May, 2011 Branson Events

Held at Silver Dollar City's 1000-seat Opera House Theater during the Bluegrass & BBQ Festival 2011

This contest features amateur entertainers 21 years-old or younger competing for top honors. Cash prizes will be awarded to the bands finishing in the top 5. First place wins $1200!

Click here for the official entry form and contest rules

Winner of the 2009 event: The Meyer Bluegrass Band from Sheldon, Missouri took top honors (and $1200!)

Winner of the 2010 event: Jed & Harry Clark Band of Searcy, Arkansas took top honors (and $1200!)

Special event at the Titanic Museum: author Lee Merideth visits The Titanic in Branson, May 28 - June 19, 2011. He wrote "1912 Facts About The Titanic" and "Titanic Names: A Complete List of Passengers and Crew." Check this for more information about the books and publisher.

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Bring your book to have it signed!

"1912 Facts About The Titanic" is a collection of little-known facts & stories about Titanic, the people who experienced her, and the tragic events comprising her maiden voyage that ended so dramatically on the early morning of April 15, 1912. It is not a definitive history of these events, nor is it intended to be. Instead, the book is a collection of some of the most interesting information about the doomed ship.

Location: Branson Convention Center

Admission: $125 per plate or $1250 per table

Silent auction at 6:30 pm, dinner at 7:00 pm and entertainment at 8:00 pm

Entertainment: SIX and Yakov Smirnoff plus more TBA

A benefit to help the hundreds of residents affected by the recent flooding. This event is being organized by Dino Kartsonakis, who also lost his Branson home to the floods. Read about it here.

Everyone is invited to attend.

Held at Silver Dollar City's 1000-seat Opera House Theater during the Bluegrass & BBQ Festival 2011

Host: TBA (in 2010 the host was Terry Herd, Nashville's 4-time IBMA Broadcaster of the Year)

An old-fashioned technique that's making a comeback is the highlight of this contest. The single microphone style is where band members gather closely around a single mic and balance themselves by moving forward or away from the microphone.

This contest is open to amateur and professional bluegrass bands. There are cash prizes!

First prize includes a professional photo of the band to be published in Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine, and the top 5 bands will be offered a future booking at Silver Dollar City!

Everyone is welcome to visit Silver Dollar City to watch the contest on May 21-22, 2011.

Click here for official entry form and contest rules

2009 Champions: Bull Harman & Bull's Eye

2010 Champions: The Hillbenders from Springfield, MO

The 51st Annual Plumb Nellie Days!

Hours: Friday & Saturday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm

Admission is FREE to this popular 2-day event in Historic Downtown Branson.

The event is sponsored by the Downtown Main Street Association and features crafters and artists from across the country. The crafters booths will be under a large tent near the center of downtown at Commercial and Atlantic Streets. This is also a juried show, with no manufactured or imported items accepted.

The purpose is to celebrate the culture of arts and crafts and to honor the skills of the individuals who want to keep the traditions of the past alive. More than 200 artists and crafters are expected.

On Saturday at 9:00 am, The Outrageous Dog Show will delight the crowds with honors going to categories such as Best-Dressed Dog, Owner look-alike, Longest Ears, Waggiest Tail, Most Talented, and more fun categories. (deadline to enter your pup is May 12, 2011)

Also on Saturday, a ceremony will honor America's active duty personnel for Armed Forces Day. United States Army Sgt. David E. Horton will lead the Pledge of Allegiance. The Branson High School ROTC will present the colors. Barbara Fairchild and husband Roy Morris will make a special appearance to sing "It Has Always Been the Soldier" to honor American troops and their families.

Look for the entertainment stage and autograph booth featuring these performers:

• Doug Gabriel
• Bucky Heard
• The Cat's Pajamas
• Top Ten Hits of Rock n Roll
• Jeff Hunt
• The Fair Family
• Motown Downtown
• Hot Hits Theater
• JEERK
• Marty Haggard
• Allen Asbery
• The Voices of Glory
• George Dyer
• Ron Young
• Buckets N Boards
• Krista Meadows with Full Circle Concept
• Leroy New
• The Platters
• Jason Yeager
• The Skillet Lickers
• The Duttons
• and more!

