Festivals, Fairs, and Community Celebrations
Springfield is the heart of the 417, and the event calendar proves it. From downtown street festivals to the Ozark Empire Fair, here are the community events locals and visitors look forward to every year.
Your Southwest Missouri Event Calendar
UPDATED 2026
SPRINGFIELD, MO
Springfield, Missouri draws crowds from across Southwest Missouri for festivals that fill Historic Walnut Street, the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds, and parks throughout the city. Whether you live in Springfield, Republic, Nixa, or anywhere in Greene County, these are the events that define the local calendar.
Dates and details can change year to year, so always check official event websites before you go. And if you are planning your own gathering around festival season, Show Me Birdies brings a mobile golf simulator to private parties, corporate events, and fundraisers across the Springfield area.
Annual festivals, fairs, and celebrations that bring the Queen City together.
Historic Walnut Street, Downtown Springfield
Artsfest transforms downtown Walnut Street into a creative playground with more than 100 artists, live music, hands-on kids activities, food trucks, and local shopping. Presented by the Springfield Regional Arts Council, it is one of the largest art festivals in the region and typically draws around 10,000 visitors over the first full weekend of May.
Ozark Empire Fairgrounds, 3001 N. Grant Ave.
The Ozark Empire Fair is the largest annual event in the Ozarks, running ten days with carnival rides, livestock shows, free entertainment, a daily parade, concerts, and fair food. It is the kind of event where families plan their summer around a trip to the fairgrounds, and it regularly draws hundreds of thousands of visitors from across Southwest Missouri.
Downtown Springfield
Springfield claims the title Birthplace of Route 66, and this free downtown festival celebrates the Mother Road with hundreds of classic cars and trucks, motocross performances, live music, food vendors, and Route 66 history exhibits. The festival brings tens of thousands of visitors to downtown Springfield each August and is one of the biggest Route 66 events in the country.
Downtown Springfield
On the first Friday of each month, downtown Springfield galleries, shops, and studios open their doors for an evening art walk. It is a lower-key but beloved community tradition that keeps the downtown arts scene active year-round. A great way to explore local artists without the crowds of the big summer festivals.
Historic Walnut Street, Downtown Springfield
Cider Days is a two-day fall festival celebrating folk art, live music, regional crafters, and apple cider on Historic Walnut Street. Co-hosted by the Downtown Springfield Association and Springfield Regional Arts Council, it marks the transition from summer to fall and draws families looking for a relaxed weekend downtown.
Ozark Empire Fairgrounds
Farmfest is the Ozarks largest agricultural event, with more than 1,200 exhibits and over 600 head of registered livestock on display. Admission and parking are free, making it a popular family outing for anyone interested in rural living, farming equipment, and Ozarks agriculture. It runs the first full weekend of October each year.
Downtown Springfield
The annual Springfield Christmas Parade kicks off the holiday season downtown with floats, marching bands, community groups, and Santa. It is a longtime tradition that brings families out on a cold December evening and pairs well with downtown holiday shopping and the Festival of Trees at the Springfield Expo Center.
Missouri State University Campus
BearFest and Missouri State homecoming weekend bring alumni, students, and Springfield residents together for a parade, tailgating, and campus events. Even if you are not a Bear, the energy around homecoming weekend is felt across the city, especially near the MSU campus and downtown.
Festival season is a great time to gather friends, coworkers, or family for something of your own. A mobile golf simulator rental turns a backyard BBQ, company picnic, or fundraiser into an interactive experience guests actually remember.
Show Me Birdies serves Springfield and surrounding communities with full setup, on-site operation, and teardown. Closest-to-the-pin contests and longest drive leaderboards work for golfers and non-golfers alike.
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The Ozark Empire Fair and Birthplace of Route 66 Festival are among the largest, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors combined. Artsfest and Cider Days are the major downtown street festivals on Historic Walnut Street.
Many are free or low cost. The Route 66 Festival and Ozark Fall Farmfest offer free admission. Artsfest charges a small entry fee. The Ozark Empire Fair has daily gate admission. Check each event website for current pricing.
Downtown Springfield, especially Historic Walnut Street, hosts Artsfest, Cider Days, and the Route 66 Festival. The Ozark Empire Fairgrounds on North Grant Avenue hosts the fair and Farmfest.
Yes. Show Me Birdies provides mobile golf simulator rentals in Springfield for backyard parties, corporate events, fundraisers, and private gatherings. Request a quote to check availability.
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