Gift of Hope benefit.

BRANSON, Mo (04/25/12) The Track Family Fun Park #3, located at 2505 W. Hwy 76, Branson, directly across Highway 76 from the Andy Williams Moon River Grill, will host a benefit  for the Gift of Hope and its Backpack Club and Christmas Share programs on Saturday, April 28, 2012 between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Those attending will enjoy reduced rates with “$5.00 per 1 pass ride including Classic go-karts, bumper boats and mini golf.

The Gift of Hope’s mission is “Providing essentials and pathways to independence for Taney County Families.” One of the ways it does that is through “The Backpack Club” which provides a backpack of nutritious food for children who have shown signs of hunger outside of the school meal program.  Children receive the food each weekend during the school year. The Christmas Share program will provide customized assistance to approximately 30 families in need during the winter months.

“Branson visitors as well as locals can have a great afternoon of fun, save money and help a great cause,” said Stephanie Milton, Director of Marketing for the Branson Tourism Center. For information on the Benefit or the Gift of Hope please call 417-546-8062.For information on the Benefit or the Gift of Hope please call 417-546-8062.

BRANSON, Mo. In a one-night-only special event, Silver Dollar City is offering an opportunity for guests to participate in the final walk-through of the top features of its world-famous An Old Time Christmas festival before it opens to the public. The proceeds of the event will benefit “Care For Kids,” a project of the Silver Dollar City Foundation and Hometown Radio. Care For Kids provides funds to area school districts to meet the individual needs of area kids.

The White Glove, a preview event on the eve of An Old Time Christmas, takes place at the park Friday, November 4, beginning at 5:30 p.m. It includes a holiday feast with prime rib and all the fixings, the first lighting of the 5-story Christmas Tree, caroling, the first run of the Holiday Light Parade, and final dress rehearsals of the park’s highly acclaimed production “A Dickens’ Christmas Carol” and the Living Nativity.

The walk-through review, known at the park for decades as the “White Glove,” is when all shows, décor, food and lights are tested and approved before the park opens to the public. It is limited to 400 tickets, with a special price of $40 per person. For additional information call 800-831-4386.

One of the many crafts that will be demonstrated at the National Harvest Festival.

Silver Dollar City’s National Harvest Festival is not only one of the largest craft festivals in the nation it is the precursor of many Fall festivals and events in the Branson area that run during the same time period. The National Harvest Festival has been formally recognized by the U.S. Congress, features over 100 demonstrating craftsmen and artisans from all over the country, runs until October 29 and like all of the six world class festivals that Silver Dollar City offers its guests each year is in addition to all the fun, rides and excitement available at the international award winning 1880s theme park on a daily basis.

The merchants and businesses of historic downtown Branson will hold their 38th Annual Autumn Daze Arts and Crafts Festival in Branson’s historic district on Friday and Saturday, September 16 and 17 from 9 AM to 6 PM. Over 150 crafters from all over the country will display, their work in this “juried craft show” which is free to the public and, when combined with the unqiue specialty and art shops in downtown Branson, provides one of the most unique shopping opportunities available anywhere. In addition the festival includes demonstrations from many of the visiting craftsmen, food vendors, a children’s area, free live music from Branson entertainers throughout the day and a street dance in historic down town Branson on Saturday, September 17 at 6:30 PM with the music provided by “Tony Turner and the All Stars.”

On Saturday, September 24, the city of Hollister will hold its 13th annual “Grape & Fall Festival” on “Downing Street”  in historic downtown Hollister. This one day celebration is “simply old fashioned family fun” for the whole family and will feature displays and products by local artists and vendors, live music and entertainment by Branson entertainers, kids activities, “carnival food like funnel cakes and turkey legs” and much more. One of the major highlights of the festival is the “Grape Stomp” competition at 2 PM where local dignitaries and personalities “get up to their knees in grapes” and compete for the coveted “Ugly Monkey Trophy.” It’s a unique day of great fun.

