Photos courtesy of EXPERIENCE SEARCY
There is a lot to love about Christmastime in Searcy. To be sure, plenty of communities make a mighty good case as a cozy place to spend the holidays. Only one, though, can boast details such as the state’s largest Santa collection, a living nativity drawing visitors from hours around, and seasonal singing at not just any old-fashioned chapel but the oldest documented church building in the state. There is also the not-so-small endorsement of being pinned to the top of Southern Living’s list of “Cutest Christmas Towns in the South.”
“We have a big Fourth of July event. We have a New Year’s Eve ball event. I would say that it’s year-round, but there’s just something special about the holidays,” said Tonia Hale, city council member and co-chair of the Holiday of Lights. “I think that it’s pretty much for everyone that loves the holidays. Everybody comes together. It’s a great time of year. It’s joyful. It’s exciting.”
Everyone involved in the annual Holiday of Lights celebration has worked to make things bigger and better each year. One marquee addition in 2024 was the chance to meet a live reindeer. Needless to say, Prancer was a runaway success and last year’s must-have photo op. Not sure what the turnout would be for the inaugural visit, the committee had some challenges with the sheer number of people who showed up, so this year, they have made adjustments to ensure everyone gets a turn.
Another wrinkle in 2025 event planning was really not a negative at all. The city broke ground earlier this year on its highly anticipated #MySearcy Master Plan. The projects making up the voter-approved 20-year plan represent the largest quality-of-life investment in Searcy’s history. Developments include a new community center, an outdoor water park and upgraded sports facilities. Also on deck are renovations at Riverside and Berryhill parks — the latter of which is a main hub for many a beloved Holiday of Lights festivity.
“This year, there’s construction going on at Berryhill Park, but that is not going to interfere with the Holiday of Lights,” Hale said. “We’re actually going to have three separate lines for people, so we’re going to have a reindeer line, we’re going to have a Santa line, and the Grinch is going to be there. They’ll be able to go to each line and get their pictures taken.”
Construction was purposefully planned to be as unobtrusive as possible to the festivities, but there will be a few necessary reroutes to account for the work. Luckily, that gives the Holiday of Lights crew a chance to make exciting shakeups elsewhere. Yancey Park will undergo a sugary sweet transformation to become Candy Land this season, and children will have the chance to take a train ride around the park through glittering lights and past gingerbread men.
“We’ve got so many neat things coming,” Hale said. “We ordered a gingerbread house that lights up and plays music. We’re going to bring wooden candy canes that the kids have decorated and put them out in Candy Land.”
The big kickoff, the Holiday of Lights lighting ceremony, is set for 6 p.m. Nov. 18 at Berryhill Park, offering coffee, hot cocoa and cookies galore for attendees. This year, however, the anticipation began building long before when the committee found a way to bring another much-loved holiday into the mix.
“We were trying to figure out how do we choose what children come on stage to help do the countdown to flip the switch?” Hale said. “We decided that we would kind of incorporate Halloween into that.”
This past All Hallows’ Eve, there was more at stake for the children of Searcy than dibs on the best treats. Local first responders gave out candy at the Carmichael Community Center with the additional twist of a costume contest. A select number of children who sported standout looks for Halloween will get the opportunity to go onstage during the lighting ceremony and help count down to the official flip of the switch.
“We thought that was kind of a cool idea — you know, dress up in your costume, come out, meet your local heroes, grab some candy, and you might win getting on stage and counting down for the lights to be lit,” Hale said.
AY About You is the media sponsor for this year’s Holiday of Lights, and adding to the excitement for everyone at AY Media Group is that Heather Baker, president and publisher, will be there Nov. 18 to help turn on the lights at the ceremony. A certifiable Christmas fanatic herself — and perhaps the state’s foremost promoter of everything that makes the Natural State great, such as Searcy’s can’t-miss holiday happenings — Baker could not be more eager to play a part in all the fun.
“I am deeply honored to participate in Searcy’s Christmas programming,” Baker said. “The birth of Jesus at Christmas is a truly spectacular moment beautifully captured by Searcy’s dazzling holiday lights. AY Media Group is thrilled to serve as a presenting media sponsor for what is sure to be an unforgettable family extravaganza. The entire town will glow with an awe-inspiring display you won’t want to miss. I invite everyone to join us for the lighting of Searcy and experience this remarkable event.”
Once December rolls around, all eyes are on the city Christmas parade set for Dec. 6. Last year’s parade saw record attendance, and there are hopes of even bigger numbers this time. Part of what makes the parade and other Holiday of Lights celebrations special is the way they reflect the spirit of the local community, and this year’s grand marshal is a poignant example. Searcy resident Carla Fowler will hold the seat of honor in memory of her late husband, Al. His presence and photography at countless community events helped spread the stories of his beloved city to a wider audience.
“Al was a staple in our community,” Hale said. “He showed up at every single event that he could show up to, and he’d take pictures and would put them online. We never had to worry about, you know, if we were participating in that big event, if there was going to be a picture that we could pull for something because Mr. Al was always there. He was very well known in this community, and we absolutely loved him, and we love Carla.”
