Springfield, Missouri

===Events===
The Missouri Food Truck Festival brings [[food truck]]s from Springfield and surrounding states. Like most local events, it includes live music and specialty [[cuisine]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mofoodtruckfest.wordpress.com/|title=MO Food Truck Fest|website=MO Food Truck Fest|access-date=February 19, 2019}}</ref>

First Friday is a monthly event held in downtown Springfield that allows local artists to show off their works and encourages people to stroll the streets and [[Art gallery|art galleries]] to look at local works of art. The event is sponsored by the Springfield Regional Arts Council and has been a regular event in the city since 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.417mag.com/events/first-friday-art-walk/|title=First Friday Art Walk|website=www.417mag.com|access-date=February 19, 2019}}</ref>

[[File:ParkCentralSquarefountainbyCVBCS.jpg|thumb|Park Central Square in downtown Springfield has multiple annual festivals.]]
Cider Days is a two-day event held on Walnut Street downtown featuring local artists showing their crafts, fall themed activities and performances by local groups, as well as [[cider]] sampling. Arts Fest is held in May also on Walnut Street downtown, and features similar art vendors showing crafts as well as entertainment for children.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.itsalldowntown.com/cider-days-walnut/|title=Cider Days on Walnut|website=It's All Downtown|access-date=February 19, 2019}}</ref>

Since 2010, the city has hosted the annual Birthplace of [[Route 66]] Festival in the downtown area along the historic Route 66 and in Park Central Square. A parade starts the event with a collection of dozens of vintage cars traveling along the former highway. There are also live performances in Park Central Square as people move around St. Louis Street to observe [[classic car]]s and browse items from vendors selling artwork and literature about Route 66. The event also holds a 6.6 [[Kilometre|kilometer]] run. The 2018 festival lasted two days and was attended by 56,000 people.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.route66festivalsgf.com/|title=Birthplace of Route 66 Festival – Come see where it all started.|access-date=February 19, 2019}}</ref>

The Japanese Fall Festival usually takes place in September at the Springfield Botanical Gardens in [[Nathanael Greene]] Park. The event is put on by the [[Sister Cities International|Sister Cities Association]] and commemorates [[Japanese Culture|Japanese culture]], often involving visitors from Springfield's sister city of [[Isesaki, Gunma|Isesaki]], offering [[Green tea|Japanese tea]], giving live performances and selling traditional items like [[Bonsai]] and [[kimono]] dresses. Springfield in turns sends local groups to Isesaki's city festival each year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.biz417.com/events/japanese-fall-festival/|title=Japanese Fall Festival|website=www.biz417.com|access-date=February 19, 2019}}</ref>

Pridefest is an annual LGBTQ gathering, taking place every June, first organized in 1998. The GLO Center organises the event, as well as Pride in the Park, a yearly event in October.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ozarks Pridefest |url=https://ozarkspridefest.com/ |access-date=June 19, 2023 |website=ozarkspridefest.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

Several holiday events take place in Springfield, including the yearly Downtown Christmas Parade showcasing local schools and businesses sponsoring [[Float (parade)|floats]]. There's also a yearly lighting of a [[Christmas tree]] at Park Central Square and the Festival of Lights in Jordan Valley Park.