Skip to content

 
Menu
Menu
Menu

Calendar

Oct
11
Sat
West Plains Venison Drive @ Genesis Church
Oct 11 @ 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
From the folks at Genesis: Let’s come together as a community to help feed those in need in the 2025 Venison Drive. Every doe harvested during our event will go to provide meat for the West Plains First Baptist Food Pantry via the Share The Harvest Program of the Missouri Department of Conservation. A celebration meal, as well as prizes, will be provided for those who donate a harvested deer. For details, see flyer below or in the discussion on the Facebook event West Plains Venison Drive.
Live Music ~ Highway 124 @ Dev’s Steakhouse & Live Music Lounge
Oct 11 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Weekly Dance with live music by Country Express Band @ West Plains Senior Center
Oct 11 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

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.

 

Oct
12
Sun
“War & Memory in the Ozarks” Art & Artifact Exhibit from Harlin Museum sponsored by West Plains Council on the Arts @ West Plains Civic Center - Mezzanine
Oct 12 all-day

The Harlin Museum is presenting an exhibit called “War & Memory in the Ozarks” featuring artwork, photos, and artifacts from their collection. The collection includes historical materials about Ozarkers who served in all the national conflicts as well as stories and artists’ renderings of local skirmishes of the Civil War. The exhibit is sponsored by West Plains Council on the Arts and is on display through October 18 during Civic Center business hours.

The Harlin Museum is a non-profit volunteer-run cultural center in the heart of the Missouri Ozarks. It hosts art shows, workshops, educational lectures, and kids’ art programs throughout the year while also displaying regional artifact and history exhibits year-round. Find out more at https://harlinmuseum.com/

McWilliams Pumpkin Patch @ 4007 County Road 6920
Oct 12 @ 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
⏰ Hours:
Tuesday-Friday till 5pm
Saturday 10-5
Sunday 12-5
Monday-closed
️ Admission:
Weekdays $7
Weekend $15
417-256-6470
Now scheduling school field trips. Please call to schedule your class.
Now scheduling private groups. Please call to book an after hour event for your group.
Parties are welcome during normal business hours. Please call to reserve your table and pavilion.
Bonfires are available for your group. Please call for reservations.
Please check back for our sunflower and zinnia bloom dates. We are expecting a later bloom date this year.
4007 County Road 6920, West Plains, MO 65775
West Plains Model Railroad Club Train Display @ Heart of the Ozarks Fairgrounds
Oct 12 @ 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

The West Plains Model Railroad Club is holding its seventh fall display. Hours are 2-6 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The display will be exhibited in the Harper Building through October 31.

Organizers say there will be two HO gauge layouts and one O gauge layout. Admission is free with donations welcome. The intricate displays of to-scale trains, cars, buildings, landscapes, and “citizens” engage the viewer in finding details and appreciating the art and craft of model train building. There will also be tables of new and used model train items for sale. For more information visit the club’s Facebook page wpmmc.

Oct
13
Mon
Missouri “Director’s Traveling Showcase” Mo. Mental Health Foundation Art Show @ Honest Imagination
Oct 13 @ 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Honest Imagination Day Habilitation, 23 Court Square, is hosting the “Director’s Traveling Showcase” art exhibit this week, October 13-18. This show represents the best of the best of art which was submitted by special needs artists from all over the state to the Missouri Mental Health Foundation for the 2025 Showcase.

Honest Imagination Coordinator Garrett Melby, who arranged to have the show in town said, “This is the first time ever to have the Showcase displayed in West Plains, and it’s such an honor for our community.”

The public is invited to see the display Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with special hours on Saturday, 1-3 p.m., during the Ozark Heritage Festival. The annual contest is open to any individual living with a mental illness, substance use disorder or intellectual or developmental disability. This image is a collage of the 2025 Director’s Showcase winners which were selected by a panel of judges.

