Springfield Area Event Guide - Spring/Summer 2018

SPRING/SUMMER 2018

S pringfield M O.org

Produced and published by the Springfield, Missouri, Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Contents and design ©2018, all rights reserved.

Springfield, Missouri, Convention & Visitors Bureau and Route 66 Springfield Visitor Center 815 E. St. Louis St., Suite 100 Springfield, MO 65806 800-678-8767 SpringfieldMO.org

2018 SCHEDULE

Tracy Kimberlin, President/CEO Stephanie Hein, 2018 Board Chair

For information about advertising opportunities in future Springfield Event Guides or our Visitors Guide, contact: TBD TBD

Jane Rips

TBD

417-881-5300, ext. 105 jrips@springfieldmo.org or

Céline Roberts

417-881-5300, ext. 117 croberts@springfieldmo.org A thorough effort has been made by the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau (SCVB) to provide complete and accurate event listings. This information has been gathered from reliable sources, but it is still possible that all information may not be accurate.

In addition, events are occasionally canceled, rescheduled, or postponed for a variety of reasons, and the SCVB is not always aware of these changes. As a result, the SCVB is not responsible for the accuracy of event information. It is recommended that participants verify information with the event organizer prior to attending or purchasing event tickets.

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Springfield’s only play center dedicated to Itty Bitties!

Springfield Cardinals Baseball starts swinging with opening day at Hammons Field on Thursday, April 12, against the Midland RockHounds.

Follow the Cards throughout the season with special promotions and a number of Friday Night Fireworks Games.

Creative play, open every day! http://ittybitty.city 417-202-2025 Mon-Sat 9am-7pm • Sun 11am-5pm

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Springfield, Missouri • Spring/Summer, 2018 Event Guide

Missouri’s Best Doggie Daycare!

SPRING/SUMMER 2018

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here are countless reasons to love Springfield, Missouri, and the Ozarks!

Among them are the variety of events happening in the Queen City throughout the year that attract locals and visitors alike.

From exciting festivals to thrilling sporting events, there’s always something happening.

Join us and celebrate life by being true to yourself and making memories with the people you love in Springfield!

RACE YOU THERE.

SEE. CONNECT. PROTECT.

Dickersonparkzoo.org SpringfieldMo.org • 800-678-8767

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THE LARGEST, MOST IMMERSIVE FISH AND WILDLIFE ATTRACTION IN THE WORLD.

VOTED AMERICA’S #1 BEST NEW ATTRACTION! WONDERSOFWILDLIFE.ORG 500 W. SUNSHINE ST. SPRINGFIELD, MO 65807 888–222–6060 4

BP180262

Springfield, Missouri • Spring/Summer, 2018 Event Guide

Spring/Summer

2018

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March

Bass Pro Shops® Spring Fishing Classic Through March 4

During the Spring Fishing Classic, customers will find lots of new fishing products to browse through, along with free demonstrations, fishing tips and techniques, boat shows, kids’ events and more!

2018 MSHSAA State Basketball Championships March 8-10, 15-17

The Missouri State High School Activities Association hosts the championships for boys and girls basketball at JQH Arena and Hammons Student Center.

27th Annual National Christian HomeSchool Basketball Championships March 12-17

Billed as the “World’s Greatest Fishing Show & Sale,” the Spring Fishing Classic is one of Bass Pro Shops® Outdoor World’s® signature events of the year.

Cherry Blossom Kite and Piñata Festival April 7

This annual tournament features teams from across the U.S. and includes contests in elementary, junior high, junior varsity and varsity age groups.

Celebrate culture, fly a kite, strike a piñata and create Japanese and Mexican crafts at this annual spring festival. Enjoy free admission to the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden as it reopens for the season.

Springfield St. Patrick’s Day Parade March 17

Springfield Cardinals Baseball 2018 Home Games Begins April 12

The Springfield St. Patrick’s Day Parade has dazzled the community for 37 years and is one of the largest annual events in Springfield.

