The Great Passion Play 2024 Season

The Great Passion Play, Eureka Springs AR

Eureka Springs’ Great Passion Play theater and theme park opened in 1968 and has only become more famous with every passing year. The attraction is home to the towering Christ of the Ozarks monument, tours of the “Holy Land,” and a 4,000 seat outdoor amphitheater presenting stunning reenactments of “The Greatest Story Ever Told.”

The Eureka Springs area is home to many standout attractions. For Christians, however, few can compete with The Great Passion Play. This amazing, Christian theme park was the brainchild of Gerald L. K. Smith. Smith, a conservative politician, retired to Eureka Springs in the 1960’s. Of course, his idea of retirement was a much more active pursuit than most!

Smith’s passion for spreading the word of the gospel was mighty. He proved this with his first big project: the seven story Christ of the Ozarks on the peak of Magnetic Mountain. Not content to stop there, Smith began formulating plans for the Passion Play park during the statue’s construction.

Best of all, the park is only a half hour’s drive from the Beaver Lake cabins and suites of Sugar Ridge Resort!

Attractions at the Park

The Great Passion Play theme park offers a great number of Christian-themed attractions. The most famous is The Great Passion Play itself: an hour-and-forty-five minute reenactment of Christ’s last week of mortal life. This thrilling epic drama is staged on a highly detailed, multi-level set featuring special effects, live animals, and a cast of 170 actors. All before a massive, a 4,000 seat outdoor amphitheater. Performances occur several times a week each month, May to October, with special performances around Easter and Christmas.

Beyond the live performances of The Passion Play are many family-friendly, theme park attractions. Popular experiences like the Holy Land Tour, where you can experience scenes and meet characters from biblical history first-hand. Visit the Bible Museum to see more than 6,000 different Bibles in 625 languages.

The Sacred Arts Center is home to more than 1,000 works of art, some of them going all of the way back to the ninth century! There are also special presentations to attend, a biblical marketplace to browse, and dining in The Great Hall Buffet.

Those looking to stretch their legs will enjoy the 18 miles of mountain biking, hiking, and trail running trails, designed for . One trail even leads to the Christ of the Ozarks monument, though you can also reach it by car. The 67 foot tall monument is especially striking at night, fully lit beneath a twinkling canopy of stars.

2024 Performances at The Great Passion Play

The Passion Play’s 2024 season runs from Memorial Day Weekend through November 2nd, 2024. Performances are on Tuesday, Fridays, and Saturdays in June, July, and the first two Tuesdays of August. September and October performances are on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, with special performances on Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend Sundays.

The Passion Play theme park and most attractions are open 9am to 5pm year-round, except Sundays, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas. The Christ of the Ozarks and the park’s trails are open 365 days a year, from sunrise to an hour after sunset.

Visit the park website for more details. You can also find the park on Facebook.

Spend as much time as you like at the park, knowing it’s just a short and scenic drive back to the comforts of your Beaver Lake cabin or suite at Sugar Ridge Resort.

At Year’s End – 2023 At Our Eureka Springs Cabins on Beaver Lake

Sugar Ridge Resort Eureka Springs cabins on Beaver Lake

Can you believe we’re almost to the end of the year? New Years’ Eve is just weeks away and we’re left wondering where the time has gone. 2023 was another great year at Eureka Springs cabins on Beaver Lake, filled with wonderful guests and lots of warm memories.

We feel so lucky to be on the shores of Beaver Lake and absolutely love hosting guests at Sugar Ridge Resort. Sharing the area and this special part of the world with others truly is its own reward.

History buffs, art fans, outdoor enthusiasts, music-lovers, shoppers, foodies, and everyone else will find plenty see and do here. The Eureka Springs area is home to an endless variety of attractions. Must-see destinations like Thorncrown Chapel, Cosmic Cavern, Blue Spring Heritage Center, Christ of the Ozarks, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, and so much more.