The Annual Bo Pace Grizzly Golf Classic hosted by the Missouri State-West Plains Grizzly Club @ West Plains Country Club
Oct 13 @ 12:00 pm

Lunch and swag bags will be provided to all golfers. Prizes for flight winners; closest to the pin; longest drive. Check-in: 10:30 a.m. Tee off: 12 p.m.
Team and sponsorship registration: WP.MissouriState.edu/GrizzlyGolf
For more information, contact Grizzly Athletics WPAthletics@MissouriState.edu or 417-255-7975
The Annual Bo Pace Grizzly Golf Classic on Facebook.

Hosted by the Missouri State-West Plains Grizzly Club and presented by UBS Financial-Camden, Lunsford, & Sanfelippo Wealth Management.

West Plains Photography Club
Oct 13 @ 6:30 pm

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.

Oct
14
Tue
“War & Memory in the Ozarks” Art & Artifact Exhibit from Harlin Museum sponsored by West Plains Council on the Arts @ West Plains Civic Center - Mezzanine
Oct 14 all-day

The Harlin Museum is presenting an exhibit called “War & Memory in the Ozarks” featuring artwork, photos, and artifacts from their collection. The collection includes historical materials about Ozarkers who served in all the national conflicts as well as stories and artists’ renderings of local skirmishes of the Civil War. The exhibit is sponsored by West Plains Council on the Arts and is on display through October 18 during Civic Center business hours.

The Harlin Museum is a non-profit volunteer-run cultural center in the heart of the Missouri Ozarks. It hosts art shows, workshops, educational lectures, and kids’ art programs throughout the year while also displaying regional artifact and history exhibits year-round. Find out more at https://harlinmuseum.com/

Art @ OzSBI ~ Robb Cox @ Ozarks Small Business Incubator
Oct 14 @ 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Missouri “Director’s Traveling Showcase” Mo. Mental Health Foundation Art Show @ Honest Imagination
Oct 14 @ 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Honest Imagination Day Habilitation, 23 Court Square, is hosting the “Director’s Traveling Showcase” art exhibit this week, October 13-18. This show represents the best of the best of art which was submitted by special needs artists from all over the state to the Missouri Mental Health Foundation for the 2025 Showcase.

Honest Imagination Coordinator Garrett Melby, who arranged to have the show in town said, “This is the first time ever to have the Showcase displayed in West Plains, and it’s such an honor for our community.”

The public is invited to see the display Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with special hours on Saturday, 1-3 p.m., during the Ozark Heritage Festival. The annual contest is open to any individual living with a mental illness, substance use disorder or intellectual or developmental disability. This image is a collage of the 2025 Director’s Showcase winners which were selected by a panel of judges.

Ozark Horizon Student Art @ West Plains Public Library
Oct 14 @ 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
McWilliams Pumpkin Patch @ 4007 County Road 6920
Oct 14 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
⏰ Hours:
Tuesday-Friday till 5pm
Saturday 10-5
Sunday 12-5
Monday-closed
️ Admission:
Weekdays $7
Weekend $15
417-256-6470
Now scheduling school field trips. Please call to schedule your class.
Now scheduling private groups. Please call to book an after hour event for your group.
Parties are welcome during normal business hours. Please call to reserve your table and pavilion.
Bonfires are available for your group. Please call for reservations.
Please check back for our sunflower and zinnia bloom dates. We are expecting a later bloom date this year.
4007 County Road 6920, West Plains, MO 65775
“From Archives to Ancestry: Navigating Genealogical Resources” presented by Blanche McKinney hosted by Ozarks Heritage Research Center @ Garnett Library
Oct 14 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Knowing about your ancestors is interesting and sometimes surprising! Beginning a search for elusive ancestors can become a fascinating activity and many of the methods of search are easy and can be done in spare time. More intensive search can involve using various sources from the internet and sometimes visits to cemeteries, courthouses, and state archives. Visits to areas where ancestors lived can sometimes give clues to their lives and perhaps even reveal relatives that were unknown previously.

