It’s the end of an era for one legendary local event.
The Junior League of Little Rock announced on Wednesday that its popular Holiday House shopping event would not return to the social calendar, with 2024 serving as its final appearance.
For more than 30 years, JLLR’s signature fundraiser featured multiple days of exclusive shopping events for attendees to peruse ahead of the traditional gifting season. Holiday House raised more than $5 million over its history to support area nonprofits and JLLR initiatives like Stuff the Bus, Kota Camp and Little Readers Rock.
A post-pandemic review of attendance and feedback led JLLR to retire Holiday House as a tentpole event and instead focus on a variety of activities “rather than simply maintaining tradition.”
Credit: Junior League of Little Rock
“While Holiday House has been a cornerstone fundraising event for our organization, we’re excited about the opportunities this change creates,” says Whitnie Hall Eason, this year’s JLLR president. “This decision allows us to redirect our energy toward more direct community engagement and opportunities to showcase the meaningful work we do throughout the year.”
These new initiatives and fundraisers include the recurring Mahjong Mondays throughout the fall and the upcoming Bingo for Bags in November, as well as August’s Play it FOREward at Topgolf and March’s Pickleball With Purpose held in partnership with The Hat Club, all in an effort to “align more closely with JLLR’s mission of developing women’s leadership and improving communities.”
“We’re not stepping back, we’re stepping forward,” Hall Eason says. “This change represents our commitment to evolving with our community’s needs and finding more impactful ways to serve central Arkansas families.”
Learn more about JLLR and upcoming events on the organization’s website, and follow along on Facebook and Instagram for updates.