May Festival of the Arts

On Thursday, May 13th, as the sun slips behind the Ozark Mountains and dusk settles upon Eureka Springs, the inaugural Eureka Springs Grand Illumination will commence with a lighting ceremony on the great lawn of the historic Crescent Hotel…and so will begin yet another tradition that we hope will last for many years: recognizing Eureka Springs’ Luminary Of The Year.

The Luminary Of The Year is a recognition bestowed upon an individual from the greater Eureka Spring area for their selfless efforts towards the betterment of our community.

The 2010 Luminary of the year is Dee Bright. Dee is being recognized for the scores of hours she devotes to public service each year. In addition to serving as president of The Eureka Springs Preservation Society, Dee also sits on the Historic District Commission and is actively involved in the Eureka Springs Downtown Network. Dee and her husband Rick own two B&Bs in Eureka Springs; The Eureka Springs Hideaway and The Border House.

1886 Historic Crescent Hotel

This ceremony is free and open to the public. We encourage you to join us on the great lawn of The Crescent Hotel, Thursday, May 13th from 8-9pm. Dress is summer casual. There will be light hors d’oeuvres and cash bar.

At approximately 8:30pm, the Luminary Of The Year will ‘throw the switch’ an officially light the inaugural Eureka Springs Grand Illumination.

Eureka Springs will welcome spring with a citywide display of colorful paper lanterns as vibrant and exciting as the city’s famous spring flowers. The inaugural Eureka Springs Grand Illumination will take place in the middle of Eureka’s May Festival Of The Arts over the weekend of May 13th-16th.

Downtown Eureka will be aglow with thousands of brilliant paper lanterns, day and night, as will many of the city’s stately Victorian homes. In addition to the beautiful displays other Eureka Springs Grand Illumination activities include paper lantern painting for kids in Basin Spring Park.

Grand Illumination on Martha's Vineyard features Chinese & Japanese painted lanterns grandly visible night and day.

The event is patterned after the century-old Grand Illumination of the cottage-city gingerbread homes on Martha’s Vineyard. (see photo)

Visitors to Eureka Springs that weekend are encouraged to bring cameras, or paints and easel, to capture the homes, gardens and businesses in illumination. For more information about this May Festival of the Arts event, contact David Graupner – (479) 981-4355 – Email David or visit the Eureka Springs Grand Illumination website.