To help in the journey, officials with MSU-West Plains’ Ozarks Heritage Research Center will host a presentation on “From Archives to Ancestry: Navigating Genealogical Resources” presented by Blanche McKinney. Refreshments provided.
For 50 years, Blanche McKinney taught in various high schools and colleges in the Ozarks. She was also a library director, sold World Books, and assisted her late husband, Ed, in running and music and antique store. McKinney is a genealogy enthusiast and along with Ed she published a book in 1985 titled “Five Generations of Henry McKinney’s Descendants in Texas County, Missouri.” They revised and updated the book over the last 30 years, and shortly after Ed’s death, Blanche published the new edition titled “Five Generations of Descendants of Henry McKinney” in late 2021. Blanche is an active member of the Ozark Spring Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution. She is also an active member of Xi Chapter, Delta Kappa Gamma.
West Plains Women’s Acappella Community Chorus Rehearsal @ Boys & Girls Club
Oct 14 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

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

Oct
15
Wed
“War & Memory in the Ozarks” Art & Artifact Exhibit from Harlin Museum sponsored by West Plains Council on the Arts @ West Plains Civic Center - Mezzanine
Oct 15 all-day

The Harlin Museum is presenting an exhibit called “War & Memory in the Ozarks” featuring artwork, photos, and artifacts from their collection. The collection includes historical materials about Ozarkers who served in all the national conflicts as well as stories and artists’ renderings of local skirmishes of the Civil War. The exhibit is sponsored by West Plains Council on the Arts and is on display through October 18 during Civic Center business hours.

The Harlin Museum is a non-profit volunteer-run cultural center in the heart of the Missouri Ozarks. It hosts art shows, workshops, educational lectures, and kids’ art programs throughout the year while also displaying regional artifact and history exhibits year-round. Find out more at https://harlinmuseum.com/

Art @ OzSBI ~ Robb Cox @ Ozarks Small Business Incubator
Oct 15 @ 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Missouri “Director’s Traveling Showcase” Mo. Mental Health Foundation Art Show @ Honest Imagination
Oct 15 @ 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Honest Imagination Day Habilitation, 23 Court Square, is hosting the “Director’s Traveling Showcase” art exhibit this week, October 13-18. This show represents the best of the best of art which was submitted by special needs artists from all over the state to the Missouri Mental Health Foundation for the 2025 Showcase.

Honest Imagination Coordinator Garrett Melby, who arranged to have the show in town said, “This is the first time ever to have the Showcase displayed in West Plains, and it’s such an honor for our community.”

The public is invited to see the display Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with special hours on Saturday, 1-3 p.m., during the Ozark Heritage Festival. The annual contest is open to any individual living with a mental illness, substance use disorder or intellectual or developmental disability. This image is a collage of the 2025 Director’s Showcase winners which were selected by a panel of judges.

Ozark Horizon Student Art @ West Plains Public Library
Oct 15 @ 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
McWilliams Pumpkin Patch @ 4007 County Road 6920
Oct 15 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
⏰ Hours:
Tuesday-Friday till 5pm
Saturday 10-5
Sunday 12-5
Monday-closed
️ Admission:
Weekdays $7
Weekend $15
417-256-6470
Now scheduling school field trips. Please call to schedule your class.
Now scheduling private groups. Please call to book an after hour event for your group.
Parties are welcome during normal business hours. Please call to reserve your table and pavilion.
Bonfires are available for your group. Please call for reservations.
Please check back for our sunflower and zinnia bloom dates. We are expecting a later bloom date this year.
4007 County Road 6920, West Plains, MO 65775
Oct
16
Thu
“War & Memory in the Ozarks” Art & Artifact Exhibit from Harlin Museum sponsored by West Plains Council on the Arts @ West Plains Civic Center - Mezzanine
Oct 16 all-day

The Harlin Museum is presenting an exhibit called “War & Memory in the Ozarks” featuring artwork, photos, and artifacts from their collection. The collection includes historical materials about Ozarkers who served in all the national conflicts as well as stories and artists’ renderings of local skirmishes of the Civil War. The exhibit is sponsored by West Plains Council on the Arts and is on display through October 18 during Civic Center business hours.

