Ring in the holidays and explore our secret season

Familiar tunes waft through the air, the shops are bright and busy, and twinkling lights fill the night. The holiday season has arrived in Eureka Springs, and the gift bag is packed with special events for everyone; take your choice of concerts this season, from traditional choral music to be-boppin' swing or even the haunting strains of Native American flute. It's an old-fashioned Christmas done with style, so tear open those gifts and have the time of your life with cookie tours, a gallery stroll, live music and the classic Candlelight Tour of Homes. The festivities don't wind down after Christmas, however: several businesses will host New Year's Eve events, so you can ring in 2008 right.

  While most towns have just four seasons, Eureka Springs has five, and the fifth one comes right after the holidays. It's our secret season, a time when the crowds thin out but the fun doesn't. The secret season is the perfect time to book a quiet getaway, do some shopping and antiquing, explore all the hiking trails, and really discover the heart of the town. The weather might be a little chilly, but the atmosphere is warm and gracious as you meet locals in coffee shops, learn about the area's history, and see the undraped beauty of the Ozarks in winter. Our secret season isn't something we share with everyone, just our closest friends, like you. So enjoy the opportunity to relax, see a museum or two, take in some local music and find out what makes Eureka Springs such a great place to be; you might even feel the magnetic pull of those healing springs, and end up a local yourself.