April Bass Pro Shops® Outdoor Fitness Festival April-November

A series of outdoor events for every age and ability! Sponsored

by Bass Pro Shops®, this ongoing festival celebrates health and wellness with the beauty of the Ozarks as a backdrop.

SpringfieldMo.org • 800-678-8767

30th Anniversary World’s Fishing Fair April 13-22

Bass Pro Shops® presents the largest fishing event ever!

Booths and exhibits by leading manufacturers, seminars from top pros, bargain tent, fun family activities, huge storewide sale, and meet and greets with your favorite TV hosts!

19th Annual Rock’n Ribs BBQ Festival April 20-21

Eighty teams come together to compete for the best barbeque in a Kansas City BBQ Society-sanctioned event that will also include hours of live music, a Kids’ Play Zone and, of course, plenty of food and mouthwatering barbecue to sample.

Springfield Cardinals Baseball kicks off April 12 at Hammons Field! Follow the Cards throughout the season with special promotions and Friday Night Fireworks Games.

Bass Pro Shops® Outdoor Fitness Festival April 6: Paint the Run/Walk May TBA: Training Kick-Off June TBA: Polar Bear Run/Walk June 16: Recycle Run July 21: Fitness Series Training Run September 15: Run the Rock

Go fly a kite at the Cherry Blossom Kite and Piñata Festival.

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Catch a Springfield Cardinals home game at Hammons Field this season.

May Spyderfest May 2-6

Join fellow Spyder riders for the premier Can-Am Spyder motorcycle event of the year!

Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Arts in the Park Concerts Saturdays, May 5-June 2

Bring a lawn chair and enjoy a free concert at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield.

Bring a blanket or lawn chair and enjoy outdoor music at the Wilson’s Creek Visitor Center or Historic Ray House. All concerts are free and open to the public except for the June 2 program at the Ray House where the regular tour road admission will apply.

Artsfest May 5-6

Featuring more than 140 artists from across the country, Artsfest is the largest fine arts festival in southwest Missouri.

Patrons come back year after year to browse the work of talented artists and enjoy one of the first outdoor festivals of the spring.

Baker Creek Spring Planting Festival May 6-7

Join 10,000 gardeners at Missouri’s most unique Spring Planting Festival just outside of Mansfield, Missouri. This festival is America’s premier event featuring seeds, plants, music, culture and the celebration of historic foods.

Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Free Arts in the Park Concerts May 5: 7 p.m. - Visitor Center College of the Ozarks Concert Band May 12: 7 p.m. - Visitor Center - Missouri State University Community Band May 19: 7 p.m. - Visitor Center Lonesome Road (Bluegrass) May 26: 7 p.m. - Visitor Center Wings of Swing June 2: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Ray House Jamboree features Civil War period music, demonstrations, and activities. The regular tour road admission of $7 per person or $15 per car applies.

Baker Creek presents Missouri’s most unique annual Spring Planting Festival.

SpringfieldMo.org • 800-678-8767

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www.yotothriftstore.org

Furniture • Name Brand Clothing Office Equipment • New Mattresses • Electronics Housewares • Books & Records

417-890-7283 1731 N. Glenstone Ave. | Springfield, MO 65803

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Not just for weight loss, but for toning and firming, for more energy, for better sleep and for living a more healthy, joy-filled life!

Monthly Isagenix Tasting Event. Call for details.

Janice Markley - Distributor

ph: 417-743-2458 |

Janice Markley

Springfield, Missouri • Spring/Summer, 2018 Event Guide

See the works of artists from across the country at Artsfest.

8th Ever Mother’s Day Festival May 19

O’Reilly Auto Parts Outlaw Nationals June 15-16

This year marks the festival’s seventh anniversary with arts and craft vendors, live music, delicious food and famous brews all day long.

The loudest collection of monster trucks in the midwest come together for an epic battle at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds.

This show is packed full of heart-stopping exhibitions, fierce competition and preshow Pit Parties with autograph and photo opportunities.

