The Ozarks Celebration Festival recently wrapped its 13th season with a splendid week of bringing together people from all generations and backgrounds to celebrate the rich heritage and culture that is uniquely “Ozarks.” To keep the festival tradition alive for many more seasons to come, a benefit concert is planned for Sept. 24 at 8 p.m. starring The Undergrass Boys with a guest appearance by Beyond Reach featuring original Ozark Mountain Daredevils Larry Lee and Randle Chowning.
Benefiting the Ozarks Celebration Festival and the Ozarks Studies Program, the benefit concert will take place in the Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts.
Tickets for the concert are $15 for general admission and $25 for Gold-circle (Orchestra Pit) seating. There will be a reception following the concert for patrons with Gold-circle seating. Visit Missouri State Tix or call (417) 836-7678, toll-free at 1-888-476-7849.
The Ozarks Celebration Festival is an entertaining and educational look at the region’s culture and heritage. The University launched the festival in 1998 with the hope that it will foster a sense of place and understanding of place for both natives of the Ozarks and visitors as well. This year’s festival will feature more than 75 traditional artists and craftspeople with three entertainment stages featuring music (which will include traditional, bluegrass, and gospel music), storytelling, traditional dance (including square, jig, contra and clogging), films, historical characters, exhibits, and much more. Many of the finest artists and craftspeople in the region will be on hand to demonstrate and display their creations, offering a number of items for sale.
The Ozarks Studies Program aims to preserve the Ozark heritage, culture, environment and history through sharing a comprehensive knowledge of the people, places, characteristics and dynamics of the Ozarks. The program also seeks to discover new knowledge about the Ozarks and provides access to the knowledge. It is a program with a comprehensive view of the Ozarks through a multi-disciplinary, university wide effort.