The third annual Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Fitness Festival begins Saturday with the Greater Outdoor Days Weekend running Oct. 17-18.
It's the first of three weekends in the festival series, and most exhibits and activities are being held at Lake Springfield Park, 2312 Lake Springfield Park Road, according to a news release.
Greater Outdoors Days runs 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and noon-4 p.m. Sunday. The Springfield-Greene County Park Board's Outdoors Initiatives section and Wonders of Wildlife are partnering for the opening weekend, which will include several free outdoor recreational activities, hands-on clinics and demonstration booths.
Visitors will find:
• a pre-1840s James River Mountain Man Rendezvous, which will show how man lived, hunted, ate and survived the elements;
• 4-H Outdoor Village, where visitors can explore wildlife trivia as well as leaf and fish identification, and there will be a golf toss game and children's face painting;
• lakefront pontoon boat rides every 30 minutes; trail tours at the top of each hour; 30-minute canoe and kayak opportunities (weather permitting); and
• geocaching clinics.
Other activities include a Missouri wildlife animal exhibit noon-4 p.m, Saturday, live entertainment by Lost Hill on Saturday afternoon and Southwynn on Sunday afternoon, and Fishing Magician shows at 1 p.m. each day.
The park board also will offer several outdoor classes and competitions that will require pre-registration and fees. Those include family camping, beginners Dutch oven cooking, cave tours, twilight floats, outdoor and cave photography, and cold weather canoeing.
The second weekend of the Outdoor Fitness Festival, Oct. 24-25, comprises the Tour de Bass cycling event, Kids & Youth Cross Country Fun Run for those in kindergarten through eighth grades, and the 50 km/25 km Dogwood Canyon Trail Run.
The final weekend, Oct. 30-Nov. 1, includes the Bass Pro Shops Marathon, the Maynard Cohick Half Marathon, Ozark Greenways 10 km/5 km Halloween Fun Run and the CoxHealth Wellness Walk and Fitness and Health Fair.
To see a full schedule or to register for classes or marathons, visit the link below.[[In-content Ad]]
Springfield event venue Belamour LLC gained new ownership; The Wok on West Bypass opened; and Hawk Barber & Shop closed on a business purchase that expanded its footprint to Ozark.
