- Springfield is home to Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, the first and largest Bass Pro store in the world. Get your outdoor gear at this beautifully decorated outdoor-themed store that’s visited by more than 4 million people annually.
- The Springfield Cardinals AA baseball games at Hammons Field are fun and inexpensive activities for group outings. With more than 100 players moved up to the major leagues, this AA team offers up some amazing play.
- Springfield is known as the Birthplace of Route 66 in part because the name of the historic highway was announced in the city in 1926. Though decommissioned since 1985, traces of the “Mother Road” still exist in Springfield and you can enjoy a huge annual festival dedicated to the highway.
- In “USA Today” readers’ polls, Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium and the History Museum on the Square were chosen as “Best New Attraction” in America in 2017 and 2019 respectively. WOW also was selected Best Aquarium in 2018.
- The city’s signature dish is Springfield-Style Cashew Chicken, a delicious blend of fried chicken, oyster sauce, green onions and cashews. The dish was invented in 1963 by David Leong, whose family still serves the original recipe at Leong’s Asian Diner.
- You’ll want a big fork to eat that chicken and you’ll find one in Springfield. The 35-foot-tall utensil that claims the title of world’s largest fork, is a great option for scavenger hunts.
- Fantastic Caverns, a cave large enough to ride through in Jeep-drawn trams, is just northwest of the city. It’s one of only a few caves in the world large enough for a vehicle to traverse.
- The opening to Smallin Civil War Cave just southeast of Springfield is 11 stories high, making it the largest cave opening in Missouri.
- The Trail of Tears went through Springfield and portions of it can still be walked on today via The Ozark Greenways Trails Network.
- The first quick-draw shootout of the Wild West era took place on Springfield’s town square in 1865. Markers show where each man stood during the altercation.
If that’s not enough to make you want to check out Missouri’s third-largest city, here’s another: The Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau is offering a Zero Attrition program and financial incentives for new business booked by Dec. 31, 2021. The event must take place by Dec. 31, 2023.
Along with all that, you’ll find excellent meeting facilities, quality hotels, an amazing dining scene and plenty of attractions to keep your attendees entertained.
You’ll also find upgraded hotel cleanliness and safety standards to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The city currently has a mask ordinance in place and businesses are operating at a limited capacity to ensure social distancing to help stop the spread of the virus.
Learn more about the Zero Attrition promotion at www.SpringfieldMO.org/Zero-Attrition or call the CVB sales department at 800-678-8767. Learn more about Springfield at www.SpringfieldMO.org and book your event today!
MM&E
