There are a lot of usual holiday activities that people can’t do this year because of the pandemic. But one thing that people can enjoy is taking driving tours of the Christmas light displays at businesses, parks and the Great Passion Play.
This year the lights at the Great Passion Play are better than ever, the result of work done primarily by volunteers starting back in July.
“It has changed over the years,” Kent Butler, director of operations, said. “We had the Dickens Christmas program for four of five years, but because of bad weather, that got cancelled. We didn’t have Christmas lights at the Passion Play for five years. But when Randall Christie became CEO of the Passion Play, he loves Christmas, and decided we should dedicate some time each year to put up Christmas decorations.”
They started with lights at the entrance to the property where there’s a tunnel arch over the road. In earlier years, youth groups on missions to the Passion Play worked on displays. Work done during rainy periods included constructing lighted wire angels that hang on the sides of the tunnel.
“A lot of those displays are based on work kids on missions have done,” Butler said. “They have really transformed the property. This year the coronavirus made having inbound youth mission groups not tenable. But we had groups with Arkansas Campers on Mission who worked as family groups and stayed on the property.”
In June they had the idea to light up the whole set of the Great Passion Play washing it with Christmas colors. While viewers at this time of year can’t go down to the seating, they can view the three-story-high set from the top of the outdoor auditorium.
“Each year we are going to add more and more to that,” Butler said. “It is easy to build those lights, but it takes some time. We also have a nativity scene in the Tomb of Christ area on the stage. We haven’t had many groups come and see the Passion Play this year because of the pandemic. But one group that came wrapped and decorated all the area around the Christ of the Ozarks statute. These are the most lights we have ever put up. Next year we plan ways to do it better.”
As anyone who has done even small outdoor lighting displays knows, it can be frustrating sometimes when lights are damaged and stop working. What do they do at Passion Play?
“We pray over ours,” Butler said. “The Christmas lights are very frustrating at times. When you put them on frames, it is easy to get a loose contact and all the lights go out. We have older women volunteers who help us out. They just sit at an outlet and plug in the lights. If they don’t work, we attempt to repair them. If we can’t repair them, they are recycled.”
Today they replace fluorescent lights that have gone out with more efficient and durable LED lights. For example, one fluorescent stage light uses 1,000 watts of electricity. Right now, the entire set of LED lights on the stage uses only 900 watts.
“LEDs are always the way to go,” Butler said. “You are able to do so much more with LEDs. LED lighting conversion is super nice and super important because it saves so much energy. Eventually we will be all LED. I look forward to that day.”
Another way to save energy is that the lights are turned off at 8 p.m. They found most of the traffic comes before 8 p.m. Butler said it is being good stewards of time and electricity to turn the light off when they don’t have as many people coming.
The displays are part of a citywide strategy to attract more visitors to Eureka Springs during the normally slow winter season.
“I really think people are getting behind doing more things to draw people in on a year-around basis,” Butler said. “It is beautiful to be in Eureka Springs any time of the year.”
About halfway from the entrance to the Christ of the Ozarks statue, there is a Christmas tree forest that attracts a lot of favorable comments. It looks particularly charming from a distance.
On weekend nights near Christmas, there has been a constant parade of cars with visitors looking at the displays.
“I think it is important to give something for people to do safely,” Butler said. “It does help us to remember, yes, we are in the middle of the pandemic. But there are some things in our lives that can be unchanging. We don’t have to live in fear, but we do need to live wisely. Don’t help the transmission of the disease, but give people ways to enjoy life safely. We hope as people drive by they will be encouraged by the Christmas spirit.”
Entrance to Great Passion Play Christmas lighting display is by donation.