Eureka Springs active arts community makes sure the event calendar is always full, too. Don’t miss out on popular events like the Original Ozark Folk Festival, War Eagle Craft Fair, Eureka Gras, Ozark Mountain Music Festival, Diversity Weekends, Christmas Parade of Lights, and many others. There’s always something happening in Eureka Springs, AR!

And let’s not forget the natural beauty of Beaver Lake.

The location of our resort, perched high above the lake, provides breathtaking, 180 degree views of the Ozarks and Beaver Lake. We’re also surrounded by endless opportunities for fishing, scenic drives, boating, hikes, and other fun, outdoor activities. You needn’t go anywhere else at all!

After a year of providing accommodation services, nothing is as rewarding as the lovely comments and reviews we receive from our guests. We wouldn’t be doing this if it weren’t for you, so knowing our efforts have had a positive effect puts a real cherry on top of it all.

2023 At Our Eureka Springs Cabins

Gouri – 5/5
November 2023
“My wife always wanted the cabin experience. We stayed here for our honeymoon. It was perfect. The view of the lake was spectacular. The cabin was luxurious and spacious. The furnishings were so comfortable and charming. From morning coffee looking at the fog rise above the lake, to playing the guitar by a roaring fire, to sitting in the hot tub looking out at the stars. And the staff are so friendly and helpful. A perfect stay.“

Andrew D – 5/5
October 2023
“Owners are fantastic hosts. We stayed in cabin 6 and it was an exceptional experience. The cabin has everything we could have asked for and the views are incredible! We will absolutely come back and recommend it to everyone.“

Andrew Epp – 5/5
September 2023
“Honeymoon Suite with my wife for our 7th anniversary. Everything was amazing. The location. The atmosphere. The accommodations. The view. The price. The privacy. The service. The layout of the cabin. It was all so perfect. Couldn’t be happier with this place. Will definitely go again, and I will recommend this to everyone.“

Cynthia Wilson – 5/5
June 2023
“A paradise overlooking Beaver Lake! The room as cozy and clean and the bed comfy yet sturdy. The jacuzzi tub is a definite bonus. It is a bit outside of town and the road is windy and steep in places but it’s definitely worth checking out of you want a quieter night time experience.“

Jerry – 5/5
May 2023
“Awesome resort overlooking beaver lake. Rustic cabins with modern amenities staff takes very good care of guests and the property everything you need to relax and have a good time at Sugar Ridge Resort.“

Sugar Ridge Resort Winter Special & Gift Certificates

Break in the new year with a relaxing getaway to Beaver Lake and Eureka Springs. Our 2+1 Free Winter Special allows you to enjoy a longer, more laid-back winter getaway, while saving. How?

Book your stay for any 2 nights at our Beaver Lake resort and get a 3rd night for free! Rushing to relax is counterproductive. Why not take some extra time to achieve true relaxation? Sugar Ridge Resort makes it easy by giving you that third night on the house!

Best of all, this special is available any 3 days of the week. Take off early for the weekend, extend the weekend, or enjoy a lengthier midweek stay. It’s your choice. Now THAT is relaxing!

The 2+1 Free Winter Special is available January 4th through February 8th, 2024. Book your New Years’ getaway at Sugar Ridge Resort today!

Wanting to gift someone else with a stay at our Eureka Springs cabins on Beaver Lake? You can, with Sugar Ridge Resort gift certificates!

Sugar Ridge Resort gift certificates make an excellent gift. They have no set amount, can be used for almost anything at the Resort, and are good for up to five years from date of issue. Best of all, they’re very easy to purchase. Simply fill out the form, make your payment, and you’re done. Instant Eureka Springs vacay!

Happy Holidays from all of us at Sugar Ridge Resort!

Explore Quigley’s Castle

Those looking for a unique experience will enjoy visiting Quigley’s Castle, an unusual and historic family home known as “The Ozarks’ Strangest Dwelling.”

The Beaver Lake area is home to a number of unique and memorable attractions. Thorncrown Chapel, War Eagle Cavern, Christ of the Ozarks, Blue Spring Heritage Center, and so much more. None are quite as idiosyncratic as Quigley’s Castle, however.