Tony Turner and the All-Stars wrap up the event with a Street Dance from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Saturday evening. The food court will be open.

Help Clay Cooper tackle cancer with this Relay For Life fundraiser at his theater, The Clay Cooper Theatre.

Karaoke Night!

Time: from 9:00 pm to ??

Sing on stage and buy a DVD of your performance. Local entertainers will join you on stage!

Admission: $5; plus $1 per song. All proceeds go to Relay For Life.

New location in 2011: the Mansion Entertainment and Media Center, 189 Expressway Lane (highway 248 & Gretna)

More space! Better access roads!

The rally has FREE admission and is open to everyone – motorcycle owners or not

Thursday: Kickstart Party at Sharkey's Bar & Grill (previously the All American Cafe, located adjacent to The Mansion Theatre on Shepherd of the Hills Expy) at 6:00 pm on Thursday, May 19, 2011 – live music, great food, great drink prices (ask for The Crankcase, a new mystery drink Sharkey's created just for the Motorcycle Rally!)

Friday & Saturday: live bands, tons of vendors and rally events, guided rides, poker runs, stunt shows, stage giveaways, live boxing and many more events

Saturday: one of the areas biggest bike shows, sponsored by Freedom of the Road Riders

Saturday evening: Billy Bretherton, star of A&E's "Billy the Exterminator," performs LIVE on-stage with the band Geneva on their Rock N Ride Tour. Billy and Geneva are signing autographs after the show!

Sunday morning: a Sunday Service at The Mansion followed by a ceremony honoring veterans and active military. The Rally ends with the annual Blessing of the Bikes.

RAMADA Branson is the onsite hotel and is limited to 292 rooms (first come first serve so BOOK NOW to guarantee your room)

The Mansion is offering discount show tickets and packages to everyone attending the rally – Liverpool Legends, 3 Redneck Tenors and Red Skelton: A Tribute by Tom Mullica

Help Clay Cooper tackle cancer with this Relay For Life fundraiser at his theater, The Clay Cooper Theatre.

Enter the "How Many Footballs?" contest for a chance to win great prizes. Here's how:

• Purchase an entry ticket from the Clay Cooper box office. Tickets are only $1 each.
• Fill it out with your guess on how many footballs are in a jar (and your contact info)
  
• Place your entry in the purple Relay For Life bucket
• Prizes will be awarded on Tuesday, May 31, 2011
• Anyone can enter to win! (attending the show or not) You can enter as many times as you like.

Grand Prize:

• 2 nights at the Radisson Hotel
• $20 certificate for Montana Mike's Steakhouse
• $15 certificate for the Uptown Cafe
• Certificates for 2 adults to 3 shows of your choice from the list of available shows, below
  

Second prize:

• Certificates for 2 adults to 3 shows of your choice from the list of available shows that are left after Grand Prize Winner chooses

Third prize:

• Certificates for 2 adults to the remaining 2 shows

The shows you can choose from:

• Clay Cooper's Country Music Express
• Marty Haggard
• Buck Trent
• Buckets N Boards
• The Duttons
• The Cat's Pajamas
• George Dyer
• Acrobats of China
  

Go to the Clay Cooper Theatre lobby on Saturday, May 14 (8:00 am - 8:00 pm) for lots of yummy desserts for sale. All money raised goes to Relay For Life, helping the American Cancer Society tackle cancer.

Stop in and buy something delicious!

