OUTDOOR DAYS

Free Camping

Begin the week-end with the ultimate outdoor activity – overnight camping at Lake Springfield. Bring your own camping gear and food & camp out in your own tent, camper or trailer (sorry, no hookups). Restrooms and water are available. Individual, family and group campers are welcome. Lots of activities and demonstrations available, including a Saturday night campfire.

Friday and/or Saturday night camping is available – reservations are required; Camping available starting at 4:30 PM on Friday through 3 PM on Sunday

Deadline: Tuesday, September 3rd

Contact: Springfield-Greene County Park Board Outdoor Initiatives at 417-833-8647 or 417-833-8923.

If you’re not camping, come out for the day (Saturday and Sunday) and participate in a variety of outdoor recreational activities, displays and demonstrations.

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Outdoor Initiatives

Your Springfield-Greene County Park Board has an entire division dedicated to the fun and exciting world of outdoor adventure. Join staff for canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding, and water safety demonstrations.

Demonstrations
Canoe: Saturday only, 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Kayak: Sunday only, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
SUP/Paddle Boarding: Sunday only, 1:00 – 2:30 PM
Fee: FREE

Canoe Sprint Races
Date: Saturday, September 7th
Teams of 2, ages 16 to adult
Fee: $20 per team; registration starts at 9 AM; race time 10:00 AM, limited canoe rental is available for $10

Kayak Races
Date: Saturday, September 7th
Fee: $15 per person; limited Kayak rental available for $10; registration for the kayak races begins at 9 AM; race time 11:30 AM

Prizes will be given to the top three finishers in both the canoe and kayak races

• First Place:        $100 Bass Pro Shops Gift Card
• Second Place:  $50 Bass Pro Shops Gift Card
• Third Place:       $25 Bass Pro Shops Gift Card

Free Demonstrations

As part of this great weekend of events and in partnership with Safe Kids Coalition and the Greene-County Parkboard, the following free demonstrations will be available for people ages 7 to adult:

• Canoeing, Saturday from 1:00-4:00 PM
• Kayaking, Sunday from 1:00 - 3:00 PM
• SUP/Paddle Boarding, Sunday from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM

An adult must be present for kids under the age of 18.  Instructors and water safety staff will be on site to assist all participants.

Bat and Cave Ecology
Date: September 8
Flight Observation- Twilight
Location: Sequiota Park, 3500 Lone Pine, Springfield

Come learn basic information about types of bats, including federal endangered Gray Bats, Big Brown Bats, Little Brown Bats and Tri-Colored Bats will be presented. We will also talk about why caves need to be closed and issues pertinent to bat and cave ecology. Bat flights will be observed at twilight.

Contact Outdoor Initiatives & Melvin Johnson at (417) 833-8647 or 417-833-8923 for event and program information, registration, and scholarships.

email: mjohnson@springfieldmo.gov or kwarren@springfieldmo.gov; check out the park board website for more information

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Venturing Crew

Venturing Crew 1971 Village:

Meet the BSA Venturing Crew 1971 sponsored by Bass Pro Shops. This high adventure group welcomes both boys and girls over 13 to participate in backpacking, hiking, biking, canoeing, outdoor photography, and more. We will be camping, demonstrating outdoor cooking, and sharing our gear and adventures. Find out how you could be a part of our next adventure!

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Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Village

Come to the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Village to learn about new outdoor products and skills to help you have fun in the outdoors. Talk to Bass Pro Shops experts and representatives from America’s top outdoor manufacturers like Coleman, North Face, and Lodge to give you tips on making your camping experience one to remember.  Your adventure starts here!
Bass Pro Shops epitomizes everything in outdoor adventure. Tour the latest in camping gear at the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Village. Whether you’re a first-time camper or a veteran; like to camp with 1 or 2 people or with the entire clan, you’ll see a complete line of camping equipment from single-person tents to tent ‘condos’ and all the gear that goes with it.

Vendors participating include:

• Bass Pro Shops – Tents, furniture & camping equipment
• Coleman – Camping equipment
• Sawyer Products – Insect repellant, first aid kits & water filters
• Camp Chef – Camp stoves
• Stansport – Camp stoves, lanterns & gold panning
• McNett Gear Aid – Tent repair and footwear repair products
• Northface  - Outdoor clothing & gear
• Bounty Hunter – Metal detectors
• Lodge – Cookware
• KampRite – Tent Cot
• Streamlight – Flashlights
• Cascade Designs/MSR – Backpacking products
• Jetboil – Backpacking stoves
• Steri Pen – Water purifiers
• Revere Supply/Survival Technologies – Survival products
• Mountain House – Freeze dried Food
• Igloo – Coolers
• Colorado Cylinder Stoves – Stoves

No outdoor camping experience would be complete without food. Imagine scrambled eggs, biscuits, chili, even pineapple-upside down cake all cooked over an open flame!! Lodge Cast Iron cookware is the leader in outdoor cooking for over 100 years and folks from the Lodge Corporation will be on-site all weekend with cooking demonstrations, sampling and recipes for everyone.

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Missouri Department of Conservation and Ducks Unlimited Village

Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Missouri Department of Conservation and Ducks Unlimited with Cannon Net Demonstrations, and Air Rifle Shooting and Fishing activities throughout Outdoor Days. Waterfowl Calling and Retriever Dog demonstrations will be held on September 8th.

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Boy Scouts of America Village

Come join Ozark Trails Council, Boy Scouts of America in crafts for kids, rope bridge strategies, an Indian village, scout skills, a chance to sign up for scouting in your area, and many more great festivities. We will have hundreds of scouts at Outdoor Days this year! Bring your kids and join the fun!

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Wonders of Wildlife

Enjoy FREE rock wall, bounce house, bungee run, slide bounce, archery, air soft gun shooting range, and mining for wonders events hosted by Wonders of Wildlife in partnership with the National Wild Turkey Federation, James River Basin Partnership, City of Springfield Recycling, Greater Ozarks Audubon Society, Missouri State Parks, and Cross Trail Outfitters.  Learn while enjoying the great outdoors. Observe and identify animal tracks; see and touch cool and exciting artifacts; see a variety of live animals; fish.

Celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day! Today there are 34 million hunters and anglers in the United States purchasing hunting and fishing licenses. They pay a special excise tax on firearm ammunition, bows and arrows, and rods and reels, generating $100,000 every 30 minutes for conservation.

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Off-Road Camping Club Outdoor Skills Village

The Off-Road Camping Club is dedicated to the pursuit of amateur outdoor activities of all types and skill levels. Visit the ORCC Village where over 50 manufactures’ products offering everything you would need to be self-efficient, comfortable and connected in the wilderness will be on display over the weekend. Everything from off-road vehicles, trucks, and trailers to heavy-duty and roof top tents. The Southwest Missouri Amateur Radio Club will be setting up a base station on-site and broadcasting throughout the weekend (for those that can’t make it, listen in on CB Channel #7).

Vendors participating include:
*NEW for this year’s 2012 Event

ORCC GEAR, GXV Global Expedition Vehicles (As seen on the Extreme RV's - Travel Channel), OZ Tent, Coleman, Sevylor, Off Road Trailers Featured - Tentrax, Outlander, Moby1, Camper Wagon, Lock N' Roll, Engel USA 12 volt Frig/Freezer units, Katadyn Water Filters, Optimus Back Packing Stoves, Campfire In A Can, Hi-Lift, Adventure Medical Kits, Escape Gear, Eezi-Awn, Clean Waste, ENO Eagle Nest Outfitters, Brunton Solar Panels, Partner Steel Camp Equipment, Optima Batteries, Amana Wool Camp Blankets, Blue Sea Systems, Superwinch, Viair 12v. Air Compressors, Raingler, Bodum Products, Trasharoo, Superlift, Garvin Wilderness G2 Rack Systems, Zodi, North Face, Pelican, Jarden Food/Game Saver 12v. Units, Peerless Chain, Fisher Barton Torches, Hartstone Pottery, Wedco Fuel & Water Cans, RotoPax Fuel & Road Safety Tanks/Kits, Wearwell Shower Floor Systems, Ladder Guy, Poly Tuf Tarps, Lowrance GPS Systems, Wilson Electronics,Toshiba, RAM, Pocket-CO 300, Cobra, Wilson Antenna, Argus, Hi-Tex, Bridgestone, Electro Bear Guard, Hella Lighting, Yamaha, Travel Chair, Electro Warmth 12v. Bunk Warmers, AlpineAire & Natural High Freeze Dry Foods, Manchester Aluminum Propane Tanks, Gerber BG Survival Gear, FOBUS, SafeGloWhips, Popup Gizmo's, Snow Peak, Bestop, Super Jiggler, Zippo Outdoor Gear, CamoSystems USA, DRI-Duck Outdoor and King Canopy

Register for a Free Tent-N-Gear GiveAway!

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James River Mountain Man Rendezvous Village

Stroll through an authentic 1840’s Mountain Man village featuring over 40 authentic campsites. See how they lived, ate and worked during that era. Throughout both days watch 30 different Mountain Man demonstrations of beading, blacksmithing, bow making, cordage, corn grinding, flint knapping, flute playing, pipe making, primitive fire starting, rug making, soap making, spoon making, spinning, weaving & quill work and Dutch Oven cooking and baking. Era-clothing, toys, beads, leather crafts, hides, tools, lanterns and furniture will be available for purchase.

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Additional Activities

Other activities and features include: Pontoon Boat Rides on Lake Springfield, fishing and hiking. 

Concessions will be available including hot dogs, kettle corn, funnel cakes, frozen lemonade, snacks and beverages.

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