America 250 - West Plains

Name: America 250 - West Plains
Start: 2026-07-04T10:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-07-04T13:00:00-05:00
Location: Missouri State University-West Plains

Schedule

Sat Jul 04 2026 at 10:00 am to 01:00 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

Missouri State University-West Plains | West Plains, MO

An old-fashioned community Fourth of July celebration inspired by traditional Americana and the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States is planned from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 4, on the campus of Missouri State University–West Plains.
Hosted by Explore West Plains, and centered in and around the Bell Tower area, the family-friendly event will feature a non-motorized parade, kids’ activities, food trucks, and music.
At 10:15 a.m. the mayor will issue a welcome which will be followed by a sing-a-long of patriotic songs and a performance of the Ozark AcousChicks Women’s A Cappella Chorus.
Parade lineup will be at 11 a.m. on Franklin Avenue near Broadway. The parade will begin at 11:30 a.m. The route will go west on Cass to Pennsylvania, south on Pennsylvania, then west on Webster to Franklin, continuing on Franklin to disband where it began. The route is purposefully short to accommodate all ages and abilities.
Participants in the parade are encouraged to embrace the spirit of a traditional, old-fashioned Fourth of July celebration through creative, non-motorized entries. Decorated wagons, bicycles, tricycles, scooters, strollers, wheelchairs, pull carts, and walking groups are all welcome. Organizers are asking for patriotic themes, including entries inspired by the America 250 celebration, with handmade decorations especially encouraged.
For safety, children should be supervised by an adult, participants should remain with their entries at all times, and pets must be leashed and under control. Organizers ask that participants avoid fireworks, unsafe props, and throwing candy, with handing out treats preferred instead. Cars, trucks, ATVs, motorcycles, golf carts, and other motorized vehicles will not be permitted in the parade, although mobility devices used for accessibility are allowed.
Only family-friendly, non-political entries will be accepted. All are reminded this is an event meant to inspire community spirit and recognize the country’s milestone.
We want this to feel like a classic small-town Fourth of July celebration. Simple, creative, patriotic, and centered around community participation.
Families, churches, civic groups, veterans and veterans' groups, scout troops, sports teams, and individuals are all encouraged to participate.
The event is free and open to the public. For more information, follow Explore West Plains or reach out via email to [email protected].