Van Buren Chamber of Commerce

Freedom Celebration on the Current
2025-07-05 17:00 - 22:00 (America/Denver) | Riverfront Park Van Buren Mo
🎆 Freedom Celebration on the Current 🎆
Saturday, July 5th, 2025📍 Riverfront Park – Van Buren, Missouri
Join us for a patriotic celebration along the banks of the Current River! Help keep Van Buren’s beloved fireworks tradition alive by donating to the City Fireworks Fund.

🔥 Become a Sponsor
Your donation supports the annual fireworks show and earns you a spot on this year’s commemorative t-shirt!
Sponsorship Levels:

💎 Platinum – $500+

🥇 Gold – $300

🥈 Silver – $200

🥉 Bronze – $100

All sponsors will be printed on the back of the official 2025 event t-shirt.

👕 Commemorative T-Shirts
Order your shirt to show your support and wear your patriotic pride!Order Deadline: Monday, June 16th
Pricing:

Youth Small – Adult XL: $20

2XL: $22

3XL–5XL: $23

🔗 Order online:https://bapromotions.com/product-category/fundraisers/freedom-celebration-on-the-current-river/🔐 Use password: [REDACTED]
📱 Or scan the QR code on the flyer to order directly.

📞 Questions or Want to Sponsor Directly?
Contact:

City Hall: 573-323-4335

Holt Sales Inc.: 573-323-0440

Celebrate your freedom, support your community, and make memories under the stars this July 5th in beautiful Van Buren, Missouri.
Let’s light up the sky together! 🎇

Carson & Erik Benefit
2025-06-14 10:00 - 15:00 | Riverfront Park Van Buren Mo
An all day event with proceeds benefiting local car accident victims Carson Van Wagner and Erik Ortega will be held on June 14th at Riverfront Park.
A Boat Poker Run will start at 10 am. There will be a fish fry starting at noon. Live music and auction will follow.

Combat Veterans Motorcycle Assoc. Chapter 4-10 Dice Run
2025-06-07 10:00 - 15:00 | MO
A Dice Run will begin at the historic Carter County Courthouse in Van Buren on Saturday June 7th with first hand leaving at 10am. $20 per hand and $10 additional with all proceeds going toward helping local area veterans. All vehicles welcome.

Christmas Bazaar
2024-12-06 - 2024-12-07 | Dollie Lane, 108 Dollie Lane Warehouse #3, Van Buren, MO, 63965
Kids Corner- Fairy Garden, Geode Cracking, Gem Panning, Fossil Quarry
This event will be inside and heated, there will be a variety of vendors
This will be Friday, December 6th 3pm-7pm and Saturday, December 7th 9am-5pm

8th Annual Current River Turkey Trot
2024-11-28 08:00 - 17:00 | Big Spring, Big Spring Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Van Buren, MO, 63965
Turkey Trot! Thursday, November 28th 2024 at 8am. At Big Spring Park. Contact Susan Jarrell or Megan Weeks for more information!

Food Handout
2024-11-26 15:00 - 17:00 | Carter County Nutrition Center, 116 Ball Park Rd., Van Buren, MO, 63965, United States
Liberty Baptist Church will have a food handout on Tuesday, November 26th, at 3:00pm located at the Carter County Nutrition Center in Van Buren Mo. There are no requirements to receive. Please come and be blessed!

Trunk or Treat
2024-10-31 17:00 | Riverfront Park Van Buren Mo
Join us for a Spooktacular Trunk or Treat! October 31st at 5:00pm. At Van Buren Riverfront Park. There will be a Booth contest and a Costume contest. There will be Chili/Hotdogs, Movie by Mo Down Under, Games, Candy and Fun! Free Admission Contact Cori Risinger for more information 573-872-1119

Food Bank
2024-10-30 17:00 | Mount Zion Church of God Prophecy, 464 Old Bridge Road, Van Buren, Mo, 63965
We’re excited to announce a special community event where anyone in need can receive a free mobile basket, no qualifications required!
Date: October 30, 2024Time: 5 PMLocation: Mt. Zion Church of God of Prophecy
Join us for this unique opportunity to receive free good without any cost or requirements. It’s as simple as showing up!
For More Information: Jeff Berry, 573-300-6274
Spread the word to anyone who could benefit. We can’t wait to see you there!