Celebrating Americana at its best, Silver Dollar City's Bluegrass & BBQ festival highlights hundreds of award-winning bluegrass performances and a huge barbeque feast for the last 2 1/2 weeks of May. You won't want to miss a single performance of some of the best Bluegrass performers today. Open daily. Bluegrass headliners include:

• Rhonda Vincent & the Rage - Nine-time IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Female Vocalist of the Year
• The Grascals - 2006 & 2007 IBMA Entertainers of the Year & 2011 SPBGMA (Society For The Preservation of Bluegrass Music) Instrumental Group of the Year
• IIIrd Tyme Out - 7-time IBMA Vocal Group of the Year
• Many more! Including Monroeville, Goldwing Express, Bull Harman & Bulls Eye, The Chapmans, Bluegrass Brigade, Redhead Express, The Cleverlys, The Expedition Show, Tennessee Mafia Jug Band (click here for specific performance dates for each group during the 19-day festival)
  
• And National Bluegrass Competitions: 10th Annual KSMU Youth in Bluegrass Contest (May 28-29, 2011) & the 5th Annual National Single Mic Contest (May 21-22, 2011)
• The All-American Barbeque Feast in the House of BBQ (located in the Red Gold Heritage Hall) - huge outdoor grills turn out everything from ribs to smoked chicken with hundreds of sauces offering regional flavors like smoky chipotle, sweet hickory, Memphis dry rubs, Carolina vinegars, smoky Texas-style and sweet KC-style.
• Reunion Hall's All-You-Can-Eat Rib Feast - from 3:00 pm till park closing during the Bluegrass & BBQ Festival. Reunion Hall is located on Main Street (next to Molly's Mill Restaurant) and is air-conditioned. Belly-up to the table for ribs, beef brisket, pulled pork, smoked chicken and a salad bar - and don't stop till you're stuffed!

Heads Above Water, Jam Below the Dam is a benefit show sponsored by The Skillet Licker Songwriter Review, Stolen Windows, Waxy O'Shea's Irish Pub, and the God and Country Theatre. Recent record rainfalls have contributed to a state of flooding in the area that has affected many local residents.

What: a benefit show, silent auction and clothing drive to help Branson area residents driven from their homes, many of whom have lost everything. An estimated 300 families have been affected.

Where: Waxy O'Shea's, Branson's only Irish Pub, at the Branson Landing

When: Noon, Wednesday, May 11, 2011 until 1:00 am on May 12, 2011

Who: Many local entertainers are performing at the event, including headliners from the God and Country Theatre, homespun bluegrassers The Skillet Lickers, local jam-band favorites Stolen Windows, and Celtic rockers Eire & Brimstone. All are donating their time, and hope that the entire community will join them for a time of encouragement, good music and hope.

How to help or donate:

• Donations are being accepted by Waxy O'Shea's Irish Pub for a silent auction to be held throughout the day on May 11
• Monetary donations will also be collected at all area Ozark Mountain Bank branches and at Waxy's (checks payable to "Heads Above Water")
• Donations of clean clothing, in good condition, and non-perishable food items may also be delivered to Waxy O'Shea's for later distribution
• go to the show at Waxy's on May 11 (bring your donations with you)

All proceeds from the events will be allocated to Salvation Army, K-Life and Christian Action Ministries, as well as handed out directly by the organizers, to stay in the community and be given to families affected by the flood.

Everyone is invited, whether you live here or are visiting this week, to enjoy Heads Above Water, Jam Below the Dam at Waxy O'Shea's Irish Pub.

For more info, contact Zach and Dee McGrath at 417-230-1595 Or Matthew Stoll at 417-335-1799 or by email at headsabovewaterjam@gmail.com

On Mother's Day, Ride The Ducks treats mothers quacktastically!

Moms ride FREE with a coupon and the purchase of another full-price RTD ticket. (print the coupon here)

The offer and coupon are only good on Sunday, May 8, 2011, and you have to make the purchase at the ticket window of the Highway 76 Ride The Ducks location, 2320 W Highway 76 (just west of Wal-Mart).

Print the coupon and take it – and Mom – with you!

