. This year’s event is at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 3. Van Buren’s Historic Main Street becomes a history lesson as merchants host live window displays depicting the city's colorful history. Call 479-410-1024 or visit www.vanburen.org for more information.

Tour beautifully decorated holiday homes from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 4 during the Logan County Museum Tour of Holiday Homes. Tickets are available the day of the tour from the museum, located at 202 N. Vine St. in Paris. All proceeds benefit the Logan County Museum. Admission is to be announced but is less than $10. Call 479-963-3936 or visit www.logancountymuseum.com for more information.

Enjoy a winter "Walks Through History" tour on Dec. 10 starting at the 1836 Drennen-Scott House in Van Buren. Van Buren was initially developed as a steamboat landing on the Arkansas River, but the town experienced a second period of growth in the 1870s and early 1880s with the arrival of the Little Rock & Fort Smith Railroad followed by the St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad. Van Buren quickly became a regional center of commerce, serving as a distribution point for goods shipped to towns throughout northwest Arkansas. Van Buren has a very intact historic streetscape, including excellent examples of the Queen Anne, Romanesque Revival, and Italianate styles. The tour will also include Fairview Cemetery, Van Buren’s oldest public cemetery, which is located about three blocks north of the district. Admission is free. Call 501-324-9880 or visit www.arkansaspreservation.org for more information.

Learn more about how nature’s creatures prepare for winter at the Lake Dardanelle State Park "Winter at the Lake" event on Dec. 10 in Russellville. Enjoy free programs, crafts, and refreshments. Activities are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors can sip hot apple cider, samples free sweets made by local businesses, and browse through the gift shop in the park visitor center. They can also follow the migration of a bird while playing a life-sized board game, and help feed the winter birds by making some edible ornaments to decorate the park tree. The day ends with a ceremonial lighting of the Master Naturalists' bird feeding tree. Call 479-967-5516 for details.

Sit on the bluffs of Spadra Park overlooking Lake Dardanelle and the Arkansas River to enjoy Spadra Marina's Lighted Boat Parade on Dec. 16 and 17 in Clarksville. The boats leave the marina by 6 p.m. and travel east the length of Spadra Park where they circle around and pass for a second time. Event-goers can view the parade from automobiles, or sit under the stars. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be stopping at the east boat ramp to visit with the kids. The event is free. Spadra Park is located at Exit 58 on Interstate 40. Call 479-754-5021 or visit www.spadramarina.com for more information.