The “Castle” is really a farm house, built just south of Eureka Springs in the 1940’s – but that’s where what’s normal about this family home ends.

When visiting, one of the first things you’ll notice about the property is all the plush and colorful foliage. Wildflowers, antique roses, and 400+ varieties of perennials surround the home. Then again, maybe the towering, vine-covered rock pillars, “bottle trees”, and other rock sculptures will catch your eye first. Or perhaps the two-story, plant-filled, stone/shell/fossil/arrowhead-covered house will be what first grabs your attention.

Whichever detail, you can credit Elise Quigley (1910-1984).

A Castle’s Humble Origins

When Albert and Elise Quigley first moved onto the property in 1930, their only dwelling was an old lumber shack. Albert promised he’d build Elise a real home and that she could design it. Excited to move out of the decrepit old shack, she got right to it.

Even the best of intentions can fall by the wayside, however. Five children into the marriage, the Quigley’s were still living in the old lumber shack. Elise had had enough. One morning, after Albert had left for work, she and the children pulled the old shack down. A replacement would have to be built now, and Elise was ready with her design.

Construction on the house began in 1943, with lumber sourced directly from the farm. A nature lover, Elise dreamed of a house that was less a box keeping nature out than one that contained and reflected the natural world back. 28 huge, picture windows in the walls remove the sense of being indoors and allow natural light to fill the space within. Her unusual design separates the interior living space from the exterior walls with four feet wide flower beds. Here she nurtured flowering, tropical plants that have since grown all of the way up to the second story ceiling!

Elise’s lifelong habit of collecting fossils, crystals, arrowheads, and other interesting small stones came into play when she decided to rock the outside of the house with her collection. The task took her three years to complete and then spread out into the garden and yard. Here she constructed fences, chairs, statues, and other whimsical forms using found stone, shell, and crystal.

Elise Quigley’s quirky love of collections can be found indoors, too. She spent forty years filling every possible nook and cranny of the house with her collections and creations. Antiques, mementos, and lots more stone, shell, and crystal. Her famous “Butterfly Wall” is a particularly spectacular example and must be seen in person to be truly appreciated.

Quigley’s Castle

Elise Quigley died in 1984, leaving her magnificently singular home behind for others to enjoy. Quigley’s Castle can be found at 274 Quigley Castle Road in Eureka Springs; just a scenic half hour’s drive from Sugar Ridge Resort and our Beaver Lake cabins.

The Castle is open March through October. Hours are 10am to 4:30pm, April 1st through October 31st. Call for March and November hours: (479) 253-8311 Closed Sundays and Thursdays. Visit the Castle website for more information.

Eureka Springs Great Passion Play

It’s the holiday season once again and Eureka Springs is bustling with festive activity. Those looking for an appropriately themed Christmas attraction would have to range pretty far to outdo The Great Passion Play. The Christian theme park is open all year long but goes all out for Christmas with a variety of popular attractions.

You likely already know about the seven story tall Christ of the Ozarks, located on top of Magnetic Mountain. Both it and The Great Passion Play christian theme park owe their existence to Gerald L. K. Smith, a conservative politician who retired to Eureka Springs in the 1960’s.

Christ of the Ozarks was Smith’s first big project in the area and it remains one of the most popular. His next idea was even more radical: a live-action, Christian theme park. The attraction opened in 1968 and continues to draw thousands of visitors to Eureka Springs every year.

Visiting The Great Passion Play

The Great Passion Play theme park is home to a variety of Christian-themed attractions.

The most popular attraction, of course, is The Passion Play itself. This hour-and-forty-five minute presentation of the Christ’s last week of mortal life is presented on a multi-level set with special effects, live animals, and a cast of 170 actors. The play is performed several times a week each month, May to October, with special performances around Easter and Christmas. While the play is truly stunning and absorbing it’s not all you’ll find to see and do at the park. Not by a long shot!