The Harlin Museum is a non-profit volunteer-run cultural center in the heart of the Missouri Ozarks. It hosts art shows, workshops, educational lectures, and kids’ art programs throughout the year while also displaying regional artifact and history exhibits year-round. Find out more at https://harlinmuseum.com/

Art @ OzSBI ~ Robb Cox @ Ozarks Small Business Incubator
Oct 16 @ 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Missouri “Director’s Traveling Showcase” Mo. Mental Health Foundation Art Show @ Honest Imagination
Oct 16 @ 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Honest Imagination Day Habilitation, 23 Court Square, is hosting the “Director’s Traveling Showcase” art exhibit this week, October 13-18. This show represents the best of the best of art which was submitted by special needs artists from all over the state to the Missouri Mental Health Foundation for the 2025 Showcase.

Honest Imagination Coordinator Garrett Melby, who arranged to have the show in town said, “This is the first time ever to have the Showcase displayed in West Plains, and it’s such an honor for our community.”

The public is invited to see the display Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with special hours on Saturday, 1-3 p.m., during the Ozark Heritage Festival. The annual contest is open to any individual living with a mental illness, substance use disorder or intellectual or developmental disability. This image is a collage of the 2025 Director’s Showcase winners which were selected by a panel of judges.

Ozark Horizon Student Art @ West Plains Public Library
Oct 16 @ 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
McWilliams Pumpkin Patch @ 4007 County Road 6920
Oct 16 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
⏰ Hours:
Tuesday-Friday till 5pm
Saturday 10-5
Sunday 12-5
Monday-closed
️ Admission:
Weekdays $7
Weekend $15
417-256-6470
Now scheduling school field trips. Please call to schedule your class.
Now scheduling private groups. Please call to book an after hour event for your group.
Parties are welcome during normal business hours. Please call to reserve your table and pavilion.
Bonfires are available for your group. Please call for reservations.
Please check back for our sunflower and zinnia bloom dates. We are expecting a later bloom date this year.
4007 County Road 6920, West Plains, MO 65775
West Plains Model Railroad Club Train Display @ Heart of the Ozarks Fairgrounds
Oct 16 @ 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm

The West Plains Model Railroad Club is holding its seventh fall display. Hours are 2-6 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The display will be exhibited in the Harper Building through October 31.

Organizers say there will be two HO gauge layouts and one O gauge layout. Admission is free with donations welcome. The intricate displays of to-scale trains, cars, buildings, landscapes, and “citizens” engage the viewer in finding details and appreciating the art and craft of model train building. There will also be tables of new and used model train items for sale.

KY3 Weather Tour @ West Plains Civic Center
Oct 16 @ 4:00 pm

The KY3 Weather Tour is returning this fall to visit area towns, and their West Plains stop is October 16. According to information on KY3’s website, during the tour, KY3 meteorologists and other KY3 on-air staff will be at various locations. During their trivia contests, attendees have the opportunity to win various KY3 prizes.

They say they will also:

  • Have free bike helmets, one per child
  • Do live broadcasts during KY3 News @ 4, 5, & 6
  • Host a fun weather class

Doors open at 4 p.m. Fire departments, emergency managers, and law enforcement will also attend according to their published information.

 

Oct
17
Fri
“War & Memory in the Ozarks” Art & Artifact Exhibit from Harlin Museum sponsored by West Plains Council on the Arts @ West Plains Civic Center - Mezzanine
Oct 17 all-day

The Harlin Museum is presenting an exhibit called “War & Memory in the Ozarks” featuring artwork, photos, and artifacts from their collection. The collection includes historical materials about Ozarkers who served in all the national conflicts as well as stories and artists’ renderings of local skirmishes of the Civil War. The exhibit is sponsored by West Plains Council on the Arts and is on display through October 18 during Civic Center business hours.

