Find out what’s happening for the week of January 6 - 10, 2007 during Branson’s Hot Winter Fun. Complete schedule can be found here.
A Branson Courier article entitled, “Combined Branson Junior High and High School Choirs Present ‘How Can I Keep from Singing Songs of Joy and Celebration?’” indicates that the best show in Branson on that date just might have been provided by the combined choirs of the Branson Junior High School and Branson High School. Under the direction of Bob Abbott and Erika O’Bryant the choirs demonstrated just how effective the educational opportunities available to students in the Branson School District, in the area of fine arts, are as they presented a concert entitled “How Can I Keep From Singing Songs of Joy and Celebration?” in the Branson High School Theatre. Our kids did a super job!
The 58th Annual Adoration Parade will take place Sunday, December 3 at 5:30 pm and will incorporate both Historic Downtown Branson and Branson Landing. First Place prize money has been increased to $1,000 in all four categories: Non-Profit Religious Theme, Non-Profit Non-Religious Theme, For Profit Religious Theme, For Profit Non-Religious Theme. The deadline for Walking Unit and Float entries for the parade is October 27, 2006 (Deadline has been extended). For more information please contact Deidre McCormick at 417- 334-4084 ext. 307. Applications may be found online at http://www.explorebranson.com/docs/2006_Float%20Application.pdf
In an attempt to get more Branson Landing customers to shop “up the hill” in Historic Downtown Branson, the Downtown Branson Main Street Association announced on October 16 that it will begin providing trolley service between the downtown area and Branson Landing on October 20. The service will be on a temporary basis with two trolleys running a regular route throughout the downtown area. It is anticipated that two of the drop off and pickup area at Branson Landing will be Bass Pro Shops at the south end of the landing and Belks at the north end. The trolley system will be free, operated by “Ride the Ducks,” and make five stops in the downtown area.
One of the most asked questions about this time of the year, is when do the drive through “Christmas Lighting displays” that Branson is famous for come on? There are three major drive through Christmas lighting display, one in the City of Branson, one about 30 minutes away in Kimberling City, and one in between. They, along with their opening date and a link to their web site are the “Branson Area Festival of Lights,” in the City of Branson which opens November 1; the “Port of Lights,” in Kimberling City opening November 2, and the “Trail of Lights,” located between Branson the other two on Highway 76 which opens November 1.
Running from now until Thanksgiving weekend “Branson’s Ultimate Elvis Contest” will be held each Saturday at 8 p.m. in the Owens Theatre in historic downtown Branson. According to information provided by the press release for the event, the “winner” of each weekly event will be awarded $ 100.00 cash plus, a free recording session to produce a free 10-12 song CD master in our recording studio, and be invited back for finals to be held on Thanksgiving Weekend 2006. Winners will be judged by “comparative audience response at the end of each weekly event” as measured by a decibel meter.
The “Grand Prize Winner” will receive “their own Branson Show” in the form of a free time slot for the entire season, March through October 2007, at the Owens Theatre. According to the press release for the event, “This represents a minimum value of $25,000.00 and a potential proven value of up to $ 150,000.00!”
There is one strange rule. It states “Each contestant must be pre-qualified to receive free hotel rooms, dinner certificate and free show tickets awarded to participant. This prequalification is connected to participants agreeing to attend a 90 min presentation of Travel Club Discount Programs. There are no registration fees!”
The Grand Opening of Branson’s P Graham Dunn Gallery, located at 3500 North Gretna Road, next to Branson Mill, will take place on October 13, 2006. Peter Dunn, the founder of P Graham Dunn inspirational wood carvings, will be present on Friday through Sunday to “meet and greet” and autography their products. For more information on P Graham Dunn Gallery and their inspiration and unique products click here.
Last night, at their regularly scheduled meeting, after about 90 minutes of citizen input and board discussion, the Branson Board of Aldermen voted, by a six to zero (6-0) margin, to reduce the size of a proposed 25 story skyscraper to 12 stories. The proposed skyscraper is to be constructed as part of a $100 million multi use retail and resort complex to be constructed at the junction of U.S. Highway 65 and State Highway 248 in Branson. The complex is being jointly developed by HCW Development Company, of Branson, and Evergreen Investments, of Lebanon.
The developer had sought planning and zoning changes necessary to build the 25 story building but there was strong objection from local residents to the height of the building at the very entrance to Branson and the first impression it would create on visitors coming to Branson for its small town atmosphere and flavor. The reduction in size was a compromise to accommodate both the economic development needs of Branson, the desires of its citizens, and the preservation of Branson’s down home Ozarks image. The developer indicated that they still had to do feasibility studies on the project and that it was in the early stages of planning.