Low key introduction to stargazing as a hobby and a telescope tutorial. Free and open to the public. If you have any interest in following astronomy as a hobby, come on out. Get your questions answered and see examples of different types of scopes. If you have a scope and would like to know how to get the most from it, bring it along. This is a family friendly group open to all ages.
Check the Country Express Band Facebook page for cost and other details, including potential cancellations due to weather, holidays or other unforeseen circumstances.
From Country Express: Two step, Cha Cha, Waltz, Electric Slide, Charleston, Foot Boogie, River Waltz, Sweetheart, Around the Room, Tennessee Waltz, Neon Moon Cha Cha, and many more. Or just come listen to some good ole country music. Old country, new country, southern rock music. No alcohol allowed. Family fun for all ages.
The Music Department at Missouri State University-West Plains proudly presents a combined concert event with the MSU-West Plains Community Band and the High School Honor Band of the Ozarks. This event is free and open to the public. This event will showcase community members and high school students performing together from all over Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas. For more information email Director of Music at RockyLong@MissouriState.edu or call 417-255-7291.
West Plains Women’s Acappella Community Chorus Rehearsals, Every Tuesday, 7pm to 9pm, West Plains Boys and Girls Club. Women singers always welcome. Get more information at 661-303-8686
Easter Egg Hunt
Hot Dogs & Drinks
Bake Sale
Prizes1:00 PM- 0-5
1:15 PM- 6-10
1:30 PM- 11-UP
Please share this event with friends and family in the community!Hop on over to our Annual Easter Egg Hunt! Get ready for fun games, yummy food, and cool prizes! Bring your basket and come join the adventure!
Open every Saturday 9 a.m. t0 1 p.m. and on Wednesdays, seasonally. GO FARM Farmers Market of West Plains on Facebook for more information.
Meet at Johnny Hatchet’s Axe Throwing & Coffee House at 9:15am. Clean-up from 9:30-11:30am. Bring gloves!
What to Bring• Easter basket or bag for collecting eggs
• Comfortable shoes for outdoor activity
Additional Notes• Event will be held outdoors (weather permitting)
• Please arrive early to ensure participation
• Be respectful of age group areas for safety and fairness
Rain Date: Saturday, April 11thOpen to the public. Games, food and fun.
See the Southern Crunch Promotions Facebook page for details.
Our buddy Jake Norman of Drifters Mile and formerly Deep Fried Squirrel, will be bringing his solo act to the Yellow House. So get your boots on and scoot on over for a fun night from this talented songwriter and musician.
Check the Country Express Band Facebook page for cost and other details, including potential cancellations due to weather, holidays or other unforeseen circumstances.
From Country Express: Two step, Cha Cha, Waltz, Electric Slide, Charleston, Foot Boogie, River Waltz, Sweetheart, Around the Room, Tennessee Waltz, Neon Moon Cha Cha, and many more. Or just come listen to some good ole country music. Old country, new country, southern rock music. No alcohol allowed. Family fun for all ages.
& ???– friends by below (most important)
Winners will be announced on our Facebook page the day of the event.*Activities including Virtual Reality, Face Painting and Souvenirs available at an additional charge.
West Plains Women’s Acappella Community Chorus Rehearsals, Every Tuesday, 7pm to 9pm, West Plains Boys and Girls Club. Women singers always welcome. Get more information at 661-303-8686
$5-10 Donation at the Door
Officials with the Ozarks Heritage Research Center (OHRC) at Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) will host a presentation titled, “Celebrating 250 years of America in the Ozarks” on Thursday, April 9, at 6 p.m. at the Garnett Library, 304 W. Trish Knight St., in West Plains. The event is free and open to the public.
To hear more about this event, residents can tune into local radio station KUKU 100.3 FM on Wednesday, April 8, from 12:15 – 12:45 p.m. during the show, “High Noon in American History with Cowboy Rick.”
More about the Conversation Series
Introduction to “Celebrating 250 years of America in the Ozarks” will be facilitated by Dr. Jason McCollom, associate professor of history at MSU-WP. This event will be the introduction to a series of conversations scheduled from April to August which will focus on different eras of history and how they transformed America.
The conversations in this series will feature different eras of history that transformed America, and they will be facilitated by OHRC supporters and board members. Attendees will be invited to share stories and thoughts about how the Ozarks are part of the American tapestry. Tools and resources of the OHRC will be highlighted as components to preserve the cultural distinctions of the Ozarks.
The series and eras will be as follows:
- April – Introduction to the series with Dr. Jason McCollom
- May – Immigration with Dr. Brooks Blevins
- June – Civil War with Vincent Anderson
- July – World Wars with Dr. Jason McCollom
- August – Modern Times with Carol Silvey
This series is made possible with funding from Missouri Humanities. The event is sponsored by the OHRC. It is also sponsored by West Plains Council on the Arts (WPCA), which receives funding from the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.
For more information about the event, contact Rebekah McKinney at 417-255-7949 or RebekahMcKinney@MissouriState.edu.
Visit WP.MissouriState.edu/Ozarks for more information about the Ozarks Heritage Research Center.
All cars and clubs welcome to join in a fun evening. Music and other activities are planned from 5 p.m. until “dark thirty.”
A new festival for the community is being planned for April 10-11, 2026. “Party with a Purpose,” is a two-day celebration which will feature live music across several genres, food and drink, a variety of activities, contests, and more. That’s the party. The purpose is to raise funds for the operational needs of Christos House.
The festival will be held in and around the West Plains Civic Center and admission is free to listen to the music, though food, beverages, and other activities will be available for purchase. It kicks off at 5:30 p.m. Friday with live music and a taco cook-off. A cash bar, snack bar, and raffles will be available both days.
