Have a Ball in Branson this Fall

Fall is a great time to visit Branson, Missouri. The scenery becomes enflamed with brilliant oranges, yellows and reds creating a backdrop of outdoor beauty that compliments any visit. It’s also a great time to visit due to the variety of entertainers who come to the area and perform special limited engagements. Plus, the cooler weather makes outings to Silver Dollar City even more enjoyable, especially as they host the National Harvest Festival.

During September and October, several stars come to Branson. Johnny Mathis, who is known for his song “Chances Are,” will perform at The Mansion Theater on October 9 & 10. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, best known for their hit “Fishin’ in the Dark,” has a special performance scheduled on October 23 at The Mansion Theater. Neal McCoy will continue his limited engagement at the Yakov Smirnoff Theatre through November 1st. Lee Greenwood and the Bellamy Brothers will be performing at the Welk Resort Theater on select dates through October 24. The Tri-Lakes Center will host Roy Clark on select dates through October 24 as well. The Oak Ridge Boys will take the stage at The Oak Ridge Boys Theater in a limited engagement series through October 22.

Now is also the perfect time to enjoy some of Branson’s perennial favorites, like the Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Drama and the Showboat Branson Belle. The fall weather makes the outdoor setting of the Shepherd of the Hills the perfect night out for families and it creates beautiful scenery for guests aboard the Showboat Branson Belle. While you’re here, make time for top-rated shows like Legends in Concert, SIX, The Duttons and Liverpool Legends, as well as the Dixie Stampede and Presleys Country Jubilee.

You’ll need a place to stay in Branson when you visit, and Branson has plenty of options to choose from. Whether you need a budget-friendly hotel like the Green Gables Inn or are looking for the spaciousness of a condo, like those at Thousand Hills Golf Resort, you’ll find it in Branson. We offer guaranteed lowest rates on most of our lodging options, so you can rest assured that you’re getting the best deal in town.

Break away to Branson this fall for a quick getaway or extended vacation. With so much to see and do, you’ll have a ball this fall in Branson.

Branson Veterans Week 2009 Schedule Announced

The Branson Veterans Task Force, sponsors of the nation’s largest veteran’s celebration, Veterans Homecoming Week in Branson, has announced the schedule of events for this year’s Veteran celebration.

This year’s event has several new things to offer, including five mini-reunions to honor veterans from WWII, Korea, Vietnam, women veterans and veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Persian Gulf. There is also a new location for the registry, Veterans Village Headquarters and the task force’s Tactical Operations Center. The 2009 home for these three will be the Cobblestone Inn. The opening and closing ceremonies of the event are also a bit different this year, and will feature a wider array of talent, including an international tribute to the veterans. The closing ceremony event, new this year, will be held at the Starlite Theater, and will last 90 minutes. There is no cost to attend by reservations are recommended. A few of the scheduled performers include the Oak Ridge Boys, Barbara Fairchild, Roy Morris, the Hughes Brothers, Johnny Lonestar and the Rankin Brothers.

Lt. Col. Oliver North will be returning to this year’s event, and although his exact schedule has not been finalized, he will be at the Branson Landing on November 10 for a book signing.
Two showings of a documentary, filmed last summer that follows C of O students who accompanied veterans on a tour of Europe on D-Day, is also planned. The first showing will occur during the WWII mini-reunion on November 6 and the second will be held at the Keeter Center on November 7.

A full 2009 Branson Veterans Week Schedule is available, complete with daily itineraries.

Hotels in Branson are available for reservations now.

Branson Shows will also be performing during Veterans Week. Tickets are on sale now.

Oak Ridge Boys set to Open Show in Branson

While The Oak Ridge Boys have often been called “America’s Favorite Group,” they are without a doubt one of Branson’s favorite groups as well. The multi-award winning Country, Gospel and pop stars are returning to their Branson roots as they open their 2008 season at a place they called home in the past.

“We’ve been involved in this town for such a long time, and been treated so well here, and this theatre holds such great memories for us, not only because we used to play here when Glen Campbell took a night off, but because we also planted a real oak tree right out in front of the theatre. It’s a thrill to be here with our name on the building,” Oak Ridge Boy Duane Allen said.

