Create Good Ole Summertime Memories for Your Family in Springfield, Missouri

For many people, memories of yesteryear include watching movies at the local drive-in, strolling the midway at the annual fair and swimming in the pool.

Families can still create those fun-filled summertime memories in Springfield, Missouri with Movies at Founders Park, the Ozark Empire Fair and multiple ways to beat summer heat. 

Movies at Founders Park

Though the city’s drive-ins closed long ago, movies can be enjoyed under the stars every Friday and Saturday night through Aug. 30 at Founders Park in downtown Springfield.

Best of all, Movies at Founders Park at Jefferson Avenue and Water Street are free when tickets are picked up in advance at the Chesterfield and Doling Family Centers, Mediacom Ice Park, the Busch Municipal Building, and Mediacom Offices. Admission without a free ticket is $5; children 5 years of age and under are always free.

Movies begin at dusk and the audience should bring lawn chairs.

The line-up of movies – all rated G, PG or PG-13 – at Founders Park this summer include

• “Surf’s Up,” July 18

• “Definitely, Maybe” July 19

•  “The Last Mimzy” July 25

• “Ocean’s Thirteen,” July 26

• “Shrek the Third” Aug. 1

• “We Are Marshall” Aug. 2

• “The Water Horse: Legends of the Deep” Aug. 8

• “The Guardian” Aug. 9

• “Ratatoullie” Aug. 15

• “P.S. I Love You” Aug. 16

• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” Aug. 22

• “Pirates of the Caribbean” Aug. 23

• “Hairspray” Aug. 29

• “Casablanca” Aug. 30

 For complete details, visit www.springfieldmo.gov/founders.

Ozark Empire Fair

Don’t miss the carnival games and rides, livestock shows and other competitions, live entertainment, classic fair food and a variety of other fun at the annual Ozark Empire Fair July 25-Aug. 3 at the Missouri Entertainment & Event Center.

Top name entertainers are lined up for the performances at the Grand Stand, including Lonestar, Weird Al Yankovic, Ricky Skaggs and others. There’s also a motorcross event and Thunder in the Dirt Truck & Tractor Pulls. Admissions to grandstand activities are free with fair admission.

But wait, there’s more!

City and country kids alike will learn from and enjoy the cattle, llama, goat, rabbit, sheep and other livestock shows.

Chefs in the crowd will get a kick out of the Weird Chocolate Cakes and Hidden Valley Recipe, Black Walnut Cooking contests and other food demonstrations – along with all the typical – an unusual – fair food available from dozens of concession stands.

There also are demonstrations, displays, a daily parade, activities at the Kids’ Zone … the list of activities goes on and on!

Advance tickets are $5 (adult) and $1 (children, 6-12). SuperPass available for $25, and a sheet of carnival coupons (15) is available for $10. They will be available July 1 through July 24 at O'Reilly Automotive stores in Missouri, NW Arkansas, NE Oklahoma and SE Kansas, all Cody's Convenience stores in SW MO, and Price-Cutter Supermarkets. After July 24, adult tickets are $8 and children ages 6-12 are $2.

Complete details are available at www.ozarkempirefair.com.

Keeping Your Cool

Keeping cool also is a breeze in Springfield where dozens of hotels offer swimming pools for their guests. The Springfield-Greene County Park Board also operates indoor and outdoor public pools at a variety of locations.

Beating summer heat also is easy at Mediacom Ice Park where public skating sessions are available. There’s not much better than skating on a sheet of ice when temperatures are soaring outside!

Kids also love splashing in the fountain and scream with delight at the shooting jets of water at the free interactive water feature at Jordan Valley Park.

There are even more ways to stay cool in Springfield.

Get some ice cream at Emack & Bolio’s or any of Springfield’s hundreds of restaurants where you can enjoy cool beverages, too. You can even keep your drinks extra cool on the only ice bar in southwest Missouri at Fire & Ice Restaurant. 

Create Summertime Memories for Your Family Today!

The end of summer will be here before you know it so book your trip to Springfield, Missouri, today where your family will create Memories You’ll Treasure Forever!

Call the Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-678-8767 or visit www.springfieldmo.org to receive information about visiting one of the least expensive – and fun! – cities in the nation.  And, you’ll receive a FREE Passport to Family Fun with more than $100 in special offers to make your vacation in Springfield even more affordable.  Call or click today!