Author: ridesparky

The Ozarks has a rich history of proudly celebrating its active and retired military members! The lineup of Veterans Week events, lovingly dubbed Veterans Homecoming Week, for 2023 is definitely a perfect example of how Branson truly feels about its heroes. Here is a lineup of great ways to appreciate our service men and women in Branson, including the region's longest-running annual Veterans Day Parade, which is held in Historic Downtown Branson on Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. Nov. 5-10th Veterans Village — Ballparks of America, Buildings 2 & 3, 1000 Pat Nash Dr., Branson. Day room is open 9am-4pm daily, and Mess Hall lunch is free to Veterans, $10 for guests, daily 11:30 AM -1:30 PM. Nov. 5-11th America's Wall of Honor — During Branson Veterans Week, America's Wall…

The 17th Annual Safe Street Trick or Treating on the Landing is back again on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023 from 5-7 p.m.!  Finish up those costumes and gather all the ghouls, monsters, Wednesdays and Barbies and get ready! The fun starts on October 31st at 5 p.m. and goes until 7 p.m.! Look for the orange pumpkin in the windows of participating businesses. The teal pumpkin designates participating stores with allergy-safe treats or gifts! Come a little early, and Sparky the Trolley can take you to the north or south ends of the Landing until 6 p.m., just in time to help avoid parking traffic and hunt down all the sweets on the Branson Landing Promenade. Note: Trolleys don't run after 6 p.m., so you may need to walk back to your parking location if you're not parked at Branson Landing. So grab your bags and pumpkins and get ready for some sweet treats! Happy Haunting!

Just driving around the Branson area during Fall gives you great views of colorful foliage set against the Ozark Mountains. However, we recommend getting out and visiting a park or taking a walking tour to really get the full experience. The cool mornings and mild fall days are great times to enjoy scenic walking, jogging and hiking around! North Beach Park It's hard to beat North Beach Park on the northern end of the Branson Landing for serene natural beauty. It's easily accessed from the parking lot, and there's several majestic oak trees towering over the park, providing shade and colorful leaves. Several of these trees are more than two centuries old! Plus you'll have direct access to Lake Taneycomo, picnic tables, park benches and more. The park is one…

Oh magical coffee! No matter how you like yours, it's important to know where you can get a good cup where ever you go. When visiting Downtown Branson, here are some amazing options for your morning cup (and your afternoon cup)! Cup 'o Joe Before discussing the more artisanal coffees available, we need to mention that if you're looking for a good 'ole hot mug of brewed coffee, there's not better option around than downtown's homestyle cafes: The Branson Cafe and the Farmhouse Restaurant on Main Street, and Clocker's Cafe on Commercial Street. They keeps the mugs topped off and hot! Commercial Street Coffee Located in the back of a vintage and antique furniture store, grabbing your handcrafted coffee at Commercial Street Coffee is definitely an experience! It's located at…

Branson Landing's Boardwalk and the downtown trail system are ideal for your morning run Branson is mountainous/hilly pretty much everywhere you go, but along the shores of Lake Taneycomo in downtown, things are relatively flat. That's why so many locals and visitors head to the Branson Landing Boardwalk and connected trails as a preferred place for a jog. Here's a few great ways to enjoy a jog in Downtown. There and back Park in the north Branson Landing parking lot near North Beach park. From there, head south along the Branson Landing Boardwalk, and continue south along the southern parking lot until you get to the Lake Taneycomo bridges and Lakeside RV Park. Take in the amazing views, and then head back. It's a roughly 1.5 mile round-trip and should…

The turning leaves, the wealth of activities... and the great spots to stop and just be together... make Downtown Branson the perfect place for your next couple's trip or weekend! Lakefront Fall Foliage Surrounded by water on three sides, the peninsula that is home to Downtown Branson is perfect for nature lovers. The area's parks are home to some of the region's oldest hardwood trees (see North Beach Park), and Lake Taneycomo and Roark Creek offer great waterfront locations for walking, picnics and just hanging out on a park bench. Downtown Lodging You can choose to stay directly on the lakefront at the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing, or aross the street is the upscale Hilton Convention Center Hotel. The Hilton Branson Convention Center is a high-rise hotel with four-star…

The 50th Autumn Daze Arts, Crafts, and Music Festival will take place on Sept. 14, 15, and 16, 2023, featuring more than 100 vendors. Artisanal Fun Historic Downtown Branson is celebrating 50 years of its Autumn Daze Arts, Crafts & Music Festival. Over 100 vendors with handmade jewelry, woodwork, soaps, canvas prints, clothing and more will be on site. Local food trucks selling chili dogs, funnel cakes, snow cones and lemonade will help satisfy visitors' hunger. Branson entertainers will be performing throughout the entire three-day festival. Changes to Sparky’s Route: Stop #7 at Awberry Parking Lot on Sparky the Trolley’s route will be unavailable during the festival. You can still hop on and off at Stops #2,  # 3 (Convention Center), #5 (across from Dick’s 5 & 10), and #6…

It's time for back to school. Where did the summer go? It's also time for the Missouri State Tax-Free Weekend, thank goodness! Shopping in Branson and Downtown Branson is a great way to get everything the kids need for that first day of school! And during the weekend of Aug. 4-6, 2023, you can skip having to pay the state portion of the sales tax on certain purchases. The 2023 Sales Tax Holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, August 4, and runs through Sunday, August 6. And you don't have to be a Missouri resident to get the savings. Before we go any further, we need to jump into the fine print. The Missouri Back To School Tax Free Weekend only applies to "certain back-to-school purchases, such as clothing, school supplies,…

It's hot outside, and it's a perfect time to cool off with a cold treat or a sweet indulgence in Historic Downtown Branson! Here's some of our favorite spots to indulge and beat the heat! Ice Cream and Frozen Treats Mainstreet Pops110 E Main St, Branson, MO 65616 Let's talk about popsicles… they can be plain and lurk around the freezer too long. NOT SO with Mainstreet Pops, which specializes in "Art on a Stick!" You can get gourmet, fresh-made popsicles in flavors like Almond Joy, Banana Split, Peanut Butter Cup and more. Plus you can add your own flourishes like white chocolate, Italian cream, caramel bits and more. Come experience a truly transcendent popsicle. Scoops Ice Cream & Sandwiches111 S Commercial St, Branson, MO 65616 Scoops Ice Cream and…

Concert at Branson Landing The Liberty Light-Up at Branson Landing is being held this year on Monday, July 3rd. Join us in Downtown Branson for an amazing four-day holiday weekend! The Liberty Light Up Concert will feature Damsel, then The Dirty Saints, and be followed by an amazing, choreographed Fireworks Display that will fill the skies over Lake Taneycomo and highlight a spectacular celebration of America's Independence that will leave you in awe! Beer Garden opens at 6:30 pm, sponsored by Wil Fischer Budweiser. Damsel with open for The Dirty Saints. The Dirty Saints were voted best cover band by 417 Magazine. They play a vast selection of 80's rock from Journey, Van Halen, Styx, Foreigner, Whitesnake, and many other artists.