Arts, Hobbies & Recreation

Local Event Calendars

• Callaway County Chamber of Commerce Calendar
• City of Ashland Meeting Calendar
• City of Columbia Events Calendar
• City of Fulton Events Calendar
• Callaway County Events Calendar
• Columbia College Events Calendar
• Columbia Parks & Recreation Calendar
• Discover the District – Columbia
• MU Events Calendar
• Stephens College Events Calendar
• University Concert Series Calendar
• Westminster College Events Calendar
• William Woods University Events Calendar

Regional Event Calendars

• Boonville Events
• Jefferson City Events
• Kansas City Events
• Lake of the Ozarks Events
• St. Louis Events

Boone County Events

• Boone County Fair
  The annual Boone County Fair is held every July at the Boone County Fairgrounds.
• Cattlemen Days Rodeo – Ashland
  Annual two-day rodeo and festival held in August.
• EcoArtFest – McBaine
  This annual fall environmental and art festival supports the work of the non-profit Missouri River Cultural Conservancy.
• Hartsburg Pumpkin Festival
  Annual fall festival at pumpkin harvesting time with crafts and food booths.

Columbia Events

• Art in the Park – Columbia
  Each June the Columbia Art League sponsors the oldest and largest fine arts festival in mid-Missouri with over 100 visual artists in a variety of media.
• CoMo Grown-up Book Fair
  Annual event at Rose Music Hall that brings the childhood joy of book fairs back to adults. It features local book sellers, food and drink and games.
• Earth Day Festival
  Annual spring Earth Day Festival with an emphasis on learning sustainable ways of living to protect and preserve the environment.
• Family Fun Fest – Columbia Parks & Recreation
  A free family event at Flat Branch Park on the third Wednesday of each month during May through September. Features music, special performances, art activities, bounce-houses, face painting and lots more.
• First Fridays in the North Village Arts District
  A free art crawl in the North Village Arts District on the first Friday of each month from 6pm to 9pm. Galleries, shops and businesses are open with music, art demonstrations, children’s activities, refreshments, and much more.
• Heritage Festival & Craft Show
  Annual fall festival featuring artisans and tradesmen, many dressed in 19th century costume, demonstrating and selling their merchandise; contemporary crafts are featured as well. Entertainment includes storytelling, traditional music and dancing.
• Living Windows Festival
  First Friday in December, downtown merchants compete for best “living window” displays. Shoppers can enjoy carol singing, carriage rides, hot treats and the city’s holiday lights.
• That’s What She Said Columbia 
  Annual show that provides a platform for the powerful voices of local women. They aim to create a space where people can celebrate their differences, while also discovering what brings everyone together – all through the power of storytelling.
• True/False Film Festival
  This four-day festival features a wide range of innovative nonfiction films, discussions with filmmakers and workshops on filmmaking and production.
• We Always Swing Jazz Series
  A series of year-round jazz concerts at different venues in Columbia featuring some of the world’s biggest names in jazz music.

Fulton & Callaway County Events

• Kingdom of Callaway County Fair
  The annual Callaway County Fair is held every August at the Callaway County Raceways.
• Fulton Street Fair
  Annual summer two-day fair with art and craft vendors, musical entertainment, carnival and a variety of competitions and awards for best entries in the Grand Parade.

State Events

• Missouri State Fair
  The annual state fair is held every August at the Sedalia Fairgrounds with 10 days of contests, exhibits, rodeo and concerts by well-known performers.
• VisitMo.com
  Search the events calendar by keyword, city, region or date at the official tourism site for the state of Missouri.

Regional & National

• ArtFestival.com
  Maintained by a management and PR agency for artists and exhibitors, this site also has information for visitors on outdoor art & craft festivals.
• Festival Network Online
  Primarily for artists, performers and vendors. There is a free search by state or month for craft shows, music festivals, craft fairs and fine art fairs. Membership is required for full show details.

Art Organizations

• Americans for the Arts
  The nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America.
• City of Columbia Office of Cultural Affairs
  Find out about local public art as well as the city’s Percent for Art program.
• Columbia Art League
  Art exhibitions, classes, information for artists and sponsors.
• The Best of Missouri Hands (Missouri Artisans Association)
  Represents Missouri artisans. Provides details about events and artisans’ contact information.
• Mid-America Arts Alliance
  Supports regional, national, and international performing and visual arts programming.
• Missouri Arts Council
  Provides funding to nonprofit organizations through grants to encourage the growth, development, and appreciation of the arts in Missouri.
• National Endowment for the Arts
  A federal agency which provides financial support for the arts.

Art Festivals

• Art in the Park – Columbia Art League
  The oldest fine arts festival in mid-Missouri; takes place in June at Stephens Lake Park, Columbia, MO.
• Art Fair – St. Louis
  An annual three-day celebration of the visual and performing arts; takes place each September.
• Brookside Art Annual – Kansas City
  An annual event held each May.
• Fall Into Art
  An annual weekend event blending art, music and education; takes place in November at Parkade Center in Columbia, MO.
• Heritage Festival & Craft Show – City of Columbia Office of Cultural Affairs
  An annual fall event featuring artisans and tradesmen, many dressed in 19th century costume, demonstrating and selling their merchandise; contemporary crafts are featured as well; takes place at historic Nifong Park.

Art Galleries

• Capital Arts Gallery – Jefferson City
• Guide to Art in Columbia
  An online guide to museums and galleries in Columbia and nearby cities; also lists performing arts and events and festivals and a Google map of locations.
• Mildred M. Cox Gallery – William Woods University, Fulton, MO
• Montminy Art Gallery
• Orr Street Studios
• Sager Reeves Gallery
• Sidney Larson Gallery

Learning Opportunities

• Access Arts – School of Service
  A teaching program offering classes in pottery, weaving, drawing, sculpture, photography and mixed media.
• Columbia Area Career Center
  Offers classes for adults in areas including arts and design, business, information technology and more during the school year.
• Columbia Art League
  Information about art classes and summer art camps.
• Leisure Times – Columbia Parks and Recreation
  Schedules of Art and Craft classes for adults.
• Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
  Classes for 50+; may include art classes.

Art Museums

• Boone County Historical Museum
• City Museum – St. Louis
• Contemporary Art Museum – St. Louis
• George Caleb Bingham Gallery – UMC
• Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art – Kansas City
• Missouri Art Museums
  Directory of art museums, non-profit art organizations and art centers in Missouri.
• Museum of Anthropology – UMC
• Museum of Art and Archaeology – UMC
• Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art – Kansas City
• St. Louis Art Museum
• State Historical Society of Missouri

Public Art

• Public Art Guide
  Columbia’s Public Art Guide.
• Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park
  At the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City.
• Laumeier Sculpture Park – St. Louis