The Oaks’ high energy show is complemented by the newly refurbished theatre interior as well as the brand new and extremely high tech lighting and sound system. “We remember what a great venue this is here, with the unbelievable acoustics, and the additional bells and whistles and production elements that have been added, it’s just tremendous. It should make for a great show and we are certainly looking forward to this season,” said Oak Ridge Boy Richard Sterban.

Since they were able to come into town a little early to rehearse and get ready to open their new show Oak Ridge Boy William Lee Golden, got the chance to see the “new” Country Tonight show on Sunday evening. “It’s such an exciting time here in Branson. I was really impressed with what they have to offer here as far as the technology and the production is concerned here. I don’t think we have ever played in a better venue than we have here...it’s exciting.”

Oak Ridge Boys front man Joe Bonsall added what he thought the best thing about Branson was for the group, “I like the family atmosphere here. I know for a fact that the crowd is gonna be appreciative, I know its mom and dad and the kids, and grandmas out there, and I always hope that they go away every night, loving what we have done for them.”

The Oaks’ Branson season runs through December, with nine sets of three-day appearances scheduled. They are also planning to premiere their new Christmas show in Branson before they take it on the road.

Information courtesy of Branson Daily News

What's New in Branson for 2008

Live Shows

Sight & Sound Theatre, opening May 24, presents NOAH - The Musical. This “Christian Broadway” production is an amazing bible-based show with more than 50 live animals and 50 animatronics animals and a 4-story reproduction of the Ark.

Andy Williams and Ann-Margret perform together at the Moon River Theatre June 6 through July 26. The new Andy Williams Variety Show opens September 5 through October 27. The variety show will be patterned after his Emmy-Award winning television shows and will have up to 6 different specialty acts performing with Andy.

There is a new morning show at Andy Williams Moon River Theatre. “The Entertainers” perform everything from dueling banjos to Phantom of the Opera, Motown to bluegrass, all by local musicians who are “stars” in their own right, from other shows in Branson.

The Oak Ridge Boys will open in their new theatre on Shepherd of the Hills Expressway. Country Tonite will move to the Oak Ridge Boys Theatre. Dalena Ditto's Country Variety Show will perform at the Oak Ridge Boys Theatre, April through December.

Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theatre welcomes Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers to their stage in a morning show. Dick Clark’s American Bandstand complex opens up Area ’57 with special events, such as BransonFest 2008, April 8-12, and more planned throughout the year.

Justin Flom and the Imaginary Theatre will feature Branson Divas and the Emmy award-winning comedian Bob Nelson.

Bobby Vinton will be performing at The Mansion this November and Tom Mullica as Red Skelton is appearing at The Mansion.

At the Welk Resort Theatre, The Rankin Brothers Classic Music Revue will debut in March and run through December. Matt and Mark Rankin, along with their cast of outstanding musicians and performers, will present timeless, classic hits covering six decades of music. The Welk Stars Reunion is set for Sept. 3-7 and The Tillis Family Reunion, starring Mel Tillis & Pam Tillis, will return from Sept. 16 through October 25. Tony Orlando’s annual Veterans Salute is Nov. 11 and he will join The Lennon Sisters for an all-new Christmas Celebration, November 1 through December 6.

Yakov Smirnoff welcomes country star Joe Diffie to Yakov’s theatre in September. Shows will feature his friends and family members, as well as comedian Paul Harris.