The Harlin Museum is a non-profit volunteer-run cultural center in the heart of the Missouri Ozarks. It hosts art shows, workshops, educational lectures, and kids’ art programs throughout the year while also displaying regional artifact and history exhibits year-round. Find out more at https://harlinmuseum.com/

Ozark Heritage Festival (formerly Old-Time Music, Ozark Heritage Festival) @ West Plains Civic Center
Oct 17 all-day

The Ozark Heritage Festival (formerly Old-Time Music, Ozark Heritage Festival) in downtown West Plains will celebrate its 31st year on October 17 & 18. Admission to all festival events is free. The Festival footprint will be focused in and around the West Plains Civic Center, from the east lawn of the Civic Center, down East Main Street, and north on St. Louis Street to Trish Knight Ave. The size of the footprint will make it easier for people to move from one location to another. There is ample parking in the city lots, and Handicapped Parking is available as marked in the Civic Center west and north lots.

Headliners are The Creek Rocks, a folk group from the Ozarks led by banjoist Cindy Woolf and guitarist Mark Bilyeu, who will perform at 8 PM on Friday, October 17. The Wheelhouse Rousters will perform at 8PM on Saturday, October 18. Both performances will be held in the Civic Center theater.

Performances, workshops and demonstrations on musical and traditional arts will be presented throughout the festival campus.  Music in the civic center theater begins at noon with MC Rick Hamby. The evening headliner performances will begin at 8 pm.  Workshops begin at 11 am in Dogwood Rooms.  Fiddle, banjo, harmonica, and dulcimer are among the offerings this year.

From 11 am to 5 pm each day, the Magnolia Room will be the location where special programs by noted presenters are scheduled. Each hour will feature a different topic such as Mills, “Outfitting for the Outdoors,” Finding the Story You Least Expect, and the West Plains Dance Hall Explosion. Check the schedule for the full list.

The Team Sorting Competition will take place Friday and Saturday, on the east lawn. The Sorghum making demo will be on E. Main and Curry St., also the location for the Bucket Brigade competition and Children’s Activities, sponsored by the Boys and Girls Club of West Plains. Artisans and demonstrators will be located on the West Civic Center lawn in the Artisan Village and on the East lawn in the living history encampment. There’s so much to see!

The Jig Dance Competition will be held in the theater on Saturday. Prize money plus gift certificates will be awarded. Come watch this unique dance style. Traditional square dancing, where the caller is part of the square, will take place both Friday and Saturday starting at 6 p.m. in the Exhibit Hall. We have a great lineup of dance musicians, and the dances will be hosted by Andy and Jane Elder.

The Cooking Stage will be located under the Brush Arbor in the front of the Civic Center. Friday will feature Dutch Oven Cooking.  Saturday will include a community “Sing” and the Pie Competition awards. Pie competition entries are due in the Redbud Room between 10:00 – 10:30 a.m. Results of the judging with prize money and special awards will be announced at 12:45 at the Cooking Stage, followed by samples!

Vendor booths promise a wide assortment of products, information on local organizations and food concessions offering everything from lemonade to succotash. Organizers are grateful for their participation.

The master schedule showing locations and event times for Friday and Saturday, as well as schedules of activities by time each day are available on the festival website.

Many thanks to the West Plains Daily Quill for preparing a special Festival Tab each year. Copies will be distributed to subscribers, and additional copies made available. More details and photos of artists and events are always included in that Tab.

2025 Festival partners include the West Plains Council on the Arts, the City of West Plains, the Ozark Heritage Welcome Center, West Plains Civic Center, and Missouri State University-West Plains. Partial funding for this event is provided by the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency. Additional support has been provided by Missouri Humanities.

For more information on the festival e-mail:  info@westplainsarts.org
visit the website at: www.Oldtimemusic.org
Facebook at   https://www.facebook.com/Old.Time.Music.Festival
Vendor registration form here.

 

Art @ OzSBI ~ Robb Cox @ Ozarks Small Business Incubator
Oct 17 @ 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Missouri “Director’s Traveling Showcase” Mo. Mental Health Foundation Art Show @ Honest Imagination
Oct 17 @ 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Honest Imagination Day Habilitation, 23 Court Square, is hosting the “Director’s Traveling Showcase” art exhibit this week, October 13-18. This show represents the best of the best of art which was submitted by special needs artists from all over the state to the Missouri Mental Health Foundation for the 2025 Showcase.

