Annual Events & Festivals - Annual Events

It seems like every little community in the Ozarks has an annual event designed to celebrate something or another, more an excuse to have a get-together and renew acquaintances, make new ones, and blow off a bit of steam than anything else. These celebrations are as Ozarkian as pie suppers, Saturday-night fish fries, and gospel sings. Whether it’s Gainesville’s Hootin’ N Hollerin’, Houston’s Emmett Kelly Clown Festival, or Nixa’s Sucker Day (not the kind that’s born every minute, but an ugly but good-eatin’ fish found in local streams), the affairs have contests, races, food, drawings, exhibits, and other events that are interesting and fun for locals and visitors alike. Perhaps it’s even more fun for the outsider, who can see the events with a fresh perspective.

Whatever we celebrated, major holidays like Christmas and Veterans Day or just the simple things like apple harvests or dogwood blossoms, we usually did it just for ourselves and our communities. With the advent of tourism as a major industry, we’ve opened ourselves up and accepted those who want to join us. And recognizing that there might be a buck to be made at the same time while having our fun, we’ve actually begun to market some of the events. Some are even designed to attract outsiders of a certain type, like Eureka Springs’s Corvette Weekend or the UFO Convention there. It’s a great way to meet folks (perhaps even some aliens!) who have similar interests.

We’ve put together a collection of the big and the small (and the bizarre) of our area’s annual traditions. Use our list as a guide, keeping in mind that often the best experience of being a tourist and sightseer is taking the road less traveled. Doing so can result in a serendipitous experience of making a new friend or finding that just-right antique or perfect crafts product that would never have happened if you had stuck to the main roads.

If you’re planning a trip to Branson, check out our list in this chapter for sources that can help you in your travel plans. Or check the Web address we give for an annual event; you may find some events we didn’t mention that will tickle your own special interest. Our own Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, (417) 334-4136, is a great source for information about the area’s annual events.

Some of the towns that host annual events are listed in the Day Trips chapter, but not all. So pack a good Missouri road map, because some of these small burgs won’t be on your interstate highway map, but they’ll all be within easy driving distance of Branson.

If the event is always a specific weekend or date, we’ve mentioned that fact, and we’ve arranged them in approximate chronological order. It’s best to call ahead for costs, if any, and the exact dates.