Volunteers needed to repair flood damage

The city of Branson is putting a call out for volunteers to help repair Stockstill Park that was damaged last week by the flooding of Roark Creek.

When: 9:00 a.m. and continue into the afternoon or until the work is completed. 

Employees from parks and recreation and public works have already started removing the large tree limbs and debris left after the flood waters from Roark Creek receded.

Additional help is needed due to the extent of damage. The flood also damaged fences and washed away mulch from the playgrounds. The volunteer work will involve raking and leveling new mulch back into the playground areas and general debris clean-up.

Got tools? Bring them! Gloves too! (rakes and shovels)

In the event of rain Saturday, the work day will be rescheduled.  

The Cat's Pajamas recently completed their 3rd annual "Music In Schools" tour. Their efforts raised over $12,000 for music programs in Wisconsin and Massachusetts!

Now we're happy to announce their new fundraising focus: the Branson High School Music Program.

Through the end of May 2011, The Cats will be accepting donations at intermission and after the show. All money raised goes directly to the Branson High School Music Department. Click here for The Cat's Pajamas May schedule.

Numerous student groups are already enrolled to partake in Master Classes with The Cats Pajamas' certified music teachers as well as scheduled to kick off The Cat's Pajamas' shows as a featured opening act! Co-founder Nate Mendl is a trained music educator holding certification in General and Choral Music from the University of Wisconsin - Madison; and Zakk Wooten is also a certified music educator from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

You'll love the show; and you'll love the opportunity to help the Cats help our local schools.

Go Cats Go!

World-Fest marks the official opening of Silver Dollar City's regular season on April 7, 2011. It's America's largest international festival, presenting incredible entertainment from around the globe. Performers from six continents present new and unique shows and productions - never before presented in the United States. Open Wednesdays through Sundays. Festival highlights include:

• NEW! Mayorov Russian State Circus, showcasing acrobatic feats, barbell juggling, the famed German Wheel, comedy and more
• NEW! Canadian Powerhouse, headlining world-champion fiddlers and internationally-awarded step dancers
• NEW! Rhythms Of Rajasthan, showcasing music and dances from India
• NEW! Irish Eyes Are Smiling, starring Ireland's premier harpist Dearbhail Finnegan, alongside Irish tenor Michael Londra
• NEW! Slovenian Polka Party, with 3 bands creating a huge dance party (May 6-8 only)
• NEW! Master Yodeler Kerry Christensen - Alpine and Western Yodeling Master
• Returning favorites! Russian Academic Band - brass band music with Russian and American influences
• Returning favorites! Trinidad's Footprints Diego Martin/Trinidad Drums & Dance - presenting island-style Caribbean rhythms with steel drums, stilt dancing and fire limbo!
• Returning favorites! Ecuador Manta - musicians from Ecuador presenting pan-flute melodies of the Andes
• Plus, International Foods are featured daily at Tastes of the World

Theaters, hotels, restaurants, and stores will be representing countries from all around the world during this month-long International festival. Visit and learn about countries and cultures worldwide without even leaving Branson!

• ABC Campground – representing Canada
  
• Acrobats of China – see the show in April or May. Representing China
  
• Baldknobbers – representing America
• Best Western Center Pointe Inn – representing Greece
• Best Western Music Capital Inn – representing Ireland
  
• Branson Country Tours – representing Egypt
• Branson Mill Craft Village – representing Italy
  
• Comfort Inn & Suites – representing Australia
• Comfort Inn at Thousand Hills – representing Belgium
• Gardens Restaurant – representing Italy
  
• Golden Corral – representing China
• Holiday Inn Express – representing Israel
  
• Hughes Brothers Show - see the show in April or May. The Hughes Brothers feature their Swedish heritage with Swedish foods, artifacts, flags, music and gift items.
• Presleys Jubilee – representing America
• Sight & Sound Theatre – representing Israel
  
• Stone Hill Winery – representing Germany
  
• Welk Resort – representing Germany

Happy International travels in Branson!