The 2nd Annual “Rose O’Neill’s Faerie Gathering” will take place on September 24 and 25 at “Bonniebrook,” the “favorite place” of Rose O’Neill, the inventor of the “Kewpie Doll” and “Kewpies.” In addition to the museum, containing one of the most complete collections of O’Neil’s “Kewpies” and other works available anywhere, the festival will celebrate her belief in “Faeries” with crafts, a fairy house building competition, seminars and other activities including “The Sweet Monsters Ball and Masquerade” starting at 6 PM on Saturday, September 24.

From Friday, October 7 through the Sunday, October 9, in conjunction with “LogHoggers,” the Branson Titanic Museum Attraction will hold its 4th Annual Chainsaw Sculpting Event to honor Titanic’s German passengers and crew. The three day competition will take place from 9 AM to 5 PM on Friday and Saturday and from 9 AM to 3 PM on Sunday. It also includes an auction where the carvings will be auctioned off to the highest bidder.

The Titanic will also hold its 2nd Annual “red-hot Titanic Firehouse & Charity Chili Cook-Off on Saturday, October 15, from 10 AM. to 4 PM in the same parking area. The first year of the event proved to be one of “the most highly attended family events in Titanic’s five-year history.” Come early, watch them prep, meet local firefighters, personnel from various charities, sample their delicious chili and then stick around to see if your favorite wins the competition.

http://www.bransontourismcenter.com/events/detail.php?id=952

For additional information on any of these events or any of Branson’s shows and attractions or for lodging arrangements please contact the Branson Tourism Center (BTC), one of Branson’s largest and most respected vacation planning services. BTC can be reached by either calling their toll free number 1-800-785-1550 or through their website www.BransonTourismCenter.com.

BRANSON, Mo. It was a newspaper article about the victimization of some senior citizens that happened in 2008, hundreds of miles away from Branson and that most in Branson, not only had nothing to do with, but had no idea it had even happened. However, as is the case with many of life’s good works, it touched the hearts of people who cared and, as a result, a group of senior citizens, called the “Funseekers,” will travel those hundreds of miles to Branson and enjoy three days of fun they thought had been stolen from them forever.

At first blush, there’s nothing in the February 23, 2011 Connecticut Post article, entitled, “Travel agent headed to jail for defrauding seniors” for anyone in Branson to be concerned about, but as Larry Milton, co-owner of the Branson Tourism Center with his wife Lianne, read the article about this specific group, his heart was touched. He discovered that the seniors who had been victimized had paid over $40,000 to a man for a three night trip to Branson that they never got to take because he took their money but never fulfilled the trip. Although the thief was convicted and is awaiting sentencing, Milton just didn’t think it was right that the Funseekers never got the Branson trip for which they had paid.

On February 24, not a day after becoming aware of the situation, the Milton’s contacted the reporter to get more information on the group and began working with others in the Branson community to help put together the same itinerary that had originally been sold to the Funseekers group back in 2008.  Milton said that he and others in the community wanted “the Funseekers to see firsthand in this day and age that Branson is different for all the right reasons.”

He continued by pointing out that it would also be an opportunity “to emphasize to other groups the importance of trusting an established tour provider.” He explained that whether it is someone who is a member of ABA, NTA, OMCA, BARA, or ASTA there are reputable companies that Branson’s future customers should be encouraged to “use to protect themselves and ultimately our community.”

With that simple start, and thanks to the hearts of many within the Branson tourism community, about 54 members of the “Funseekers,” will fly into St. Louis on September 12 to enjoy the same basic three day Branson itinerary they paid for in 2008 and thought they had lost. The response of those offering to help from within the Branson tourism community was overwhelming. As far as practicable, everything on their original itinerary, from airfare, to bus service, lodging, shows and most meals is being provided courtesy of the following which are listed in alphabetical order Andy Williams Moon River Grill, Branson Coach, Branson Tourism Center, the Brett Family Show, Jim Stafford Show, McFarlain’s Restaurant, Shoji Tabuchi Show, the Showboat Branson Belle Dinner Show, the Stone Castle Hotel, the Twelve Irish Tenors and the Yakov Smirnoff Show.

In explaining one of the major things that makes Branson the special place it is, Milton said, “It is and will forever be different because of the hearts of its people.” It is those hearts that are providing the Funseekers with the wonderful Branson experience that they thought was lost forever.