Honest Imagination Coordinator Garrett Melby, who arranged to have the show in town said, “This is the first time ever to have the Showcase displayed in West Plains, and it’s such an honor for our community.”

The public is invited to see the display Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with special hours on Saturday, 1-3 p.m., during the Ozark Heritage Festival. The annual contest is open to any individual living with a mental illness, substance use disorder or intellectual or developmental disability. This image is a collage of the 2025 Director’s Showcase winners which were selected by a panel of judges.

Ozark Horizon Student Art @ West Plains Public Library
Oct 17 @ 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
McWilliams Pumpkin Patch @ 4007 County Road 6920
Oct 17 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
⏰ Hours:
Tuesday-Friday till 5pm
Saturday 10-5
Sunday 12-5
Monday-closed
️ Admission:
Weekdays $7
Weekend $15
417-256-6470
Now scheduling school field trips. Please call to schedule your class.
Now scheduling private groups. Please call to book an after hour event for your group.
Parties are welcome during normal business hours. Please call to reserve your table and pavilion.
Bonfires are available for your group. Please call for reservations.
Please check back for our sunflower and zinnia bloom dates. We are expecting a later bloom date this year.
4007 County Road 6920, West Plains, MO 65775
West Plains Model Railroad Club Train Display @ Heart of the Ozarks Fairgrounds
Oct 17 @ 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm

The West Plains Model Railroad Club is holding its seventh fall display. Hours are 2-6 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The display will be exhibited in the Harper Building through October 31.

Organizers say there will be two HO gauge layouts and one O gauge layout. Admission is free with donations welcome. The intricate displays of to-scale trains, cars, buildings, landscapes, and “citizens” engage the viewer in finding details and appreciating the art and craft of model train building. There will also be tables of new and used model train items for sale.

“Fear the Bloody Timber” Haunted Attraction @ 8518 County Road 7190, West Plains
Oct 17 @ 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Tickets are $20. CASH ONLY at the gate. If you would like to preorder your tickets, use the link here: https://www.ticketleap.events/events/fear-the-bloody-timber?
We will have some fear the bloody timber merchandise available for purchase at the ticket booth. Hats:$20, sweatshirts:$25, & hoodies:$30!️
This haunted attraction includes 8 different themed houses throughout the woods, with 2 separate cornfields to walk through. We hope & strive to give you one of the best haunted experiences!
We have a concession stand with food and drinks! Be on the lookout for our weekend specialty drink: BLUE MONSTER
Tickets here.

 

Live Music ~ The Lovers, Almost Arkansas & Creek Stink @ The Yellow House
Oct 17 @ 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Suggested $10 at the door, covers you for an evening folk and jammy fun. A variety of talented musicians including the duo The Lovers as they take the Yellow House for the first time. A get out your seats and boogie group Almost Arkansas will feed your dancing feet. Also the fun and finger popping, toe taping favorite Creek Stink to make this event a perfect addition to everyone in town for the Old Time Music and Heritage Festival. Doors open at 6 pm. Don’t miss this great opportunity for three bands for one price.

Live Theater ~ “Tom Sawyer” Kids Theater Production @ Avenue Theatre
Oct 17 @ 7:00 pm – 7:30 pm

Join us as our youngest performers take the stage for their inaugural performance of the timeless classic Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. (The kids version)
Tickets $6.00 online or at the door. Performances are October 17 & 18, 7 p.m., and Sunday, October 19, 3 p.m.

West Plains Playhouse Showcase Spectacular @ Dev's Grand Ballroom
Oct 17 @ 7:00 pm
West Plains Playhouse Showcase Spectacular – Join us for a night of singing, dancing, and theatrical performances by local talent. From solos to skits and musical numbers, this variety show has something for everyone. The Grand Ballroom Performances: October 17 & 18 at 7 PM and October 19 at 3 PM. Questions? Call (417) 293-3894 or email westplainsplayhouse@gmail.com
Oct
18
Sat
“War & Memory in the Ozarks” Art & Artifact Exhibit from Harlin Museum sponsored by West Plains Council on the Arts @ West Plains Civic Center - Mezzanine
Oct 18 all-day

The Harlin Museum is presenting an exhibit called “War & Memory in the Ozarks” featuring artwork, photos, and artifacts from their collection. The collection includes historical materials about Ozarkers who served in all the national conflicts as well as stories and artists’ renderings of local skirmishes of the Civil War. The exhibit is sponsored by West Plains Council on the Arts and is on display through October 18 during Civic Center business hours.

