Community Calendar

The seventh annual Moon City board gaming convention! Returning to Hilton Garden Inn It will, of course, have the same great game library (with some new additions) as well as an extensive Play to Win selection, and more door prizes!

General Convention Information:

August 14th, 15th and 16th 2026
Hilton Garden Inn, 4155 S Nature Center Way, Springfield, MO 65804
Rooms will be available for $116/night + taxes and fees. Hotel reservations can be made by calling 417-875-8850 and asking for the MoonCity Con 2025 group block - or using this link. Reservations must be made no later than July 14, 2026 to take advantage of this discounted rate.

Pricing:

Attendees (Ages 14+): $60
Veterans / Active Duty: $50
Children under 14: welcome with an accompanying parent or guardian.

This year there will be a silent auction to benefit The Boys & Girls Club of Springfield. As well as offering the opportunity for attendees to purchase scholarship badges for the kids in the club so they can attend the event free of charge, to encourage future generations of board gamers.

The GLO Market is a monthly event supporting local queer-owned businesses and resources. The market showcases local talent from artists and entrepreneurs.

The GLO Center is collecting school supplies for our upcoming Rainbow Families Back-to-School Event, where LGBTQ+ families and supportive caregivers can connect, celebrate, and pick up supplies for children ages 11 and under. Community members are invited to donate new school supplies now through Friday, August 14.Our most-needed items include:

• #2 pencils
• Glue sticks
• Crayons
• Composition notebooks
• Spiral notebooks
• Folders
• Kleenex
• Disinfecting wipes
• Markers
• Scissors
• Earbuds
• Headphones
• Binders
• Calculators
• Dry erase markers

Donations may be dropped off at The GLO Center, located at 518 E. Commercial St., during our regular business hours:

• Monday, Thursday and Friday: 10 AM–4 PM
• Tuesday and Wednesday: 10 AM–3 PM

Every notebook, pencil and box of crayons helps an LGBTQ+ family begin the school year feeling supported and prepared. Thank you for showing up for local families and kiddos! 💛 --Rainbow Families Back-to-School Event

• Saturday, August 15, 2026
• 10 AM–12 PM
• The GLO Center – 518 E. Commercial St.
• RSVP to info@glocenter.org and include the number of children and adults attending.

🌶️💃3rd Annual 417 Salsa Fest! 🕺🌶️

Bring your family and friends for a fun-filled day featuring Latin-inspired food, live Latin music, Latin dancing, local vendors, and, of course, delicious salsa samples! 🎉🍅

Come experience great food, exciting entertainment, and an amazing community event you won't want to miss.
📅 Saturday, August 15, 2026
🕙 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
📍 Plaza Towers Parking Lot
1736 E. Sunshine St., Springfield, MO

See you there! 🌮🎶🌶️
#417SalsaFest #SpringfieldMO #SalsaFest #LatinFood #FamilyFun #SupportLocal #CommunityEvent

Mercy presents a free event kids and the whole family will love! This safety celebration combines fun activities with safety lessons.

- Free helmets while supplies last
- Free car seat checks
- Free sports physicals for kids
- Free food
- Free Safety materials from Injury Prevention vendors
- Special guests like 417 Princesses
- Live demos and safety education
- Free wheelchair cleanings

Please join us as Dustin Thompson, Project Supervisor for the Center for Archaeological Research at Missouri State University speaks at the Christian County Museum on the Square in Ozark on Aug 15 at 3:00. His presentation will be “In Search of Delaware Town, an Early Nineteenth Century Delaware Settlement in Southwest Missouri”. Dustin was part of some archeological digs conducted by MSU so he will provide first hand stories and display artifacts from the dig.

Live From Downtown is a weekly concert series hosted in the heart of Downtown Springfield, Missouri in Park Central Square, located on historic Route 66. By hosting local artists every Saturday the series encourages the greater Springfield community and its guests to spend time downtown interacting with local businesses, socializing with neighbors, and learning about our vibrant history, all while experiencing a wide variety of Ozarks-grown talent in an accessible and family-friendly venue.

As The Creek Rocks, Springfield musicians Cindy Woolf and Mark Bilyeu have found their niche, and an enthusiastic audience, by seeking out, arranging and performing the folk music of the Ozarks region.

Their debut album Wolf Hunter, for example, consisted of folk songs found in the collections of Max Hunter of Springfield, Missouri, and John Quincy Wolf of Batesville, Arkansas. The audio recordings from these collections are accessible online, just as they were for The Creek Rocks, so that anyone can listen. Note that both Hunter and Wolf began recording in the late 1950’s.

