Ozark / Springfield area... Setting up discovery time! (Sedalia, Carthage: real estate, 2010)

[2beamissourian]

I want to come for another visit ..weekend get away ..but I want to have something planned other than driving around with a real estate person!
I want to be out where people are ...

so over the next few months what is happening? Fairs? Carnivals? Amish tours?
Workshops?

Where can I discover this area and at what time of the year is best?

[NOLA2SGF]

I don't know about the events schedule, but I wanted to mention that we really enjoyed going to the Bass Pro Shop in Springfield. I don't even hunt or fish, but it has an aquarium, two museums, and sells clothes and all sorts of things. It is so much fun! So don't miss it, especially if you hunt or fish.

You will meet lots of friendly, nice people in Springfield - - at restaurants, shops, motel, or wherever you go. We haven't yet tried driving around with a real estate person. I think Frank is a little scared that one of us might get overly enthusiastic and buy, if we did, and it makes more sense for us to wait until we can move there in 2009-2010.

[firebll31]

Fall is a great time of year to visit this area. The Ozarks have fall beauty almost on a par with Vermont. Also, many small towns have festivals. There's Pumpkin Days at Republic, Apple Butter Making Days at Mount Vernon, Chief Sarcoxie Days at Sarcoxie, and the biggest, Maple Leaf Festival in Carthage with the biggest parade in SW Missouri. It's always held the 3rd Sat. in Oct. You could probably find a festival every weekend starting in mid-Sept. up through During the summer, many people head to the lakes or rivers for boating and float trips. I recommend James River Outfitters at Galena, MO on the James River. Find a friend, rent a canoe and take a cooler! Towns and counties hold their county fairs, in preparation for the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia. The Ozark Empire Fair is always a good time-it's in Springfield, this year July 27-Aug. 5. Look it up on the Internet-lots of stuff going on, from carnivals to animals to 4-H exhibits and country music concerts.

[Ozarks21]

Check the Springfieldmo.org website - Convention and visitors bureau. They have a calendar of events there.

Also check http://www.ci.springfield.mo.us/community/culture.html