The Harlin Museum is a non-profit volunteer-run cultural center in the heart of the Missouri Ozarks. It hosts art shows, workshops, educational lectures, and kids’ art programs throughout the year while also displaying regional artifact and history exhibits year-round. Find out more at https://harlinmuseum.com/

Ozark Heritage Festival (formerly Old-Time Music, Ozark Heritage Festival) @ West Plains Civic Center
Oct 18 all-day

The Ozark Heritage Festival (formerly Old-Time Music, Ozark Heritage Festival) in downtown West Plains will celebrate its 31st year on October 17 & 18. Admission to all festival events is free. The Festival footprint will be focused in and around the West Plains Civic Center, from the east lawn of the Civic Center, down East Main Street, and north on St. Louis Street to Trish Knight Ave. The size of the footprint will make it easier for people to move from one location to another. There is ample parking in the city lots, and Handicapped Parking is available as marked in the Civic Center west and north lots.

Headliners are The Creek Rocks, a folk group from the Ozarks led by banjoist Cindy Woolf and guitarist Mark Bilyeu, who will perform at 8 PM on Friday, October 17. The Wheelhouse Rousters will perform at 8PM on Saturday, October 18. Both performances will be held in the Civic Center theater.

Performances, workshops and demonstrations on musical and traditional arts will be presented throughout the festival campus.  Music in the civic center theater begins at noon with MC Rick Hamby. The evening headliner performances will begin at 8 pm.  Workshops begin at 11 am in Dogwood Rooms.  Fiddle, banjo, harmonica, and dulcimer are among the offerings this year.

From 11 am to 5 pm each day, the Magnolia Room will be the location where special programs by noted presenters are scheduled. Each hour will feature a different topic such as Mills, “Outfitting for the Outdoors,” Finding the Story You Least Expect, and the West Plains Dance Hall Explosion. Check the schedule for the full list.

The Team Sorting Competition will take place Friday and Saturday, on the east lawn. The Sorghum making demo will be on E. Main and Curry St., also the location for the Bucket Brigade competition and Children’s Activities, sponsored by the Boys and Girls Club of West Plains. Artisans and demonstrators will be located on the West Civic Center lawn in the Artisan Village and on the East lawn in the living history encampment. There’s so much to see!

The Jig Dance Competition will be held in the theater on Saturday. Prize money plus gift certificates will be awarded. Come watch this unique dance style. Traditional square dancing, where the caller is part of the square, will take place both Friday and Saturday starting at 6 p.m. in the Exhibit Hall. We have a great lineup of dance musicians, and the dances will be hosted by Andy and Jane Elder.

The Cooking Stage will be located under the Brush Arbor in the front of the Civic Center. Friday will feature Dutch Oven Cooking.  Saturday will include a community “Sing” and the Pie Competition awards. Pie competition entries are due in the Redbud Room between 10:00 – 10:30 a.m. Results of the judging with prize money and special awards will be announced at 12:45 at the Cooking Stage, followed by samples!

Vendor booths promise a wide assortment of products, information on local organizations and food concessions offering everything from lemonade to succotash. Organizers are grateful for their participation.

The master schedule showing locations and event times for Friday and Saturday, as well as schedules of activities by time each day are available on the festival website.

Many thanks to the West Plains Daily Quill for preparing a special Festival Tab each year. Copies will be distributed to subscribers, and additional copies made available. More details and photos of artists and events are always included in that Tab.