Horror in The Holler
2024-10-26 18:00 - 23:00 | Missouri Down Under Adventure Zoo, HC 1 Box 89, Van Buren, 63965, United States
Come walk the haunted path if you DARE where you’ll encounter awesome animatronics, scare actors, fog, strobe lights, black light features, and many more! Stay for a double feature movie and grab some awesome burgers and adult beverages from Carbi’s!!

Mt. Zion Fall Festival
2024-10-26 16:00 - 17:00 | Mount Zion Church of God Prophecy, 464 Old Bridge Road, Van Buren, Mo, 63965
Free Community Event! Join us for an evening of fun, and fellowship! We will have games, soups, music, hayrides and a trunk or treat!

Eastwood Fire Department Fall Festival
2024-10-26 16:00 | Eastwood Communty Center, 7143 Carter Route C, Van Buren, MO, 63965
Movie and popcorn (The Nightmare Before Christmas) 7:00pm,Pumpkin Painting, Bounce Houses, Fall Photo booth, Raffle drawing, two grand prize winners, 11 prizes total. Pie a firefighter! Come and show your support!

DarkSky Missouri Festival
2024-10-25 17:00 - 2024-10-26 23:00 | Big Spring, Big Spring Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Van Buren, MO, 63965
Friday October 25, 2024
4:00PM Registration Table Opens, 5:00PM-6:00PM Shaun Heise presents, 6:00PM-10:00PM Dark Sky Viewing

Saturday October 26, 2024
8:00AM-10:00AM Nature/bird walk Co-led with Reva Dow and Greg Swick, 10:00AM-1:00PM Free time, 1:00PM-1:30PM How Big is Big Spring with Loring Bullard, 1:30PM-2:15PM Early Logging of Old Growth Pine with Jim Gulden, 2:15PM-3:00PM Pioneer Forest- A Case Study for Conservation with Jason Green, 3:00PM-3:30PM Nightscape Photography Basics with Ben Caruthers, 3:30PM-4:00PM Spreading Life in the Darkness with Dan Zarlenga, 4:00PM-5:00PM Let There be Night: Dark Skies as a Natural Resource with Dr. Vayu Gakhale of Truman State University, 5:00PM-6:00PM Free time, 6:00PM-11:00PM Dark Sky Party

For more information and Brochure details Please visit darkskymissouri.org

BBQ Cookoff!
2024-10-19 13:00 | River Time RV, 1802 Gossett Ln, Van Buren, MO, 63965
Rivertime RV will be hosting a BBQ cookoff on Saturday October 19th at their campground in Van Buren starting at 1:00 pm. Fire up your grill and enjoy an afternoon with games, live music and fun for the whole family! $200 cash prize for 1st place! Call Treva for more information: 417-372-7301
Cookoff entry is $25 for the chance to win, Otherwise this is a free event for the public you can purchase a plate for $10 this includes 1 meat and 2 sides, $12 to add a drink and dessert. Come out and enjoy the fun and bring a lawn chair!

Pop's River Jam & Fall Festival
2024-10-05 | MO
This year’s event will be cram-packed with all kinds of different activities! Pop’s River Jam & Fall Festival, Pop’s River Jam Car Show, Pop’s Little Miss Fall Festival Pageant, Pop’s Baby Miss Fall Festival Pageant and more will be located at Riverfront Park in Van Buren MO this year. There will be shuttles running throughout town so you can park in any of the designated parking areas and hitch a hayride to the event or stop by the local shops and check things out. Check out Pop’s River Jam & Fall Festivall Facebook Page for more information!

Thunder On The Current
2024-09-21 10:00 - 2024-09-22 17:00 | MO
Hellbenders on the Current in Van Buren is hosting boat racing along with music, food and vendors. Come and see some of the fastest boats in the area and have fun with the whole family!

King Of The River Bass Tournament
2024-07-27 | Carter County Nutrition Center, 116 Ball Park Rd., Van Buren, MO, 63965, United States
The 23rd Annual King of The River Bass Tournament! Saturday July 27th 7am-5pm at Watercress Park- Van Buren.
$60 Entry, $10 Big Bass, $10 Side Pot, and 50/50 Raffle Trophies-cash and prizes guarantee! 1st Place- $500, 2nd Place- $300 value, 3rd place- $250 value, 4th place- $200 value, 5th place-$100 value.
*Silent Auction @ Nutrition Center Bidding closes July 26th

Van Buren Firworks Celebration
2024-07-06 21:00 - 21:30 | MO
Independence Day fireworks will begin at dark on Saturday July 6th. They will be set off across Riverfront Park in Van Buren.