The Holy Land Tour is another extremely popular park attraction, allowing you to step back in time to experience the people and places of the Bible first-hand. The Holy Land Tour includes such sights as the Tabernacle in the Wilderness and an opportunity to meet and speak with actors representing biblical characters.

The Sacred Arts Center is home to over 1,000 works of art, some of which date back to the ninth century. The Bible Museum contains more than 6,000 bibles in over 600 different languages. You can also hike or mountain bike the park trails, some of which lead to the base of the Christ of the Ozarks.

Other attractions include a history museum, backstage tours, screenings of God With Us: New Testament film, gift shops, dining, and more.

Christmas at the Park

The Great Passion Play goes all out for the Christmas season with two, special holiday attractions.

The first is a Christmas Drive-Through Light Display with over 250 Christmas trees and dozens of nativities leading to the Christ of the Ozarks statue, which will also be lit. The drive-through light display is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from Thanksgiving night through January 1st, 2023.

The second special attraction is the annual Christmas Snow Village with Trains display, the largest display of its kind in the south! The exhibit includes over 300 buildings, 3 0 scale trains, an 0 scale trolley, and a Polar Express train. Such tiny details! The Christmas Snow Village with Trains will also be open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from Thanksgiving through January 1st, 2023.

Other park attractions open during this season include the Holy Land Tour, museums, and Backstage Tour. Visit the park online for more details.

The Great Passion Play is open 9am to 5pm all year-round, excepting Sundays, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas. Christ of the Ozarks and the park trails are open sunrise to an hour after sunset, 365 days a year.

Best of all, The Great Passion Play is located less than a half-hour’s drive from Sugar Ridge Resort! Spend a couple of hours or more at the park, then it’s an easy and scenic drive back to the comforts of your Beaver Lake cabin or suite.

Happy Holidays!

Discover Beautiful Thorncrown Chapel

If unique and beautiful architecture in a truly sublime setting sounds like something you’d enjoy, we recommend a visit to Thorncrown Chapel. The stunningly crafted architectural marvel is nestled in the woods, just 15 minutes from Sugar Ridge Resort.

Visitors to the Beaver Lake Eureka Springs area will find no end of attractions and activities to keep them occupied. Outdoor adventure like boating, fishing, and hiking, along with some of the region’s best art, food, fun, shopping, sightseeing, and more.

The area is home to lots of unique sights and attractions, as well. Natural caverns, springs, and rock formations, along with the fascinating works of man. Things like historic downtown Eureka Springs, Christ of the Ozarks, and Quigley’s Castle. In this latter category, nothing is quite as affecting or beautiful as Thorncrown Chapel.

Thorncrown Chapel

Thorncrown Chapel is located at 12968 Highway 62 West, just outside Eureka Springs, AR, a 15 minute drive from our Beaver Lake cabins.

The chapel, built in 1980 by E. Fay Jones, stands on a narrow, wooded shelf on a north slope of the Ozarks. Landowner Jim Reed contracted Jones, who apprenticed with Frank Lloyd Wright, to create a structure that would attract passer-by to worship.

The chapel is simple, yet enchantingly majestic and considered one of the finest religious spaces of modern times. Many think the structure is open to the air when they first see it. That’s because the chapel walls are glass. 425 separate sheets, in fact, comprising over six thousand square feet of glass!

The rest of the chapel, with little exception, was constructed using materials taken from the local wilderness. The intricate and mostly wooden structure rises forty-eight feet up into the forest canopy. The foundation uses more than 100 tons of native stone, topped with colored flagstone, allowing it to blend seamlessly into its surroundings. Inside, angular beams support the peaked roof with perfect, interlocking symmetry.

It truly is a sight to be seen. No matter your personal beliefs, its beauty is universal.

Thorncrown Chapel is open March through November, 9am to 5pm, with occasional closings for special events. Sunday services are 9am and 11am, April through October. November through the third week in December, 11am only. Services last approximately one hour. Everyone is welcome.

Learn more by visiting the chapel online at thorncrown.com. You can also find the chapel on Facebook.