LASR.net Homepage




Menu


Mt. Vernon, Missouri

Upcoming Events in Mt. Vernon Missouri


August

27 - 28 ERNTE FEST - The Ernte Fest, which stands for "End of the Harvest," is held the third weekend of August in Freistatt, a small farming community southwest of Mt. Vernon. The Lions Club has sponsored this event since its inception in 1963 raising thousands of dollars annually for eye research and various local charities. This event draws thousands of people from across the four-state area.

The German festival serves Bratwurst and Sour Kraut as their specialty, along with apple strudel. There is a large beer garden where many people spend time socializing. You will find many of your friends dancing the polka to the German band. Need a rest? Try your luck while you relax in the bingo tent. For the kids there are children's games and a horse drawn merry-go-round.

Address: Freistatt, a small farming community southwest of Mt. Vernon. , Mt. Vernon, Missouri
Ph: 417-466-7654 (Always call and confirm events)

September

31 Ozarks Berry Festival - 4th Saturday - Fun for the entire family! This annual event, sponsored by the Missouri Baptist Children's Home located in Mt. Vernon, is a perfect way to spend a beautiful fall day. Crafts, quilts, entertainment and homemade cobblers and ice cream make this a family event. Crafts donated statewide are auctioned off to raise operating funds for the home. 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Address: Missouri Baptist Children's Home. , Mt. Vernon, Missouri
Ph: 417-466-7844 (Always call and confirm events)
Fee: Free Admission and parking.

October

20 - 22MO0706036e003 - Mt. Vernon Apple Butter Makin' Days - Apple Butter Makin' Days is held the 2nd weekend of October each year on the courthouse square in Mount Vernon, Missouri. Join us for three days of Food, Fun and Music!

Apple Butter Makin' Days, one of Missouri's most popular festivals, has been held on the courthouse square in Mount Vernon since 1967. The cooking takes place on the lawn of the Lawrence County Courthouse. Local people famous for making apple butter were first approached about cooking their product on the lawn during the festival. The practice became a tradition and a major attraction of the festival that has grown to be one of the largest in the state.

The apple butter is made the same way our ancestors made it. Baskets filled with apples are peeled, and before dawn open fires are built on the courthouse lawn and the long, ardurous cooking procedure begins. The huge copper kettles used have histories of their own. Some are over a hundred years old and may hold as much as 60 gallons of apple butter.

Water is added to the raw apples in the kettles, then the aromatic mixture is stirred constantly until it cooks into "butter: - anywhere from eight to 12 hours later, depending on the weather and the apples. Sugar and spices are added near the end, and the apple butter is jarred and sold to the thousands who visit each year, rain or shine, until the supply is exhausted.

Kids of all ages enjoy Apple Butter Makin' Days! The three-day schedule is designed to involve and entertain the youngsters and a wide variety of foods are provided by local organizations and churches. Hundreds of booths featuring handcrafts and artwork surround the square and adjoining side streets, along with live entertainment and old-fashioned games. The annual Apple Butter Makin' Days parade makes its rounds on Saturday morning.

Ph: 417-466-7654 (Always call and confirm events)

November

2 - 3MO0706036e004 - Mt. Vernon Village of Lights Festival - Weekend after Thanksgiving - Local residents open their homes for a Christmas Homes Tour on Saturday. Other highlights include the Christmas Parade, entertainment, and carriage rides on Saturday; and open houses at the local businesses and churches on Sunday.

The Chamber of Commerce Village of Lights festival began in 1991 to kick-off to the Christmas Season. It begins with a Holiday Homes Tour, which consists of approximately 5-6 homes that open their doors
to share their special seasonal decor. Tickets are $5.00 in advance
and $7.00 the day of the tour. Proceeds from the tours have been
spent in recent years to purchase lights to illuminate the Historic
Lawrence County Courthouse located in the center of the town square.

Throughout the day on Saturday there are various activities which include carriage rides, entertainment, Christmas parade, sing-a-long, awards, and to top off the evening, the lighting ceremony of the Courthouse and businesses throughout the town.

On Sunday, the Chamber of Commerce, Mt. Vernon businesses, and churches have an Open House. This is free to the public with many of the churches providing special holiday music.

Ph: 417-466-7654 (Always call and confirm events)

December

21 Fun Auction - Christmas Season - Local residents collect their receipts from participating local merchants and turn them in for bidding points. Then an auction is held of items donated by local merchants. Individuals are allowed to bid on the items according to the number of points they have collected just as if they were cash.

Ph: 417-466-7654 (Always call and confirm events)

Attractions and Upcoming Events


Harold Bell Wright

Many know that Harold Bell Wright's, "Shepherd of the Hills" was the most widely read book of fiction in the history of publishing! Few know, however, that many of the places, events, and characters are based on actual models. There really was an "old shepherd of Mutton Hollow,&

Mt. Vernon, MO Famous People

Frisco Caboose and Visitor Center

Mt. Vernon Chamber of Commerce operates an office and visitor center at the start of the Ozark Mountain Parkway (Route 265)

Mt. Vernon, MO Railroad History

Jones Memorial Chapel and Museum

Built in 1961 as a "thank you" to the people of his home county, Lawrence K. Jones provided a beautiful stone building which houses a wedding chapel, a meeting hall, and the Lawrence County Historical Society Museum.

Mt. Vernon, MO Museums

Grave of the Old Shepherd

In his book, "Old Matt's View of It," J.K. Ross wrote about the death of the Old Shepherd from Mutton Hollow. He was gored to death by a bull. A Civil War tombstone marks the grave of James Marion Wood, who met this untimely fate in 1910

Mt. Vernon, MO Cemeteries

Things to do near Mt. Vernon, MO

Artisan's Market at Branson Landing

Branson Landing is a $435 million public/private project spanning 1.5 miles of waterfront on the beautiful Lake Taneycomo, ad...

Ralph Foster Museum

A general museum relating to Ozarks history and culture plus items from around the world housed on the College of the Ozarks ...