Downtown Jonesboro is about to sparkle again with holiday cheer as the fifth annual Joy Fest kicks off the season with festive lights and decorations, live music and family-friendly activities. Born from the efforts of passionate community members and the Downtown Jonesboro Alliance, this event not only highlights the charm of the city but also creates a sense of togetherness, drawing visitors from near and far to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year.

Downtown Jonesboro Alliance’s (DJA) events coordinator, Sarah Rickert, has always wanted Jonesboro to be a destination for holiday celebrations.

“Ever since I can remember, I have loved to find ways to bring people together, whether it is just a few friends or large groups to celebrate or come together for a common purpose to help others,” said Rickert. “For some time, I would express to my husband, Craig, the desire for our community to have seasonal festivals for our families to enjoy together, as I would search out nearby towns who may have fun festivals or events for us to travel to and take part in. Perhaps I have watched a few too many Great American Family and Hallmark movies, but I was convinced that our town was perfect for a Christmas celebration. My husband encouraged me to take my event planning experience and go for it. So, in 2019, I started making calls and meeting people for coffee to share this idea.

“One of those coffees was with the Director of the Downtown Jonesboro Alliance at that time, Lindsey Wingo, who embraced the idea and was excited to have it downtown. I had found a kindred spirit in Lindsey, and soon we discovered that our town is full of people who were very supportive of bringing our community together for the holidays. The hope of gathering people in our town for a day of joy and Christmas festivities was coming to fruition, and so I thought Joy Fest would be the perfect name for it.

A few short months later, we had our first Joy Fest on Union by the United Way mural (where the pavilion now stands). We had raised enough money to get a 20-foot lighted tree and were joined by a small but happy crowd, and (then) Mayor Harold Perrin helped us count down and light the tree.”

After humble beginnings, with an estimated 40 people in attendance at the inaugural Joy Fest in 2019, the event has grown each year; about 5,000 people attended in 2023. This year, DJA executive director Sarah Doss hopes that the event will be bigger and better than ever before.

“We always try to think of new and unique things to incorporate into this event,” said Doss. “This year, we are thrilled to announce we were able to bring in a carousel, in addition to our Ferris wheel, teacups, train and ice-skating rink.

“Each year we like to have a bigger purpose to this event and find ways to use this platform to better our community. This year we are partnering with Sleep in Heavenly Peace and collecting blankets.”

In addition to the fun family-friendly activities, Joy Fest will also feature musical performances by Cory Jackson, Delta Canyon, Chieftain Lane Revival, Turnip Greens, the FOA and The Link Theatre Company. More than 50 vendors will be selling goods at Joy Fest. The lighting of the impressive Christmas tree is also a highly anticipated event for many Joy Fest attendees.

“I am so very proud to have RightFiber take Joy Fest to the next level with an amazing 54-foot Christmas tree that is the centerpiece for our town for the holiday season,” said Rickert. “The lighting of the RightFiber tree is truly a highlight of Joy Fest.”

Joy Fest is just one component of the many ways Jonesboro comes together to jump-start the holiday season.

“I am excited for how Jonesboro is now the destination for Northeast Arkansas for kicking off the Christmas season,” said Rickert. “With the Christmas parade on Friday night, Joy Fest on Saturday and the North Pole, Christmas Tree Plantation and Christmas at the Park, Jonesboro has enough to fill a weekend with all things Christmas. This led me to starting the Christmas Staycation a few years ago with Embassy Suites. With this package, guests enjoy a beautiful stay at Embassy Suites, a hot chocolate charcuterie in their room, VIP tickets to Joy Fest, passes to Christmas in the Park and The North Pole, and breakfast with Santa the next morning. It is such a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season.”

Although any event comes with its own set of challenges, both Rickert and Doss agree that seeing people enjoy the magic of the holiday season makes Joy Fest worthwhile.

“Success can be measured in so many ways – I could get into the money raised or statistics, but I truly feel that the most rewarding part of this event is seeing our community come together to enjoy the Christmas season,” said Doss. “Obviously the money raised and statistics are very important, but there is just something so sweet about standing back and watching the magic of Christmas take place right here in Downtown Jonesboro. Between the snow machines, photos with Santa, the tree lighting and so much more, there truly is no event like this one.”

Joy Fest will take place on Union Street in Downtown Jonesboro on Saturday, Dec. 7, beginning at 3 p.m. The event is free to attend. To learn more about Joy Fest, find the event on Facebook or go to DJA’s website, downtownjonesboro.com.