Catch 100+ Movie-Magic Floats at the Bentonville Christmas Parade on the Square

Every family has a Christmas movie they can quote line for line. It comes out every December, usually gets watched from the same spot on the couch, and somebody always says the best line a few seconds before the actor does.

The 2026 Bentonville Christmas Parade moves those favorites off the screen and onto floats. Characters you know by heart show up on floats, and scenes you have watched many times play out right in front of you.

THE DEETS

📅 Saturday, December 12, 2026
🕕 6 PM
📍 The Bentonville Square, 100 N Main St, Bentonville
🎬 Lights, Camera, Christmas
💵 Free to watch
🎟️ Parade entry is $40 for community groups and organizations, and free for bands
📝 Applications due November 10 at https://christmasparade2026.paperform.co/
🔗 More info at https://downtownbentonville.org/do/bentonville-christmas-parade

Source: Downtown Bentonville Inc.

Lights, Camera, Float

The 2026 theme sends classic holiday films down the parade route as rolling scenes. Floats can pull from Elf, Home Alone, A Christmas Story, The Polar Express, Miracle on 34th Street, The Grinch and other family favorites.

The goal is storytelling with visuals you recognize at a glance, so spectators smile the moment a float rolls into view.

Front Row Seats on Main Street

Live acts roll alongside the floats as the parade winds through downtown Bentonville. Grab a spot along Main Street and watch the whole lineup go by.

Source: Downtown Bentonville Incorporated

Casting Call for Your Crew

Community groups and organizations can join the lineup, and so can bands. Each group picks its own scene, character or iconic moment, and any seasonal film that warms the heart is fair game. Groups apply online.

Roll Credits

National brands follow a different path into the parade. They are subject to sponsorship discussions.

Bring your family and friends, and cheer for the floats you love as the Christmas classics roll by. See you there, NWA.