Eureka Springs’ Christmas season has long been defined by traditions that anchor the month of December: the Christmas Parade of Lights, which fills Spring and Main Streets with floats, bands and spectators from across the region; the Preservation Society’s Tour of Homes, drawing thousands inside the city’s historic Victorian residences; and the Victorian Silver Tea, now in its 58th year, hosted by St. James Episcopal Church in the Crystal Dining Room of the 1886 Crescent Hotel. These events —each decades old — form the core of a holiday celebration that has made Eureka Springs HolidayTown USA and one of the Ozarks’ most recognized Christmas destinations.
Another tradition, newer but now firmly established, has become just as central to the season: Living Windows. Created during the years when Main Street Eureka Springs coordinated downtown programming, Living Windows began as an effort to animate Spring Street on December evenings and support local merchants. The concept was simple — invite performers to pose behind storefront glass as live, motionless holiday scenes — but it immediately resonated with visitors and locals for its creativity and its fit within Eureka Springs’ Victorian streetscape.
Merchants embraced the idea, volunteers and artists stepped forward, and the event quickly grew from a handful of displays into a full downtown experience. Over time, Living Windows expanded beyond traditional holiday themes to include artistic tableaux, Victorian characters, musical duos and scenes inspired by fine art. What began as a small activation became a widely recognized event that draws large crowds and has become one of the most photographed nights of the Christmas season.
When Laci Moffitt and Heart of Eureka later assumed leadership of downtown programming, the organization adopted Living Windows as a signature component of its December schedule. By coordinating merchant participation, improving production consistency and pairing the event with other holiday programming, Heart of Eureka helped position Living Windows as an essential part of the city’s larger Christmas celebration. Today it stands alongside the Parade of Lights, Tour of Homes, and Silver Tea as one of Eureka Springs’ defining seasonal traditions.
Living Windows returns this Saturday, Dec. 13, bringing with it the displays and street-level energy that have made the event a favorite for families, photographers and holiday visitors. Dozens of storefronts along Spring Street are expected to participate, each presenting a unique scene staged by local artists, students, performers and businesses. Carolers and street musicians will accompany the displays, and many downtown shops will remain open for extended evening hours.
The format remains unchanged from its earliest years because it continues to work: Attendees walk the length of Spring Street, stopping at each window to take in the live displays while enjoying the atmosphere of historic downtown dressed for the season. Living Windows continues to grow not because of spectacle, but because it highlights what makes Eureka Springs distinct — its architecture, its creative community and the commitment of local businesses and volunteers who bring the event to life.
Living Windows begins at dusk on Saturday. Visitors are encouraged to arrive early, dress warmly and experience one of Eureka Springs’ most unique Christmas traditions.