2025 Festival partners include the West Plains Council on the Arts, the City of West Plains, the Ozark Heritage Welcome Center, West Plains Civic Center, and Missouri State University-West Plains. Partial funding for this event is provided by the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency. Additional support has been provided by Missouri Humanities.

For more information on the festival e-mail:  info@westplainsarts.org
visit the website at: www.Oldtimemusic.org
Facebook at   https://www.facebook.com/Old.Time.Music.Festival
Vendor registration form here.

 

All-You-Can-Eat Breakfast @ American Legion Hall
Oct 18 @ 7:00 am – 10:00 am

The American Legion hosts a breakfast on the third Saturday of every month as a fundraiser. All you can eat and lots of options at a bargain price!

GO FARM Farmers Market of West Plains @ Endurance Church Parking Lot
Oct 18 @ 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

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.

Ozark Horizon Student Art @ West Plains Public Library
Oct 18 @ 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
The Harvest Market @ Industrial Road behind Great Rivers Distributing
Oct 18 @ 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Message The Harvest Market for more information.

McWilliams Pumpkin Patch @ 4007 County Road 6920
Oct 18 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
⏰ Hours:
Tuesday-Friday till 5pm
Saturday 10-5
Sunday 12-5
Monday-closed
️ Admission:
Weekdays $7
Weekend $15
417-256-6470
Now scheduling school field trips. Please call to schedule your class.
Now scheduling private groups. Please call to book an after hour event for your group.
Parties are welcome during normal business hours. Please call to reserve your table and pavilion.
Bonfires are available for your group. Please call for reservations.
Please check back for our sunflower and zinnia bloom dates. We are expecting a later bloom date this year.
4007 County Road 6920, West Plains, MO 65775
West Plains Model Railroad Club Train Display @ Heart of the Ozarks Fairgrounds
Oct 18 @ 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

The West Plains Model Railroad Club is holding its seventh fall display. Hours are 2-6 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The display will be exhibited in the Harper Building through October 31.

Organizers say there will be two HO gauge layouts and one O gauge layout. Admission is free with donations welcome. The intricate displays of to-scale trains, cars, buildings, landscapes, and “citizens” engage the viewer in finding details and appreciating the art and craft of model train building. There will also be tables of new and used model train items for sale. For more information visit the club’s Facebook page wpmmc.

Missouri “Director’s Traveling Showcase” Mo. Mental Health Foundation Art Show @ Honest Imagination
Oct 18 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Honest Imagination Day Habilitation, 23 Court Square, is hosting the “Director’s Traveling Showcase” art exhibit this week, October 13-18. This show represents the best of the best of art which was submitted by special needs artists from all over the state to the Missouri Mental Health Foundation for the 2025 Showcase.

Honest Imagination Coordinator Garrett Melby, who arranged to have the show in town said, “This is the first time ever to have the Showcase displayed in West Plains, and it’s such an honor for our community.”

The public is invited to see the display Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with special hours on Saturday, 1-3 p.m., during the Ozark Heritage Festival. The annual contest is open to any individual living with a mental illness, substance use disorder or intellectual or developmental disability. This image is a collage of the 2025 Director’s Showcase winners which were selected by a panel of judges.

Find Waldo in West Plains, hosted by Boys & Girls Club during Ozark Heritage Festival @ West Plains Civic Center
Oct 18 @ 1:30 pm

Fore more information and to sign up go to givebutter.com/findwaldo

“Fear the Bloody Timber” Haunted Attraction @ 8518 County Road 7190, West Plains
Oct 18 @ 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Tickets are $20. CASH ONLY at the gate. If you would like to preorder your tickets, use the link here: https://www.ticketleap.events/events/fear-the-bloody-timber?
We will have some fear the bloody timber merchandise available for purchase at the ticket booth. Hats:$20, sweatshirts:$25, & hoodies:$30!️
This haunted attraction includes 8 different themed houses throughout the woods, with 2 separate cornfields to walk through. We hope & strive to give you one of the best haunted experiences!
We have a concession stand with food and drinks! Be on the lookout for our weekend specialty drink: BLUE MONSTER
Tickets here.