Attractions

The internationally-awarded 1880s-style theme park Silver Dollar City launches its biggest festival year ever, with new original stage productions, performing groups, and festival showcases. New to open the Spring season: an Irish Celebration with World-Fest’s all new Irish production show, Feet of Fire, featuring authentic fire dancing. Then it’s Bluegrass & BBQ, celebrating Americana at its best with hundreds of award-winning bluegrass performances and fresh-off-the-grill foods. Summer brings family adventures at the park’s biggest Kids Fest ever, presenting a nationally-recognized slate of entertainment with The Magic of Peter Gossamer, a Kid Concoctions interactive world of play, a VeggieTales live stage show produced exclusively for Silver Dollar City, and even an Ice Circus with skating performers from around the world. Fall’s Southern Gospel Picnic features the top traditional and contemporary entertainers in the genre; and the National Harvest Festival brings the largest gathering in America’s Heartland of demonstrating craftsmen, harvest-time foods and musical performances, plus special events: A Salute to the American Cowboy and an all-new Tribute to the American Farmer. An Old Time Christmas, nationally recognized by media from USA Today to Good Morning America and Southern Living as one of the best holiday light shows in America, dazzles with the 5-story, Special Effects Christmas tree and all-encompassing sound and light show on the Square and the all-new Frosty, an interactive show for kids.

Debuting in September, Silver Dollar City, long known as “Home of American Craftsmanship,” celebrates its roots with a very special project to highlight the theme park’s most authentic focus: the interactive art of demonstration. The new Silver Dollar City Culinary & Craft School is designed to pass along knowledge of America’s heritage through fine crafts, handiwork and culinary arts. Interactive classes will be held within the stylishly decorated and themed timberframe structure, set on a hillside within the City, with experts from top chefs to renowned craftsmen teaching culinary classes and craft seminars. Along with the seminars from national experts, Silver Dollar City Master Craftsmen will feature heirloom displays, multiple demonstrations and hands-on activities for take-home skills.

The Branson Entertainment Hall of Fame & Museum, located in the Branson Mall, honors those instrumental in Branson’s entertainment success and showcases historical items for public viewing daily.

Butterflies at Branson is a community-wide art exhibit that will be decorating the Branson area from March 29 until October 10. Area artists, including Yakov Smirnoff, will turn a huge fiberglass butterfly into a work of art to benefit a local charity.

Celebration City, Branson’s Biggest Nighttime Attraction, presents the biggest park expansion to date, and the largest new ride in the Ozarks for 2008. Roaring Falls, a $2 million water adventure ride, takes riders on a water-filled journey through fast-moving rapids and features a 5-story, 55-degree angle drop for an enormous splash finale. Celebration City is a 20th-century themed family amusement park featuring more than 30 rides and attractions including Ozark WildCat, a wooden roller coaster eight stories high. Celebration City hosts "Ignite the Night," a spectacular multi-million dollar nighttime special effects show presenting a stunning finale to the day’s fun along with a boardwalk full of games, uniquely themed shopping and family-style dining.

There is new fun on the water at Gage’s Branson Landing Marina & Shoppes. Branson Landing Cruises offers daily excursions aboard the luxurious 100-foot yacht Landing Princess or the authentic paddlewheel riverboat Lake Queen in the midst of spectacular Branson Landing and Lake Taneycomo waterfront.

Tall Timber lumberjack show is moving to Hwy 76 West in 2008, located two blocks west of Silver Dollar City, across the street from Uncle Ike’s trail rides.

White River Fish House at Bass Pro Shops in Branson Landing sits on Lake Taneycomo. You can feast on local favorites like catfish and trout or enjoy a delicious hand-cut juicy steak, grilled to perfection. Come hungry for your next adventure at White River Fish House.

Developments

The new Branson Convention Center offers convention and conference goers 220,000 square feet of flexible space in a stunning, state-of-the-art setting. A curving, exposed timber pedestrian concourse gives visitors a pleasant view of the Lake Taneycomo waterfront as they travel between the center’s meeting and exhibit facilities and the adjacent Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel.

The Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel is located within walking distance of Historic Downtown Branson and the sprawling new Branson Landing shopping, dining and entertainment district. The new Hilton offers guests a chance to experience the pampered luxury of a metropolitan hotel in the heart of small town America. The 12-story hotel has 293 rooms, including 194 traditional rooms and suites, and 99 condotel units that will also be available for nightly rental.

There are two more championship golf courses in Branson – the Murder Rock course at Branson Creek and the Payne Stewart Tribute course at Branson Hills.

The Branson/Lakes Area community is looking forward to the first flight landing at the new Branson Regional Airport in May of 2009.

Information courtesy of Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce