Springfield
Around Springfield
Photo: Raschmidt87 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Metro area · Missouri · 496k people
Springfield
“Queen City of the Ozarks”, “Birthplace of Route 66”
Where the Ozarks meet the open road.
Missouri State maroonGoldOzark green
Welcome to Springfield, where the Ozarks meet Route 66. You'll find friendly folks, a love for the outdoors, and a community that knows how to enjoy a good ballgame or a float trip. Make yourself at home!
Clubs for Springfield
No clubs for Springfield yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Springfield. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Springfield. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Hammons Field Home of the Springfield Cardinals, Double-A baseball.
- Dickerson Park Zoo A 40-acre zoo with over 450 animals.
- Missouri State University Public university with a lively campus and athletic events.
- Fantastic Caverns Ride-through cave attraction, a Route 66 classic.
- Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Site of the first major Civil War battle west of the Mississippi.
- Springfield Art Museum Free art museum with rotating exhibits.
- Outdoors Hiking in the Ozarks
- Outdoors Canoeing and kayaking on the rivers
- With kids Dickerson Park Zoo
- With kids Discovery Center of Springfield
- Evenings Downtown Springfield bars
- Evenings Live music venues
- Locals love Caves and caverns
- Locals love Lakes and rivers
Through the year
- Ozark Empire Fair August Annual fair with rides, livestock, and local food.
- First Friday Art Walk First Friday of each month Monthly downtown art and music stroll.
- Route 66 Festival June Car shows and vintage celebrations along the Mother Road.
- Springfield Cardinals home games April–September Double-A baseball at Hammons Field with a family-friendly atmosphere.
- Cider Days October Fall festival featuring local cider, crafts, and music.
Springfield has a humid subtropical climate with hot, humid summers and cool winters. The best times to be out are spring and fall. Best: Spring and fall are ideal for outdoor activities with mild temperatures and lower humidity.
Getaways
Local flavour
Teams
- Missouri State Bears NCAA Division I
- Springfield Cardinals Double-A (MiLB)
Also rooting for St. Louis Cardinals (MLB) – many locals support the major league team whose Double-A affiliate plays in Springfield
Eat and drink
- Springfield-style cashew chicken A local Chinese-American dish created in Springfield, featuring fried chicken with cashews and oyster sauce.
- Fried catfish and hushpuppies Common in Ozarks-area restaurants and fish fries.
- Biscuits and gravy A breakfast staple in local diners and cafes.
Where people go
- Lakes and rivers Table Rock Lake, Lake Springfield, and the James River offer boating, fishing, and swimming.
- Caves The region has many show caves like Fantastic Caverns, a popular attraction.
- Route 66 landmarks Historic diners, motels, and roadside attractions along the old highway.
- Flea markets and antique shops A strong tradition of bargain hunting and vintage finds.
Heritage and traditions
Springfield is proud of its Ozarks heritage, Route 66 history, and friendly, down-to-earth culture, known as the Queen City of the Ozarks.
This time of year in Springfield
- Fall foliage drives Fall Scenic drives through the Ozarks to see brilliant autumn colors.
- Pumpkin patches Fall Families visit local farms for pumpkin picking and corn mazes.
Say it like a local: “fixin' to” — About to do something
Festivals
- Greek Festival May Greek Orthodox church hosts food, dancing, and cultural displays in May.
- St. Patrick's Day Parade March Downtown parade with Irish music, green attire, and family fun in March.
- Springfield Jazz and Blues Festival August Free concerts in the park featuring local and national jazz and blues acts in August.
- Ozarks Craft Beer Festival September A September tasting event showcasing regional breweries and local food trucks.
- International Festival April Held at Missouri State University in April, celebrating global cultures with food and performances.
- Christmas Parade December Downtown holiday parade with floats, lights, and Santa in December.
Landmarks with a story
- Pythian Castle A 1913 castle used as a military hospital and now a haunted attraction and event venue.
- Historic Commercial Street A revitalized district with early 20th-century buildings, shops, and eateries.
- Springfield National Cemetery Civil War burial ground with graves from the Battle of Wilson's Creek and later conflicts.
- The Shrine Mosque A 1920s Moorish Revival building used for concerts, events, and community gatherings.
- St. Agnes Cathedral A historic Catholic cathedral with striking architecture, serving the local diocese.
- The History Museum on the Square Located downtown, it tells the story of Springfield and Route 66.
Food traditions
- Morel mushroom hunting A springtime obsession; locals scour the woods and fry the prized morels in butter.
- Persimmon pudding A sweet, dense dessert made from wild persimmons, often served at fall gatherings.
- Pawpaw fruit The native 'Ozark banana' is foraged in late summer and made into ice cream or bread.
- Sorghum syrup A traditional sweetener from local farms, drizzled on biscuits or used in baking.
- Squirrel and dumplings A hearty Ozarks dish, slow-cooked with vegetables and served with fluffy dumplings.
Music and arts
- Bluegrass and old-time music A strong tradition of fiddle, banjo, and acoustic jam sessions in the Ozarks.
- Ozarks folk art Quilting, basket weaving, and wood carving are passed down through generations.
- Springfield Symphony Orchestra Performs classical and pops concerts at the Juanita K. Hammons Hall.
- The Ozark Mountain Daredevils A rock band from Springfield that blended country, rock, and folk in the 1970s.
A little history
- 1838 Springfield founded
- 1861 Battle of Wilson's Creek
- 1906 Devastating tornado hits Springfield
- 1926 Route 66 designated, with Springfield as a key stop
- 1905 Missouri State University founded (as State Normal School)
- Game day Bass Pro Shops Marathon
- Game day Friday Night Lights
- Outdoors Floating on the James River
- Outdoors Morel mushroom hunting
- With kids Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden
- With kids Springfield Nature Center
A Southern-flavored Midland accent, with drawled vowels and occasional 'r' dropping. Locals often say 'y'all' and 'fixin' to,' and may pronounce 'creek' as 'crick' and 'wash' as 'warsh' in more rural areas.
Only here
- Birthplace of Route 66
- The Springfield Underground, a massive cave system used for storage and warehousing
- The world's largest fork, a 10-foot-tall sculpture at a local restaurant
- Wilson's Creek, site of the first major Civil War battle west of the Mississippi
New here? A few tips
- Expect hot, humid summers and mild winters, but be ready for occasional ice storms in January and February.
- Traffic on I-44 can be heavy during rush hour; consider using the James River Freeway as an alternative.
- Try the local specialty, Springfield-style cashew chicken, at a Chinese restaurant—it's a unique dish found nowhere else.
- Pronounce the state as 'Miss-ur-ee' (not 'Miss-ur-ah') and 'Ozarks' as 'OH-zarks'.
- Take a cave tour—Fantastic Caverns is a classic, but there are others like Sequiota Cave.
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Nearby
Every areaMonettMissouriWhere the Ozarks feel like home.AvaMissouriThe quiet heart of the OzarksBransonMissouriWhere the Ozarks meet the stage.CassvilleMissouriWhere the hills meet the lake and the trout are always biting.Table Rock LakeMissouriLake days, Ozark nightsLebanonMissouriSmall-town heart, lake-country soul.JoplinMissouriWhere the Ozarks meet the plainsHarrisonArkansasWhere the hills meet the river, and everyone knows your name.
Springfield, MO. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.