35th Annual Mid-America Street Rod Nationals May 25-27

The area’s largest, most spectacular street rod event with more than 2,200 cars 30 years old and older, kids’ and adult games, arts and crafts, an auto swap meet and more!

Taste of SoMo June 23

Sample Springfield’s flavor at Taste of SoMo, an annual foodie showcase featuring dozens of local restaurants, live music and beer vendors on Park Central Square.

35th Annual Mid-American Street Rod Nationals May 25: Ladies Tea and Quilt Show May 26: Chauffeured shopping trip to Battlefield Mall May 26: Performance by The Detectives at the DoubleTree

by Hilton May 27: 11 a.m. Church Service May 27: Awards Ceremony

Annual Mid-America Street Rod Nationals is the area’s largest street rod event.

July Springfield Lasers Tennis July 15-August 1

Celebrate the excitement of professional tennis with Springfield’s World TeamTennis franchise. Matches are played at Mediacom Stadium at Cooper Tennis Complex.

Price Cutter Charity Championship Presented by Dr Pepper July 20-30 The PCCC brings the excitement and atmosphere of PGA tour events to the Ozarks with the future stars of golf teeing up in the main tournament at Highland Springs Country Club.

82nd Ozark Empire Fair July 26-August 4

The Ozarks’ largest summer party includes tasty fair treats, rides, craft and vendor showcases, competitions and livestock exhibits, thrilling tractor/truck pulls, demolition derbies and more!

Ozark Empire Fair Daily Events AgVenture Kids Camp Safari Jeff’s Reptile Show Performances at Two Free Midway Stages Splash! Sea Lion Show Petting Zoo Firefighters’ Exhibit and Show July 29-TobyMac at the KY3 Grandstand Indoor Halls with Demonstrations, Crafts, Exhibits and More

June Special Olympics State Summer Games June 1-3

More than 1,000 athletes and coaches, along with family and friends from across Missouri will converge in Springfield for the Special Olympics Missouri State Summer Games.

Experience the rides, entertainment, crafts, food and fun of the Ozark Empire Fair.

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SpringfieldMo.org • 800-678-8767

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iscover the newest addition to the Bass Pro Shops family, Angler’s Inn in Springfield, MO. This new overnight destination is located across the street from the Bass Pro Shops Grandaddy Store and Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium, voted the #1 Best New Attraction in America by USA Today. Angler’s Inn offers a cozy night’s sleep in the most convenient location, so you and your family can extend your stay and the fun. Enjoy great features like an indoor, grotto-style swimming pool, a hot breakfast and multiple nearby restaurants.

Book your stay at Angler’s Inn and start planning your trip to “America’s Conservation Capital.”

Make your reservations today!

855.923.7309

Bass Pro Shops Grandaddy Store

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Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium

Springfield, Missouri • Spring/Summer, 2018 Event Guide

August Park Day Reunion August 3-5

A three-day weekend filled with family festivities, Park Day Reunion celebrates Springfield’s African-American culture and history, bringing together friends and family from around the country.

Birthplace of Route 66 Festival August 10-11

Celebrate the iconic Mother Road of America — Route 66 and get an up-close look at hundreds of classic, fully restored automobiles and motorcycles. The free event also includes a 6.6K run/walk, parade, live music, interactive exhibits and more!

Birthplace of Route 66 Signature Events Friday, August 10: 12 p.m. - Festival, Car Show, Motorcycle Village and Exhibits Open 4-11 p.m. - LIVE Signature Concert Series 6:30 p.m. - Classic Car Parade Down Route 66 7 p.m. - Pixar movie “Cars” at the Historic Gillioz Theater 9 p.m. - Drive-in movie, Founders Park Saturday, August 11: 10 a.m. - Festival, Car Show, Motorcycle Village and Exhibits Open 10 a.m.-11 p.m. - Live Signature Concert Series 9 p.m. - “Lights & Pipes Parade” (Nighttime LED Motorcycle Parade & Laser Light Show)

Watch classic cars roll down the “Mother Road” during the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival parade in August.

