Arkansas Recreation & Parks Association Event of the Year
Joy Starts Here!
Make NEA your destination to kick off the Christmas season.
On December 6, Downtown Jonesboro will be filled with holiday cheer at the annual JoyFest Christmas Celebration. Enjoy the Christmas Tree lighting, live music, kids’ activities, and a Holiday Market with local vendors and treats. Bring your family for a fun day of shopping, festive traditions, and even a chance to meet Santa Claus while you explore historic downtown Jonesboro!
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Christmas Tree Lighting
See the beautiful 55-foot RightFiber Christmas Tree at the heart of the celebration.
Bartons Vendor Village
Barton's Vendor Village features small shops, perfect for doing some Christmas shopping and supporting local artisans and vendors!
Santa Pictures
Capture the holiday magic with Santa photos at the Century 21 Santa Station.
General Hours of Operation
After opening day: 3:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Book Your Staycation
Make the most of your JoyFest experience with a special Staycation Package at the Embassy Suites. Relax, enjoy, and celebrate the season without the stress of travel.
Embassy Suites Stay
VIP at JoyFest
Breakfast with Santa
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Passes to Santa's North Pole
In Room Hot Cocoa, Charcuterie, Surprises, & More!
Feel the Ho Ho Ho-liday Magic!
How JoyFest Started
What started out as a simple tree-lighting with a table of cookies and coffee has grown into Jonesboro’s premier Christmas celebration. JoyFest brings thousands of people to historic Downtown Jonesboro each year on the first Saturday in December.
Sarah Rickert, a lover of all things Christmas, wanted to bring the look and feel of Hallmark Christmas movies to Jonesboro. So, in 2019, with a handful of elves, she went to work on her inspiration.
That first year was simple. With the help of some sponsors and the Downtown Jonesboro Alliance, a 20-foot-tall lighted tree was purchased and placed next to the United Way building on Union Street in Downtown Jonesboro. Mayor Harold Perrin flipped the switch (connected the extension cord) and JoyFest was born!
But JoyFest — and Sarah’s vision — was just getting started. The next year, JoyFest as we know it now took shape. Santa, a Ferris wheel, vendors, theater performances, live music, and even snow were brought in. Ritter Communications put up a 50-foot string light “tree” across the street. Throw in a ceremonial tree-lighter to flip a big candy cane switch and the feel of a Hallmark movie was complete!
Since then, a pavilion has been added on Union, providing a weather-proof home for First Community Bank’s Wonderland Rink — a long-standing Jonesboro attraction — and the nostalgic Winter Wonderland display next door has been reimagined as part of the JoyFest Christmas Tree Trail.
To celebrate the 5th anniversary of JoyFest in 2023, Ritter Communications/RightFiber donated a 54-foot-tall pre-lighted tree, making it the centerpiece of the celebration.
Each year, JoyFest finds new ways to create holiday magic. Whether it’s a family picture at the RightFiber Tree or a selfie on Snowflake Lane, Christmas memories are made at JoyFest.
What started out with a handful of people has grown into thousands celebrating the start of the Christmas season. Others are taking notice — JoyFest was recently awarded the 2025 Arkansas Recreation and Parks Association Event of the Year.
So bring your appetite for holiday cheer and the Christmas spirit, and join us on the first Saturday in December on Union Street in Downtown Jonesboro. Merry Christmas!
Our Sponsors
Get Involved
Download the file below and email the finished application to events@downtownjonesboro.com or call DJA at (870) 897-9456 with any questions. Thanks for your interest!
Join the JoyFest Choir
For choir inquiries, contact Amy Baker
