BENTONVILLE — Toyland is opening a new location this year.
The Nov. 3 event will be held in the Walmart Home Office parking lot. The site is located next to Fire Station No. 1 at the intersection of Southwest A Street and Southwest 8th Street. The site is located on the west side of 8th Avenue.
Toyland has been held in the downtown plaza for more than a decade. The journey south is just over 800m.
Walmart said it will continue to lead the event with support from Downtown Bentonville.
Throughout the day, kids of all ages can try out the latest Walmart-exclusive toys for the upcoming holiday shopping season.
“If you’ve attended Toyland over the past few years, you’ve noticed that this event has grown exponentially beyond our initial expectations,” said Downtown Bentonville Executive Director Dana Schlagenhaft. It should have been.” “In addition to the community presence, it also presents a logistical challenge. With multiple construction projects underway and the current downtown site experiencing changes, it is appropriate for the size and scope of this year’s Toyland.” “The decision to move Toyland to the Walmart Home Office parking lot in 2023 will create a more controlled environment for all participants.”
Downtown Bentonville, Inc. is committed to promoting community and improving the downtown experience for everyone, according to its website.
At its Sept. 26 meeting, the City Council approved an amendment to the annual agreement with Downtown Bentonville Inc. regarding the relocation of Toyland to the parking lot.
Brittany Smith, vice president of merchandising for Walmart’s toy division, said, “We are thrilled that our event has grown so much and are grateful for the ease of moving it to a larger venue.” “We think it will be another great event this year, and we look forward to seeing even more community members come and enjoy Toyland.”
Parks and Recreation Director David Wright said the event had to be moved because the downtown plaza where the event has been held for years doesn’t have enough space to accommodate vendors.
Wright estimates that past Toyland events have drawn as many as 20,000 people.
“It was hard to walk,” Wright said. “It wasn’t comfortable. And there were a lot of kids getting lost.”
Schlagenhaft said it made sense to move Toyland to a larger location because of safety and the scope of the event. The event has had logistical problems in the past, she said.
She said no decision has yet been made as to where Toyland will be held in 2024.
Construction projects underway downtown include two new hotels with parking decks, a Walmart museum, and an expansion of the public library.
Work has begun on the A Street Promenade, Wright said. The A Street Promenade will connect Bentonville Commons, a planned plaza and activity space, to Lawrence Plaza three blocks north.
Wright said construction will begin soon on Town Branch Park, which is part of the Downtown Quilt of Parks.