Filling out the procession will be a menagerie of festive floats adorned in their holiday finery, from classic Christmas decor to favorite children’s characters. One float last year was all about Disney, Hale said, offering princesses and other characters aplenty. The participation of ‘celebrities’ such as Belle and Cinderella points to another trend the committee is more than happy to lean into while pouring on the Christmas cheer.
“We took that idea from that float, and we started doing a bigger Characters, Cocoa and Cookies on Dec. 13 at Lion Arena,” Hale said, referencing an event that has also become a smash hit in recent years. “Searcy High School graciously let us use [the arena] because it’s such a big turnout. We’re going to have all sorts of characters there for the kids to come and meet, as well as grab a cookie or have some punch.”
Formerly known as Characters in the Park, last year’s Characters, Cocoa and Cookies had already moved to the fire station to make room for the growing crowd. Big names from Toy Story and the Marvel universe, along with a roster of Disney princesses, will be in attendance, in addition to everyone’s favorite Advent antihero, the Grinch. Organizers took inspiration from more than just the characters themselves, however.
“What is so neat about it is this year, we’re going to have autograph books like you can take to Disney and get autographs in your book,” Hale said. “We’re going to give those to the kids so that their character can autograph their books.”
That will not be the last chance to see the man in green this holiday season. While Santa will still make his annual appearance to read A Visit from St. Nicholas from the courthouse balcony, the Grinch will have a meet and greet and book giveaway of his own, giving kids the chance to take home two autographed classic Christmas reads.
Holiday of Lights is now primarily run by the city, Hale said, though she and co-chair Tommy Centola have continued to volunteer their time and expertise to help things go off without a hitch. Centola previously shared with AY that he and Hale lived nearby one another until recently, and both were among the residents known for decorating their houses “tremendously” for the season. Though the Hales have since moved, their annual Christmas lights display is nevertheless set to dazzle for Year 2 in the new digs.
“We’ve been doing this for several years,” Hale said. “We actually moved last year into a new house, so my husband had to reconstruct the entire show — and man, that’s been challenging.”
Hale’s husband, Norman, was up for the challenge. This year’s display is set to use more than 70,000 individually controlled lights synced to music, singing trees and more. The Hales have added a manger scene that Hale called “absolutely gorgeous,” as well, and a light panel playing scenes from Frozen in years past will continue to turn heads this season. The house even puts on a spooky light show at the end of October — a great way to sate viewers’ appetites while anticipation builds for the Christmas production.
“We started small because, obviously, it’s a little expensive,” Hale said. “Once we realized that our home could bring joy to other people — because, you know, people would come and be parked outside, watching our show — we thought this is something that God’s blessed us with and put on our hearts.”
When Hale says bigger, she means bigger. The whole front yard switches to a Christmas wonderland after Nov. 1, she said, and the community has embraced it as yet another holiday tradition to make time for each year. Children have been known to get out of the family car to dance to the music, and Hale said she saw a family last year enjoying the view while eating pizza from the back of their pickup truck.
“That’s amazing. That’s what we want,” she said. “We want people to enjoy what we’re doing for them and bring more joy for the holidays.”
Much like everything else across Searcy and the Holiday of Lights, “bigger and better” is the key phrase. Not only have the neighbors welcomed the annual show, Hale said, but one household has even offered their front yard if the Hales want to expand the production.
“We have not had any complaints at all, and we are very thankful for that because, you know, that could hurt your show,” she said. “We have really good neighbors.”
The city’s renown as a holiday destination takes more than one person, committee or city coalition. Pulling off a flurry of events — bringing smiles to children’s faces, giving families chances to gather in the glow of twinkling lights and reminding everyone what the season is really all about — depends on the whole community. If Searcy’s growth and the success of other happenings year-round are any indication, there is no shortage of support from any corner, be it churches and schools to local businesses and residents.
“We have a wonderful community that helps support and sponsor these events,” Hale said. “Ever since I’ve been involved with Holiday of Lights, which I think this is my fourth year, we’ve not had to worry about the financial part because this community comes together and helps sponsor our ideas and bring them to life. I think that’s wonderful.”
Oh, What Fun It Is: Holiday of Lights Checklist
Light Displays
White County Courthouse
300 N. Spruce St.
Historic Downtown Searcy
Multiple locations
Spring Park
113 E. Pleasure Ave.
Harding University
915 E. Market Ave.
Berryhill Park
501 Davis Drive
The Historic Benjamin Clayton Black House and Art Gallery
300 E. Race Ave.
Yancey Park
950 Skyline Drive
Events
Pumpkins & Peppermints
Holiday Craft Fair
Nov. 8
Carmichael Community Center
Harding University Lighting Ceremony
Nov. 17
Harding University
Holiday of Lights Lighting Ceremony
Nov. 18
Berryhill Park
The Polar Express PJ Party
Dec. 6
Rialto Theater
Living Nativity
Dec. 5-7, 10, 12-14
Searcy First Assembly
2025 Searcy Christmas Parade
Dec. 6
Downtown
Christmas Music at Smyrna Church
Dec. 7
Smyrna Church
A Christmas Carol Classic Radiocast
Dec. 11-14, 18-21
Train Rides at Yancey Park
Dec. 12-13, 19-20
Yancey Park
Characters, Cocoa & Cookies
Dec. 13
Searcy Lion Arena
AY About You is the proud media sponsor of the 2025 Holiday of Lights celebration.
