Best Boomer Towns - Town Blogs

Holidays in Columbia

With the leaves now starting to change colors and fall off the trees, Columbia turns its attention to the fast approaching holiday season. The celebratory spirit runs through town and is personified both in special holiday events and a cheerful winter atmosphere.

Each year, Columbia plays host to a few traditional holiday events. The season kicks off on the first Friday of December with the Living Windows Festival, when shopkeepers clear out their front windows to make way for live performers. That night, The District features open houses, strolling carolers, holiday treats and visits with Santa all against a backdrop of holiday lights. This family-friendly event is a Columbia tradition that grows more extravagant each year.

Overall, The District is also the perfect place to get in the spirit all season long. Storefronts as well as interiors are decorated to the hilt for the season. Some shops even shut down for a few days to decorate, resulting in grand holiday open houses to unveil their new look. Throughout the season, you may also spot carolers and horse drawn carriages in The District, making it a charming spot to find unique gifts for everyone on your list.

The holidays are also a time for musical performances. Both the University Concert Series and the Missouri United Methodist Church Concert Series provide world-class holiday entertainment. The University Concert Series (http://www.concertseries.org) will feature St. Louis Ballet's The Nutcracker as well as Wynonna Judd: A Christmas Classic at Jesse Hall this December. The MUMC Concert Series (http://www.moumc.org) includes the local tradition of Handel's Messiah sing-along as well as a special program entitled, ‘Holiday Organ Music You Won't Hear in Church.'

Columbia also knows how the ring in 2010! First Night Columbia is a family-friendly celebration in The District and the adjoining Stephens College campus. The night focuses on music, art and celebration and concludes with a countdown and fireworks display at midnight. With something fun for everyone of every age, First Night Columbia is the perfect way to start the New Year off right in a big way.

 

A Healthy Haven

Columbia is the perfect place to keep healthy and active, no matter your age. Not only does Columbia boast an extensive and prominent healthcare system, but Columbia residents are committed to staying in shape and living healthy lifestyles.

According to the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, ‘Columbia's sizable medical network provides mid-Missouri, and the entire state, with the highest quality healthcare. The city's medical population brings positive economic influence, attracts medically related industries and provides residents with progressive medical services comparable to those offered in cities many times its size.' With three major hospitals and specialized facilties like a cancer center, children's hospital and a fully accredited rehabilitation center, Columbia is poised to meet the medical needs of all its residents.

In addition to world-class healthcare facilities, Columbia also provides residents with a plethora of options to keep healthy and active. Columbia's committment to green park space, athletic facilities, an extensive trail system and bike-friendly streets make the city a haven for outdoor and fitness enthusiasts as well as those who just like to take a walk in the park.

The number of cyclists and those who commute on a bike are also growing. PedNet, Columbia's pedestrian and cycling coalition, is focused on building a healthy community and they schedule various acitivities throughout the year to promote healthy lifestyle changes and practices. Get About Columbia is a group that oversees Columbia as one of four communities in the nation to participate in the Federal Highway Administration's Non-Motorized Transportation Pilot program. According to Get About Columbia, ‘Columbia's designation as a pilot city came with $22 million in federal funds over a four-year period to help build infrastructure and establish national standards for public awareness and willingness to use active modes of transportation.'

Columbians also get on the health path with a large selection of local merchants that provide locally produced and organic foods. With two flourishing farmers markets and multiple shops that cater to the healthy conscious consumer, living in Columbia means easy access to a healthy way of life!

 

Locally Owned, Locally Loved

Columbia is a goldmine of fantastic local businesses. Their presence throughout the city truly provides a ‘uniquely Columbia' experience for visitors and residents alike. What local businesses have to offer combines the personal touch of a small town and the world-class products of a large city. In fact, Forbes named Columbia as the number five ‘Best Small Place for Business and Careers' in March 2009 based on a variety of factors including cost of living, cost of doing business and projected job growth.

Many of Columbia's local businesses are concentrated in the downtown area known as The District. In The District, local galleries, shops and restaurants line the streets and provide residents with an endless supply of beautiful art, exceptional products and delicious food. Galleries in The District include PS Gallery, the Columbia Art League and Bluestem. Each provides amazing local, regional and national art to peruse and purchase. With rotating exhibits, an art lover will always be able to find something new to see. When you're in the mood to do a little shopping, there are shops for any taste. Calhouns and A la Campagne provide charming and unique home accents. You can stop into Makes Scents for anything from bath beads to personalized fragrances, and The Candy Factory churns out all types of sweets. If you need something new to wear, everything from vintage clothes to designer fasions await you.

Of course, shopping can work up an appetite! If a coffee stop is all you need, you can sit a spell in Lakota or Uprise Bakery and enjoy delcious drinks and perhaps even a snack. If a meal is what you need, the options are almost endless. Sycamore takes locally owned even further by using many locally produced products in creating their menu. Other fantastic options include Main Squeeze, Shakespeare's Pizza and Bleu Restaurant and Wine Bar. To plan a day in The District, start on their website at http://www.DiscovertheDistrict.com.

The District isn't the only place to find great local businesses. The Columbia and Boone County Farmers Markets provide fresh produce, meats, cheeses and other products from late spring through early fall. Thousands of people visit these markets each season to stock up on the best mid-Missouri has to offer. A little exploring will reveal many other great local businesses that help make Columbia such a gem.

 

Fall Into Columbia with Fun, Festivals and Football!

Fall into Columbia with Fun, Festivals and Football

There's a never-ending list of reasons I love Columbia, but once the weather starts to turn crisp, those reasons seem to double. The students return, the leaves start to change and the relatively quiet summer gives in to a bustling fall full of events.

The festivals in Columbia this time of year offer a wide variety of experiences. If history is your thing, don't miss the Heritage Festival in Nifong Park on September 19 & 20. Visitors will be taken back to the traditions of the past. Listen, learn, and see history as it comes alive. See artisans and tradesmen dressed in 19th century attire demonstrating their trades and selling their wares. There is also entertainment featured on three stages and Saturday evening ghost stories!

Film and music lovers will not be disappointed with the Citizen Jane Film Festival and the Roots ‘n Blues ‘n BBQ Festival both hitting Columbia in the coming months. The Citizen Jane Film Festival, "brings together a diversity of makers who are working with media in a variety of ways - from documentary shorts to handmade film to feature narratives to performance art and installation." Held in October on the Stephens College campus, Citizen Jane features the work of women in front of and behind the camera.

The third incarnation of the Roots ‘n Blues ‘n BBQ Festival promises to be just as exciting as the previous two. On September 25 &26, downtown Columbia will become a haven for music lovers as Roots ‘n Blues brings together some of the very best blues, gospel, bluegrass, folk and soul artists in the nation for two days of performances. Artists confirmed for this year include the Carolina Chocolate Drops, the Blind Boys of Alabama and The Bel Airs. Find out more about the festival on their site at http://www.rootsnbluesnbbq.com.

If you still have energy left, put on your black and gold and head to Memorial Stadium for a Mizzou football game. The Tigers have an exciting 2009 schedule (http://www.mutigers.com), including match-ups against Nebraska and Texas. A day at "The Zou" is the perfect addition to a fun fall in Columbia.

 

There’s Always a Reason to Come Back to Columbia

As you may know, Columbia prides itself on the various exciting festivals and events held locally throughout the year. These events draw visitors from across the nation as well as thousands of local mid-Missourians to enjoy everything from huge musical acts at the Roots ‘n Blues ‘n BBQ Festival to premiere documentaries at the True/False Film Festival to thrilling parachutists at the Memorial Day Weekend Airshow. Here's just a sample of what's coming up.

-Roots ‘n Blues ‘n BBQ Festival - September 25-26, 2009

-The Heritage Festival - September 19-20, 2009

-Citizen Jane Film Festival - October 16-18, 2009

-First Night Columbia - December 31, 2009

-True/False Film Festival - February 25-28, 2010

-Memorial Day Weekend Celebration - May 22-24, 2010

-‘Blind' Boone Ragtime & Early Jazz Festival - Spring 2010

-Art in the Park - June 2010

-Boone County Fair - July 2010

-Show-Me State Games - Summer 2010

Columbia offers a number of festivals for you to come back and enjoy, but that's not the only reason to return! A visit to Columbia means in just a few short hours you could be...

-Becoming one with nature on the MKT Trail, which winds through Columbia before meeting up with the statewide Katy Trail.

-Giving a standing ovation at the Missouri Theatre or Jesse Hall, where internationally acclaimed artists perform year round.

-Biting into a decadent chocolate covered strawberry at The Candy Factory or a piping hot slice of pizza from Shakespeare's, both can't miss Columbia traditions.

-Singing along with your favorite artist at The Blue Note, one of the Midwest's best known concert venues. During the summer, take your singing voice outside for The Blue Note's 9th Street Summerfest concerts. This year's acts have included Willie Nelson, Ben Folds and The Wallflowers.

-Discovering the perfect gift at one of the many unique shops in The District, Columbia's exciting downtown filled with inspiring galleries, local restaurants and shops galore.

Every day of the year, Columbia has something to offer. You'll never tire of exploring and experiencing!

 

Venturing into Mid-Missouri

Residents agree that Columbia is a terrific place to live, work and play, but Mid-Missouri offers a plethora of small towns to visit as well. Each town has its own unique history and attractions to enjoy and explore. Whether your interests lie in history, shopping or wineries, Columbia is just a short car (or bike) trip away from these little adventures.

-Just 15 minutes west of Columbia, Rocheport is nestled along the KATY Trail and the Missouri River. Once a trading post and now on the National Register of Historic Places, Rocheport is home to antique shops, fine restaurants and Les Bourgeois Winery, which overlooks the Missouri River and offers a breathtaking view of the sunset each evening.

-The site of Winston Churchill's famous "Iron Curtain" speech, Fulton is a quick half-hour drive away. Today, the Westminster College campus features "Breakthrough," a Berlin Wall sculpture, as well as the Winston Churchill Memorial Library and Museum, which resides in a church designed by Sir Christopther Wren; a can't miss stop for a history buff.

-The 30-mile drive to Missouri's State capital, Jefferson City, includes a glimpse of the capitol building along the skyline as you make your way south. The historic city sits on the Missouri River and is home to the Capitol Building, the Governor's Mansion, Jefferson Landing State Historic Site, Runge Nature Center and other exciting attractions.

-Historic Arrow Rock offers something for everyone. Once a stop on the Santa Fe Trail, Arrow Rock offers historic buildings, delightful shops and the Lyceum Theatre, Missouri's oldest professional summer reperatory theatre. The Arrow Rock State Historic Site offers camping, a hiking trail and a visitors center with a museum.

-Head north to the Amish country at Clark. The well-tended farms of the Amish spread out for miles in this rich agricultural area. Here you'll see the most modern and the most primitive farming methods where Amish farmers still work their fields with horses and plows. Many goods are available at various farms and general stores.

 

A Golden Event Celebrates its Silver Anniversary

For 25 years, the Show-Me State Games have given athletes from all over Missouri a chance to go for the gold in a fun and exciting Olympic-style event. Still the largest state games in the nation, the Show-Me Games finals competition brought over 26,000 athletes to Columbia in 2008 and had a year-long economic impact of more than $15 million. This year’s 25^th anniversary event will run July 17-19, 24-26 and 31-August 2 and promises to be just as thrilling, with over three dozen different sporting event options spread out over the three weekends. In addition, this year’s Games will include the State Senior Games, so all athletes can enjoy and celebrate the silver anniversary. You may be over 50, but you can still run with the best of them. No matter your sport or ability level, the Show-Me State Senior Games is for you. It's Missouri's only multi-sport festival created just for the Senior Athlete. It's all about competing in the sport you enjoy and having fun. The combination of the two events this year promises to bring an extra level of excitement to the three weekends. 

If competition’s not your thing, that doesn’t mean you can’t get in your recreation. Columbia is home to all types of facilities to help you keep active. The elaborate parks system offers everything from running and biking trails to tennis courts and disc golf courses. In addition, the mid-Missouri area offers a fantastic variety of golf courses to enjoy. Eagle Knoll Golf Course in nearby Hartsburg has been awarded four and a half stars by Golf Digest, and the variety of courses will keep you busy! Of course, if leisure is more your taste, there are plenty of pools, lakes and spas to keep you relaxed. The Activity and Recreation Center (ARC) has an indoor pool complete with a lazy river so you can hang out poolside even if the weather tries to spoil your plans. Columbia offers the very best in any type of recreation, whether you’re playing to win or just playing.

 

Exploring Columbia’s History

Columbia is definitely known for being progressive and modern, but there’s also so much history that you just don’t want to miss. Sometimes, it just takes looking a little closer at things, such as checking out the historic buildings that house the modern shops and galleries downtown. Then there’s the Walters-Boone County Historical Society and the historic columns on the University of Missouri campus that enrich Columbia as a destination with history. Not only are there historic places, but historic events as well. Here are a few highlights.

In the 1850’s, Columbia benefited from trade generated by the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails. The Missouri Kansas Texas (KATY) railroad spur further boosted Columbia’s growth. Today, the MKT trail spur connects Columbia to the Katy Trail State Park, the longest rails-to-trails conversion project in the United States. Today, the trails are traveled by thousands of visitors each year.

The Historic Francis Quadrangle on the MU Campus is the heart of the first land grant university in the former Louisiana Purchase territory. In addition to the columns of the original Academic Hall, travelers can visit Thomas Jefferson’s original grave-marker and a bronze sculpture of Jefferson. That’s just the start to the beautiful history the campus has to offer.

The Original "Blind" Boone Ragtime & Early Jazz Festival will be May 31-June 2 of 2009. The festival welcomes ragtime and jazz musicians from all over to headline along with seminars, tours and afterglows. This popular festival benefits various organizations committed to maintaining Boone’s legacy. In 1997, the John William Boone Heritage Folundation was formed with the goal of assisting the City of Columbia to acquire and preserve the home. On November 17, 2000, Columbia purchased the home, which is now being restored so visitors can learn more about this talented musician.

Sometimes it’s hard to remember how rich Columbia is with history. All it takes it a little exploring- a stroll through campus, a ragtime concert or a walk on the trail-to allow you to immerse yourself in both Columbia’s current beauty and its historic beginnings.

Spring Makes Columbia Bloom

Spring in Columbia offers so many great opportunities to get outside it’s hard to know where to begin. Not only does Columbia have an amazing parks system, but it also has a variety of outdoor dining and spring festivals that attract thousands every year. Here are just a few ways residents and visitors celebrate the season.

With over 50 parks in Columbia, every outdoor enthusiast has a place to enjoy. Many are equiped with trails, outdoor sporting fields and playground equipment, so there’s an activity to fit any age! Even the University of Missouri campus gets in on the fun; the entire campus has been designated as a botanic garden. From the smallest neighborhood park to the large expanses of land filled with fields and lakes, the perfect park for anyone is right here in Columbia.

One of Columbia’s oldest festivals, Art in the Park, will celebrate its 51^st year on June 6-7 this year. Held in beautiful Stephens Lake Park, the festival brings in more than 100 artisans from around the country to sell everything from jewelry to pottery to paintings. The two-day festival also includes entertainment from local artists and hands-on activities for children and adults throughout the park. Tie it all up with a food court featuring local vendors and wine tastings on the pavillion on the lake and you have a fantastic free festival.

Another free spring event for the public is the Salute to Veterans Memorial Day Weekend Celebration. The weekend’s main focus is an airshow at the Columbia Regional Airport on Saturday and Sunday. This year, the airshow will feature over 20 aircraft from various eras as well as multiple demo teams and the Canadian Skyhawks Parachute Team. The weekend culminates with a parade on Monday morning in downtown Columbia, with parachutists landing at each block and aircraft flying over the route as military personnel make up the parade. It is both an exciting and moving weekend that honors both those who have served and those who are currently serving.

At a Theater Near You

The True/False Film Festival is one of the most unique experiences Columbia has to offer. In its 6th year, True/False is quickly becoming one of the world’s best known documentary film festivals. This year, I finally had the chance to attend, and I was immediately able to understand what keeps visitors coming back year after year and has filmmakers raving when it comes to True/False. The organizers, David Wilson and Paul Sturtz, along with their team, cultivate an amazing atmosphere that combines film, music and community into a busy but unforgettable weekend.

True/False films are showcased in venues all over downtown Columbia and on the Stephens College campus. There’s definitely something special about seeing a film in the newly restored Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts. Built in 1928 and renovated in 2008, the MTCA is the perfect combination of vaudeville charm and modern technology. Other venues included The Blue Note, the relocated and remodeled Ragtag Cinemacafe and Windsor Auditorium on the Stephens campus. Venues were staffed by a dedicated and tireless league of volunteers who are vital to the success and growth of True/False.

This year, the festival was the weekend of February 26-March 1. So far, preliminary totals show that 23,000 people were tracked on clicker counts at the venues, an increase of 5,000 over the 2008 edition of the festival. More than the numbers though, is the recognition by the community that the festival is something to be enjoyed and treasured as an exceptional part of Columbia. The combination of community support with new and repeat outsides visitors make True/False a dynamic festival that will continue to grow.

Having never been to True/False before this year, I was thrilled with the event. The quality of the movies is exceptional, with the schedule of over 40 films whittled down from hundreds of options. Bands perform before each film begins and the filmmakers are often on hand afterward to answer questions and meet attendees. The festival truly allows attendees to become immersed in the moving world of film and end the weekend both exhausted and refreshed.

Click here for additional information. True False

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