On Saturday, October 24, trunks will be parked in rows at the Vilonia Baseball Complex on Cemetery Street, with hot dogs, candy and hay rides. All of it is free, and it runs from 5 to 7 p.m. One week later and across town, Ohana Celebration Park starts its own Halloween-day party at 3 p.m. It has a chili pot contest, a dessert table, a trunk or treat run by a volunteer fire department and a glow parade.
That makes two Halloween Saturdays in a row with two different hosts. The holidays follow the same pattern. Ohana's Lake of Lights opens November 28, and a week later the City's Christmas Parade comes down Main Street. From late October through December, Vilonia's big nights alternate between City Hall's events near Cemetery and Main and a family-owned park at 45 Lester Flatt Drive.
Four dates, two hosts
| Date | Event | Host | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Oct. 24, 5–7 p.m. | Vilonia Trunk or Treat 2026 | Vilonia City Hall | Vilonia Baseball Complex, Cemetery Street |
| Sat., Oct. 31, 3–9 p.m. | Fall Fest Chili Cook-Off & Dessert Competition | Ohana Celebration Park, with Hilltop Volunteer Fire Dept. | 45 Lester Flatt Drive |
| Nov. 28–Dec. 27 | Lake of Lights Christmas Trails, 2nd season | Ohana Celebration Park | Around the park's 22-acre lake |
| Sat., Dec. 5, parade 5:45 p.m. | 16th Annual Vilonia Christmas Parade | City of Vilonia | Starts at Cemetery and Main |
The two Halloween events come from two different places in town, so families have two separate nights to plan around.
October 24: the City's night on Cemetery Street
Vilonia Trunk or Treat 2026 is put on by Vilonia City Hall, but local businesses and community organizations make it happen. They're the ones who decorate the trunks and hand out the candy. The City calls it "one of our annual favorites." The flyer lists hot dogs, candy and hay rides, all free.
Businesses, churches or clubs that want a spot can reserve a trunk location by emailing [email protected] or filling out the form on the City's Trunk or Treat page. The City also posts its event updates in the Connect Vilonia app, which is free for iPhone and Android.
The event lasts two hours and wraps up at 7 p.m. That's early enough for a quick dinner on Main Street. The Taco Bell at 1126 Main Street, which the City first announced in February 2025, was up and running in time for a county restaurant inspection on September 17, 2026.
October 31: a birthday party that doubles as Halloween
Ohana's Fall Fest mixes two occasions. The park calls it "Ohana Park's birthday celebration & our Fall Festival mashup." The schedule has three parts:
- 3 p.m.: The Chili Cook-Off and Dessert Competition begins.
- 5:30 p.m.: Cook-off and dessert awards are announced.
- Through 9 p.m.: Hilltop Volunteer Fire Dept. joins this year with a Trunk or Treat and a glow parade.
Admission is free, and so is entering the cook-off or the dessert competition. The park asks entrants to call ahead if they plan to bring "your famous chili or delicious dessert."
This is the opposite of the City's event a week earlier. The October 24 event is short, early and built around the trunks. The October 31 event starts in mid-afternoon, has a contest built in, and runs past dark, when a glow parade makes the most sense. A family with kids can easily make both.
Why a park has a birthday
The park doesn't say which milestone its birthday marks, but its history gives some context. The property started more than 40 years ago as Lester Flatt Memorial Park, founded by O.G. and Elizabeth Kuykendall. The Mize family took it over in 2021, and it has gone by Ohana Celebration Park ever since. Ohana calls itself family-owned and operated. The Fall Fest listing gives no year or number for the birthday.
That history explains the calendar's split. Half of Vilonia's seasonal events come from City Hall. The other half come from a privately run venue whose grounds include an open-air chapel overlooking the 22-acre spring-fed lake, an open pavilion with a stage, a renovated backstage green room and Komohana Lodge. The park's own homepage says the lake is locally known as Lake Elizabeth and describes it as crystal clear, spring-fed and open for fishing, swimming and boating. KARK's June 2026 coverage called it Lake Bailey, so both names are in circulation. The same water that draws swimmers and boaters is what the Lake of Lights trail circles in December.
The pumpkin patch is in Mayflower, and it closes November 1
Vilonia doesn't have its own pumpkin patch on this calendar. The closest confirmed one is Schaefers and Collins Pumpkin Farm at 864 Lollie Road in Mayflower. Its 2026 season runs September 19 through November 1, and it welcomes families as well as school and church groups. The farm's online activity prices date from 2024, so ask about current pricing before you go.
The timing matters. The patch's last day is Sunday, November 1, the day after Ohana's Fall Fest. For anyone who wants a hayride and a pumpkin, the open days between the two Halloween Saturdays are the easy window.
November 28: the lights go back to the lake
After Halloween, Ohana takes over the calendar for about a month. Its Lake of Lights Christmas Trails is listed for November 28 through December 27, 2026, and the park calls this its "2nd season." The park describes the route like this:
"Get ready to stroll (or golf cart tour!) through a sparkling trail of lights that winds its way around our 22 acre lake filled with thousands of twinkling lights, festive decorations & warm cocoa or spiced apple cider by the fire."
Characters on the route may include the Grinch, Santa and "a few stray gingerbread folks." The park is closed on Christmas Day.
Some details aren't settled yet. The hours on the current event listing still give last season's schedule: Thursday through Sunday, sunset to 9 p.m., for November 29 through December 28, 2025. The same page says a calendar with exact dates is coming. A separate, undated Lake of Lights page lists $10 per vehicle and gives another date range. Until the park posts its 2026 schedule, treat the opening date as confirmed, the nightly hours as last year's schedule, and the $10 price as an undated figure to check with the park.
December 5: the parade returns to Main Street
The last big date goes back to the City. The 16th Annual Vilonia Christmas Parade is Saturday, December 5. Judging starts at 5 p.m. and the parade steps off at 5:45. The route:
- Starts at Cemetery Street and Main
- Runs along Main
- Turns onto Bise
- Continues to Loyd
- Ends at the intersection of Loyd/Eagle Street and Hwy 107
The parade starts at the same corner as the season. The Baseball Complex that hosts October's trunks sits on Cemetery Street, and the parade route begins at Cemetery and Main. December 5 is also the second Saturday of the Lake of Lights run. Between 5:30 and 9 p.m. that night, the parade on Main and the lights at Ohana could overlap, and you could catch both in one evening if the park's 2026 hours match its listed start time.
The 2026 calendar at a glance
- Oct. 24: City Hall, Cemetery Street, 5–7 p.m., free
- Oct. 31: Ohana, Lester Flatt Drive, 3–9 p.m., free
- Nov. 1: Last day at Schaefers and Collins in Mayflower
- Nov. 28: Ohana's Lake of Lights opens
- Dec. 5: City parade from Cemetery and Main, 5:45 p.m.
- Dec. 27: Lake of Lights closes
If you're thinking about selling or buying in Vilonia, the same calendar that sets your weekends can set your timing too. Richard Henley and Will can help you plan showings, photos and moving day around the busy Saturdays, so you don't lose a week of the holiday season. Ask for a free home valuation whenever it fits your schedule. We're glad to talk it through with no pressure.
