GET READY TO BE DAZZLED

A new holiday event this year, Dazzling Village Lights, will make Bella Vista a regional destination.

From Dec. 1 through Jan. 3, the drive through the Kingsdale complex will be a winter wonderland thanks to volunteers, sponsors and the Bella Vista POA.

“We're going to dazzle you with all the lights,” said Sylvia Camacho-Green, the POA’s community outreach manager. The plan is to light up the natural pine trees with clear lights. Where there are no natural pine trees, artificial trees will be used to fill in the gaps. The display can be seen from vehicles, but walking is also an option.

There will be 40 to 50 commercial-sized decorations set up, she said, so the drive will look a little like Silver Dollar City in Branson, Mo. The decorations are rented through North Pole Productions.

The Bella Vista Woodcarvers Club has agreed to make some original decor that the Village Art Club will paint, Camacho-Green said.

Dick Billmeyer and Lloyd Okeson spent many hours and several saw blades making the first cutout, a set of elves. Next come the angels with a banner that reads “Peace on Earth.”

“It will be time consuming,” Billmeyer predicted.

“The event will put people in the festive mood,” promised Ann Terrill of Tercon Construction, one of the platinum sponsors for the event.

Her company has been involved with other nonprofits, but this is their first big sponsorship.

“We're in a position where we love Bella Vista,” she

explained. “We love the city and we want to grow as a

business as well as contribute to the community.” Other platinum sponsors include MeTV & Univision

Arkansas as well as television station KFSM.

Camacho-Green is still looking for sponsors at

several different levels. Sponsorship information is

available on the POA website, www.bellavistapoa.

com/volunteer/Dazzling/index.asp.

The event will start at 2 p.m. Dec. 1 at Riordan Hall,

where entertainment, refreshments and Christmas

shopping will be available. Camacho-Green is still

lining up entertainment for the afternoon.

Ballet Westside will present excerpts from the

Nutcracker Ballet, Bella Vista’s own Treetop Sisters

will perform along with a group of Dickens Christ

mas Carolers. Also on hand will be the Benton County

School of the Arts, the Pride of Ozark Barbershop

Chorus, the Bella Vista Women’s Chorus, the Bella

Vista Men’s Chorus and the dance group, the Sophis

ticated Ladies.

In addition, the event will offer a puppet show,

photos with Santa Claus, chocolate-covered treats,

a Christmas ornament workshop for children spon

sored by Lowe’s and a silent auction sponsored by

Cooper Elementary School’s art class.

Sponsors and PTO vendors will have tables for in

formation or shopping.

Other communities have already been calling and

asking Camacho-Green how she was able to put to

gether the event, she said.

It’s a uniquely Bella Vista event, she tells them. Bel

la Vista has the volunteers, the performance groups

and the venue for a Christmas festival.

She plans on it becoming an annual event.

Community, Pages 6 on 10/31/2012