Saturday’s activities are set to start at 10:30 a.m. when vendors will be in place and live music gets underway. There will be a baked potato and slider bar, a ‘drink and dice’ stroll, costume and beard contests, trivia rounds, and a jigsaw puzzle competition.
Free activities on Saturday include a huge display of Preacher Roe memorabilia (author David Jerome, who has written a Preacher Roe biography, will be there selling books), storytelling by Danette House, telescope viewing with Howell County Stargazers, and a Quilt Show in the Magnolia Room.
7:30-9:30 p.m. ~ Tom Bryant Band (Main Stage)
7:30-9:30 p.m. ~ Shoot to Thrill – AC/DC Tribute Band (Main Stage)
We’re confident everyone will find something to enjoy, and we’re leaning into the fun of the unusual mix of activities by calling it the most random festival ever!
To find out more about participating in the event as a vendor or if your business or organization would like to participate in the taco cook off, contact Melissa Wharton at melissa.wharton@westplains.gov or 417-256-8835. Food truck applications are not being accepted for this event.
The Missouri State–West Plains Jazz Ensemble will present Jazz Gala: In a Sentimental Blue. This special event will feature many of your favorite big band classics. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door. For more information, email RockyLong@MissouriState.edu or call 417-255-2791.
Open every Saturday 9 a.m. t0 1 p.m. and on Wednesdays, seasonally. GO FARM Farmers Market of West Plains on Facebook for more information.
Free activities on Saturday include a huge display of Preacher Roe memorabilia (author David Jerome, who has written a Preacher Roe biography, will be there selling books), storytelling by Danette House, telescope viewing with Howell County Stargazers, and a Quilt Show in the Magnolia Room.
Tickets• $35 at the door (cash only)
11:00–11:15 — Historic Preservation talk by Toney Aid + light appetizer
11:15–2:00 — Guided Loft Tour (Enjoy a cocktail along the route)
From organizers: “Come out and get your face melted by the heavy sound of local metal and Grunge band Chard. Known for heavy riffs and that keeps heads banging. Don’t miss this opportunity to see their debut at the Yellow House, rocking some original songs and covering the likes of Metallica and Alice in Chains. With a album in the works, your support will help make this possible.”
Check the Country Express Band Facebook page for cost and other details, including potential cancellations due to weather, holidays or other unforeseen circumstances.
From Country Express: Two step, Cha Cha, Waltz, Electric Slide, Charleston, Foot Boogie, River Waltz, Sweetheart, Around the Room, Tennessee Waltz, Neon Moon Cha Cha, and many more. Or just come listen to some good ole country music. Old country, new country, southern rock music. No alcohol allowed. Family fun for all ages.
80’s Rock and Classic Hard Rock and Roll
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Pitch your business idea at OzSBI
Do you have a business idea that you would like to pitch to the community? Are you looking for quality feedback? Startup capital to launch?
A business pitch is a brief presentation of an idea for a business opportunity – think “Shark Tank” without the celebs. At OzSBI’s PitchFest, participants are invited to create, refine and perfect their pitches with the guidance of seasoned business leaders.
Registration Closes: April 13, 2026
How it works:
Everyone with a business idea in our 7-county region (Douglas, Howell, Oregon, Ozark, Shannon, Texas and Wright Counties) is invited to pitch. Participants will be given clear guidance about pitch expectations and will have 6 minutes to pitch their idea to a panel of judges for feedback.
- Round 1: April 16 Contestants will have six minutes to pitch an idea to a panel of judges. Six finalists will be chosen for Round Two.
- Round 2: April 23 Top six pitches from Round 1 will compete. Four contestants will be selected as finalists for PitchFest and will proceed to the competition. Finalists will have the opportunity to refine their presentations and will compete for cash and prizes at the EPIC Pitch Competition.
- EPIC Pitch Competition: May 7 The final four finalists will pitch their ideas to the community at EPIC, our National Small Business Week Celebration, to win cash and prizes (listed below).
If desired, participants will be guided through the process of creating and refining their pitches by experienced business mentors. Each pitch will be restricted by time and judged by experienced business leaders/founders.
Participating in PitchFest will give you the unique opportunity to validate your business idea with a wide variety of business and community leaders, potential investors, future customers, and like-minded entrepreneurs. Even if you are eliminated in one of the first two rounds, you will come away with a clear, well-crafted business pitch and valuable feedback from the judges.
Finalists Prizes:
First Prize: $1000 Cash + complimentary Website Development Digital Impact Scholarship + 1 year access to OzSBI Coworking Space + one-on-one business mentoring for a year (Total value: $3,140)
Second Prize: $500 Cash + complimentary Website Development Digital Impact Scholarship + 6 months access to OzSBI Coworking Space + one-on-one business mentoring for a year (Total value: $2,070)
Third Prize: $250 Cash + 3 months access to OzSBI Coworking Space + one-on-one business mentoring for a year (Total value: $535)
Fourth Prize: $125 Cash + 1 month access to OzSBI Coworking Space + one-on-one business mentoring for a year (Total value: $220)
The West Plains Photography Club currently has 34 members and meetings are at 6:30 p.m. the second Monday of each month in the Missouri State University-West Plains Creative Discovery Center, 411 West Main Street, Suite 1. Everyone regardless of age or ability is invited to join the club which has no membership dues.
The purpose of the club is to share and support everyone’s passion for photography arts whether they are a beginner or have been engaged in photography for many years. Present members include some who do not even own a camera to professionals who make a living by selling their art. For more information on the club feel free to call Bob Cunningham at 417-257-8206 or Dennis Crider at 417-274-7101.