FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – It’s a Christmas Eve like no other and many locals are using it as a chance to observe the holiday in a new way.
A luminaria is being held to honor those who died from COVID-19 in Washington county.
The luminaria was put together by a local Installation Art Specialist, Sonia Gutierrez and it features 212 lanterns organized along the side of the road, one for each of the lives lost.
Gutierrez tells me she has been wanting to put this on for a while and thought Christmas eve would be a good opportunity because it would serve as a safer alternative for those who normally gathering inside a church.
Gutierrez says, “in El Paso we do luminaria for the holidays instead of Christmas lights and they’re just real beautiful minimal and elegant and it’s been something I’ve been wanting to bring to Fayetteville.”
The 212 lanterns do not feature any of the names of those who died for privacy reasons, however, you’re welcome to write a name if you lost someone close to you.