September Singletrack Mind Festival September 1-3

This epic event attracts thousands of attendees from across the nation and hosts over a dozen bike races, trail runs, kids’ zones, live music and a nonstop immersion in the culture of natural surface trails.

25th PBR PFIWestern.Com Invitational Presented By Bass Pro® September 7-9

The PBR 25th Anniversary Tour returns to Springfield with the PFIWestern.com Invitational. Watch some of the country’s toughest cowboys take on the toughest bulls at this annual event.

Japanese Fall Festival September 7-9

Celebrate Springfield’s Sister City - Isesaki, Japan - with artists, performers, martial art demonstrations, special guests, vendors and more!

Cider Days September 15-16

This fall festival will feature regional artists and crafters, three performance stages, fall-themed activities for kids, and, of course, delicious apple cider!

Wilder Days September 15

Wilder Days is an annual celebration commemorating Laura Ingalls Wilder, America’s favorite pioneer girl, and her cherished “Little House” books. Hear Pa’s fiddle, take a tour of the home, and enjoy the grounds of Rocky Ridge Farm in Mansfield, Missouri.

For the latest news and event information go to

SpringfieldMo.org/Events

Bass Pro® Fall Hunting Classic August 10-26

The Fall Hunting Classic includes free seminars taught by professionals, product demonstrations, an equipment trade-in event and a Next Generation Weekend geared toward the hunters of tomorrow.

SpringfieldMo.org • 800-678-8767

Photo by TrailSpring, Inc.

The Singletrack Mind Festival brings bike races, trail runs and live music to Two Rivers Bike Park.

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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE

PAID SPRINGFIELD, MO PERMIT NO. 310 815 East St. Louis Street Springfield, MO 65806

SpringfieldMo.org

Spring/Summer

2018 Arts & Entertainment Calendar March

May

Ragtime

How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Through March 4 Springfield Contemporary Theatre

May 4-20 The Historic Landers Theatre

Hellam Young Artists’ Competition

Broadway Revolution

March 3 Barnett Recital Hall, Evangel University

May 12 Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts

Maks, Val & Peta Live On Tour: Confidential

Blue October

Kinky Boots

Phantom of the Opera

March 19 Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts

May 13 Gillioz Theatre

March 20-22 Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts

May 23-June 3 Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts

Madagascar: A Musical Adventure Jr. March 22-April 8 The Historic Landers Theatre

The Christians

March 23-April 8 Springfield Contemporary Theatre

After the Revolution

March 24 Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts

REO Speedwagon & Styx

March 24 Missouri State University JQH Arena

SCT Songbook Series

The Phantom of the Opera, starring Quentin Oliver Lee and Eva Tavares, runs May 23–June 3 at Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts.

Lewis Black: The Joke’s on US Tour April 15 Gillioz Theatre

Rockin’ Road to Dublin

April 15 Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts

March 25, May 6 Springfield Contemporary Theatre

Weird Al Yankovic: The Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour

March 31 Park Central Square

Revolutionary Beauty

Rated SGF Film Festival

April SRO Presents: The Magic Flute April 13-14 Gillioz Theatre

Frolic of the Mind: The Illustrious Life of Rose O’Neill April 14-August 5 Springfield Art Museum

June

Photo by Matthew Murphy

April 19 Gillioz Theatre

April 21 Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts

The Illusionists-Live from Broadway

April 22 Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts

Blackberry Smoke-Find A Light Tour April 27 Gillioz Theatre

An Enemy of the People

April 27-May 13 Springfield Contemporary Theatre

Watercolor USA 2018

June 2- August 26 Springfield Art Museum

All Shook Up

June 8-24 The Historic Landers Theatre

Cry-Baby

June 13-16, 18-23 Missouri State University Tent Theatre

Peter and the Starcatcher

June 28-July 3, 5-6 Missouri State University Tent Theatre

Tim McGraw & Faith Hill

June 29 Missouri State University JQH Arena

July The Drowsy Chaperone

July 11-14, 16-21 Missouri State University Tent Theatre For the latest news and event updates go to

SpringfieldMo.org/Events