Silver Dollar City’s Festival of Wonder Leads this Year’s Events
BRANSON, MO. – The all-new Festival of Wonder in April, a new summer concert series and a big new Christmas expansion top the lineup for Silver Dollar City’s 2017 season in Branson, Mo., designated the Year of Food and Crafts. Come celebrate the art of American fine craftsmanship with new handcrafted treasures, new signature dining experiences with bold, innovative flavors and over 200 new specialty foods throughout the season.
The new Festival of Wonder opens April 6 with amazing acts of curiosity and larger-than-life performances, all billed as “A Most Amazing Entertainment Experience.” Featuring the world’s largest playable stringed instrument, the Earth Harp Collective has strings stretched the length of Red Gold Heritage Hall, vibrating above the heads of the audience as it plays, creating a multi-faceted music experience. The Earth Harp is just one of the show’s beyond-believable instruments from visionary instrument creator William Close, an America’s Got Talent finalist. The festival also features the Flamenco Kings, seven brothers whose stunning performances are a fusion of flamenco, tap, martial arts and acrobatics; Balancing Wonders, presenting gravity-defying performers in an extraordinary balancing show; plus Speed Painter Dan Dunn, glass harp music and incredible wind instruments. New foods for the Festival of Wonder take an outrageous turn, including Curious Kabobs with shark or alligator on a stick, Fry Breads from Cajun Shrimp to Nutella S’mores, the World of Bacon with Bacon Cannoli and Chocolate Covered Bacon, new Bodacious Brownies and Blended Beverages. The festival runs April 6-30.
In May, the popular festival Bluegrass & BBQ brings in top musicians, including a special concert with Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder. Skaggs, winner of 14 Grammy Awards, 8 CMA Awards, 11 IBMA Awards and 2 Dove Awards, headlines Memorial Weekend with a concert on May 28. Also among the festival’s top performers are Rhonda Vincent & the Rage, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Flatt Lonesome, The Gibson Brothers and The Grascals. A huge new BBQ Pitmaster Courtyard offers savory barbecue feasting, with new foods including layered Barbecue Sundaes, a “Ribs Spectacular,” grilled corn in flavors from Bacon Jalapeno to Mexican, and Mason Jar Desserts. Bluegrass & BBQ runs May 4-29.
June brings a new Echo Hollow Summer Concert Series, presenting concert fun from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s with performances by Poco, Rare Earth, The Spinners, The Lovin’ Spoonful and local favorite ‘80s cover band Members Only, opening with Jason Pritchett, a top 5 finalist on America’s Got Talent. Concerts are June 2-4 and 9-11. Also, the family-focused festival Star-Spangled Summer, featuring the Harlem Globetrotters in the final year of The Globetrotter Experience show and the antics of Chris Perondi’s Stunt Dogs, June 3 through July 16.
First-ever Silver Dollar City Food Days lead into and top off summer events, May 30 through June 9 and July 31 until August 20. Funnel cakes, cinnamon rolls, kettle corn and milkshakes debut wild new flavors, while summer foods take family favorites like hot dogs to new levels with layers of flavors. The park’s night ride event Moonlight Madness July 15-30 brings back ride-in-the-dark fun and evening street dances, plus new Extreme Food Challenges where families can tackle foods such as the 20-inch Goliath Pizza, 2-lb. hamburgers and 18 in. funnel cakes.
The top names in Southern Gospel fill the stages for Southern Gospel Picnic, August 24 through September 4, including Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Dove Award winners The Booth Brothers and Jeff & Sheri Easter, Greater Vision, The Hoppers, Legacy Five and The Isaacs. The food spotlight is on Southern cuisine, as Southern cooking expert and food blogger Christy Jordan presents all-new recipes in The House of Chicken & Fixin’s.
Concerts featuring country music icons are presented each evening during Silver Dollar City’s Country Music Weekend, September 8-10, and the National Crafts & Cowboy Festival features the nation’s finest craftsmen and authentic cowboys, September 13 through October 28. The festival presents the popular Wild West Show with trick riders, ropers and a world-champion Native American Hoop dancer; Western music, a barn dance, and 125 visiting craftsmen. The nation’s pioneer culinary heritage comes to life with a chuck wagon cookout and cowboy cuisine, including smoked brisket, ham and beans and hearty country comfort foods.
An Old Time Christmas is brighter than ever, this year adding the new Christmas in Midtown with 1.5 million additional lights, for a total of 6.5 million lights. The festival presents ‘Rudolph’s Holly Jolly™ Christmas Light Parade’ led by the most famous reindeer of all, with musical lighted floats and dozens of costumed characters, plus two original musical productions: It’s A Wonderful Life and A Dickens’ Christmas Carol. Ranked as one of the world’s top holiday events, the park dazzles with the acclaimed 5-story special effects Christmas Tree and an encompassing light-and-sound show on the Square, plus new holiday foods, November 4 through December 30. Also new this year is a New Year’s Celebration December 31 and January 1.
The park presents more than 40 rides and attractions, including the world-famous wood coaster Outlaw Run, named Best New Ride of 2013 worldwide and featured in Guinness World Records 2015. The new Year of Food and Crafts spotlights the park’s 100 craftsmen demonstrating America’s heritage crafts, hundreds of new food specialties are added to the dining options, and shows fill the stages throughout the season. The 1880s-style theme park is open March 15 through December 31, 2017 and January 1, 2018. For more information and park daily hours schedule, please visit silverdollarcity.com
About Branson, Missouri
Branson is a one-of-a-kind family vacation destination nestled in the lakeside beauty of the Ozark Mountains with dozens of live performance theaters, three pristine lakes, championship golf courses, an international award-winning theme park, family attractions and museums, a Historic Downtown district, shopping galore, a full range of dining options, and a host of hotels, motels, resorts, RV parks, campgrounds and meeting and convention facilities. Less than one day’s drive for one-third of U.S. residents with flights to the Branson Airport (BKG) and nearby Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF) Call 1-877-BRANSON for help planning your next vacation, convention or reunion. See more at www.explorebranson.com
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