For this latest project, The Creek Rocks have gone back further in time, to a collection that represents a largely forgotten musical history of Springfield, Missouri, and her surrounding communities - a collection, unlike those of Hunter’s and Wolf’s, that is not housed nearby or readily available for listening. When Sidney Robertson Cowell visited the Ozarks in December of 1936 and January of 1937, it was the first time that the musical folklore of the people of Springfield was recorded and preserved for future generations as audio artifacts. Once made, the recordings were sent to the Library of Congress. As the first recipients of the American Folklife Center’s “Artist in Resonance Fellowship,” The Creek Rocks were given the opportunity to travel to Washington to listen to and research Cowell’s collection. The fellowship came with the understanding that once home, they would then create a new musical project inspired by the music they had heard.

And so it is with this new album, and the concert celebrating its release, that The Creek Rocks want to give back to Springfield the music that Springfield itself gave to the nation 90 years ago. Cindy and Mark will be joined by friends at the Fox Theater in downtown Springfield Saturday, August 15th

Insurance doesn’t have to be confusing! Join us for this free Tools for Life class, Insurance Basics: Protecting What Matters Most, presented by Misty Stroud. Learn the fundamentals of home, auto, and life insurance, including coverage options, deductibles, claims, and key things to consider when reviewing your policies.

Whether you’re a homeowner, renter, or simply looking to better understand your coverage, this class will help you feel more confident making decisions and protecting what matters most.

LOCATION:
The Charlie Norr Community Center
316 W. Atlantic St.
Springfield, MO 65803

DATE & TIME:
Monday, August 17, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.

REGISTER FOR CLASS:
Call Casey Grant at 417-829-4001 Ext. 108

Families are invited to celebrate the final days of summer at the Built for Kids: Big Summer Splash!, a free community event presented by the Springfield Little Theatre Education Department and Children's Mercy with Mercy on Tuesday, August 18, from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. at The Judy (The Judith Enyeart Reynolds School of the Performing Arts for Springfield Little Theatre), 237 South Florence Avenue in Springfield.
 
Designed for children and families of all ages, the Built for Kids: Big Summer Splash! promises a playful afternoon packed with fun, laughter, and unforgettable memories. Guests can enjoy water games, a foam play area, a duck pond, bounce house, yard games, chalk drawing, prizes, photo opportunities, live performances, character appearances, raffles, and more.
 
"We look forward to creating a joyful opportunity for kids to be kids and for families to share a memorable experience together," said Lorianne Dunn, Education Director for Springfield Little Theatre. "As we celebrate the end of summer, families can also discover the many classes, workshops, camps, and performance opportunities available through Springfield Little Theatre's education programs for the upcoming school year."
In addition to the festivities, families will have the opportunity to meet representatives from Springfield Little Theatre's education staff and learn more about upcoming classes, workshops, camps, and performance opportunities for young people. Attendees can also take advantage of exclusive day-of-event discounts on SLT birthday parties and Education Series enrollment, as well as shop a community garage sale benefiting Springfield Little Theatre student experiences.
 
Admission is free. Food and refreshments, including hot dogs, cotton candy, snow cones, and other concessions, will be available for purchase.
 
The Built for Kids: Big Summer Splash! is made possible through the partnership of Springfield Little Theatre and Children's Mercy with Mercy, organizations committed to enriching the lives of children and families throughout the Ozarks.
 
ABOUT SPRINGFIELD LITTLE THEATRE:
Springfield Little Theatre is a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization dedicated to providing quality theatrical experiences and robust education opportunities.  Established in 1934, the theatre has a rich history of producing outstanding productions and nurturing local talent.  With a commitment to excellence and a passion for the arts and the community it serves, Springfield Little Theatre continues to enrich the cultural landscape of the Ozarks.
 
For more information, visit springfieldlittletheatre.org.
  
For interviews, please contact Alex Scranton, Director of Communications & Operations, at 417-869-3869 x130 or alexs@springfieldlittletheatre.org.
 
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Springfield Little Theatre is a non-profit volunteer-driven organization, energized by the highest artistic ideals, that strives to entertain, educate, and involve the community in live theatrical productions and in the preservation of the historic Landers Theatre (1909) and McDaniel School (1908).
 
LINKS:
springfieldlittletheatre.org/educationfacebook.com/slteducation