Signature
Events

Sip and stroll your way through lit paths of the Garden surrounded by the winter glow of 2,000 luminarias and artistic lighting installations designed to illuminate the Garden in an entirely new way. Timed tickets will allow up to 100 family units per hour to enjoy the Garden from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in the three weeks before Christmas.

Weekend One: Sounds of the Season | Dec 6-8

Enjoy performances by local school children and talented area music groups, spreading joy through holiday classics and winter melodies.

Weekend Two: Holiday Market | Dec 13-15

Discover a curated selection of unique, handmade items from local artists and merchants—perfect for one-of-a-kind gifts that make the season special.

Weekend Three: Music in the Garden | Dec 20-22

Experience the serene beauty of winter with enchanting pop-up performances by area musicians, creating a cozy, holiday atmosphere amidst the Garden’s luminaria and winter landscape.

The Botanical Garden of the Ozarks’ first annual Arkansas Gardening School is a horticultural symposium for beginner home gardeners, featuring expert-led programs by horticulturists, garden designers, and landscape architects. Through illustrated talks and Q&A sessions, participants will learn to create beautiful, sustainable, and successful gardens in the Ozarks.

This years event will focus on the connection between gardens and well-being, offering practical tips for creating low-maintenance gardens, accessible design strategies, and tools to make gardening easier for all ages. Attendees will leave inspired and ready to start or enhance their home garden or greater happiness and health.

Join us for the Earth Day Garden Market, an enchanting celebration that combines our annual Earth Day festivities with the excitement of the BGO Plant Sale.  This family-friendly festival offers a blend of fun, education, and community spirit, featuring interactive activites, crafts, games and live music. 

Shop from over 20 local vendors selling a variety of plants, flowers, pottery, garden accents, and unique artisan products. Garden Members enjoy first access to the sale. Celebrate our shared home, the earth, and join us in committing to its protection and preservation! 

Chefs in the Garden is BGO’s signature spring fundraiser and a favorite of foodies across Northwest Arkansas! This event is a showcase and competition of the region’s best restaurants. Attendees are invited to stroll through the Garden, enjoy live music, watch cooking demonstrations by the area’s finest chefs, sample their tasty creations, and sip on local libations. 

Terrific Tuesday Nights is a family-friendly, free summer series hosted at the Garden every Tuesday evening in June, July and August. This series allows the Northwest Arkansas community to experience the Garden on beautiful summer evenings free of charge, thanks to the Pat & Willard Walker Foundation, Inc. Attendees enjoy different activities and themes each week, like Amazing Animals, Ice Cream Social, Sprinkler Fest, and more!

During Firefly Fling, the Garden transforms into a whimsical realm, meant to inspire attendees to embrace the magic of the outdoors. Participants dress up as fairies, pirates, superheroes, and other magical creatures! This family-friendly event features community partner booths with interactive educational displays and activities, live music, food trucks & treats, face painting and henna tattoos, fire dancing, a laser light show, and so much more!

During Firefly Fling, the Garden transforms into a whimsical realm, meant to inspire guests to embrace the magic of the outdoors. Guests dress up as fairies, pirates, superheroes, and other magical creatures! This family-friendly event features community partner booths with interactive educational displays and activities, live music, food trucks & treats, face painting & henna tattoos, fire dancing, a laser light show, and so much more!

Celebrate the beauty of fall with the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks’ inaugural Fall Garden Market. Explore a diverse selection of trees, bulbs, and seasonal plants from 20+ local vendors, along with pottery, garden accents, art, and other unique creations by local artisans. Garden members enjoy exclusive early access to the sale!

Autumn Harvest is our signature fall fundraiser that celebrates the changing of seasons! Attendees enjoy live music, barbeque, and seasonal ales and ciders, all while surrounded by the vibrant colors of fall, scarecrows and pumpkins. 

The Scarecrow Showdown is a temporary art installation and competition, from October 1 to October 31, showcasing handcrafted scarecrows created by the Northwest Arkansas community. Individuals, families, artists, schools, organizations, businesses, and more can partake in creating scarecrows! Access to view and vote is available as a benefit of General Admission through the month of October.