2024 Solar Eclipse
2024-04-08 12:30 - 13:30 | MO
Experience a once-in-a-lifetime blackout in Van Buren, MO!
On April 8, 2024, Van Buren will be in the path of totality for a solar eclipse, with the moon completely blocking out the sun for nearly four minutes. This makes Van Buren one of the prime locations for viewing the eclipse. With unobstructed views of the sky from the beautiful Ozark National Scenic Riverways or other scenic locations throughout the area, Van Buren is the perfect place to witness this awe-inspiring celestial event. Plus, local institutions will be offering special programming and events for visitors.
Start time of Partial Eclipse: 12:39:10 PM
Start time of Totality: 1:55:49
Duration of Totality: 3m 47.8s
Map of Totality Path

Map courtesy of NationalEclipse.com

'Zark Side of the Moon
2024-04-08 10:00 - 16:00 | Big Spring, Big Spring Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Van Buren, MO, 63965
April 8th, 2024 10am-4pm. This event is completely free, hosted by The National Park Service! Activities include Smokey Hot Air Balloon, A Safeplace for Eclipse Viewing, Hands-on Fun with Solar Simulations and Eclipse Toys, Partner Organization Booths, Smokey Bear & Woodsy Owl, Junior Ranger and Junior Eclipse Explorer Program, B.A.R.K. Ranger Program, Photo Opportunities, Sales from Eastern National and the ORF, and Food Vendors. For more information for these individual happenings please visit https://www.nps.gov/ozar/planyourvisit/2024-eclipse.htm#onthisPage-3.

Note: There will be a lot of people in town please bring cash to event for vendors incase the internet is down.

Solar Eclipse at The Landing
2024-04-07 - 2024-04-08 | The Landing
The Landing will be hosting a 2 day festival! April 7th and 8th 2024. 2 Day parking $100, this will include a souvenir, Eclipse glasses and 2 day event wristbands for all occupants. There will be live music, a raft race, food and drinks, and a duck race. There is $5,000 in prizes and fun!
Monday, April 8th Schedule is as follows:

7am Parking Lot Open & Breakfast Buffet
7am-12pm Floating Open (Pinoak Only)
9am Dustin Recktor Music
10:45am Jesse Charles Hammock
11am Fish Fry on Gravel Bar
12:45pm Just Enough

ECLIPSE

3:45pm Trichrome Nebula
4pm Ducky Race

Solar Eclipse Weekend Special at The 21 Drive In
2024-04-05 - 2024-04-07 | 21 Drive-In Movie Theatre, Hwy 21, Van Buren, 63965, United States
The 21 Drive In will be playing a classic movie each night of the Eclipse weekend April 5th-7th! If you need a family friendly event while you are here in Van Buren check this out! They are offering a special $10/ carload each night!

Celebrate Easter at The 21 Drive-In Theatre
2024-03-30 16:00 - 20:00 | 21 Drive-In Movie Theatre, Hwy 21, Van Buren, 63965, United States
This event is Sponsored by SEMO Behavioral Health. The admission is FREE! Gates will open at 4PM. Events are as follows: Egg Hunt, Showing of the movie HOP-PG. There will be Free Hot dogs, Chips, and a Small drink (while supplies last.) Come on out for some Family Friendly Fun!

Missouri Down Under Adventure Zoo Easter Celebration
2024-03-30 10:00 - 16:00 | Missouri Down Under Adventure Zoo, HC 1 Box 89, Van Buren, 63965, United States
Missouri Down Under Adventure Zoo invites you to join their Easter Celebration! Saturday, March 30th @10am-4pm. Explore the Zoo, Meet the Roos, and explore Current River Cave! QP’s food truck will be there. Bounce House for the kids. Meet the Easter Bunny and get photos from Regina Dazey. The Egg Hunt starts at 10:30am! General Admission Required. Ages 0-3 Free. Ages 4-14 $15.95. 15 and up $19.95.

Chili Cook Off
2024-03-08 18:00 | Carter County Nutrition Center, 116 Ball Park Rd., Van Buren, MO, 63965, United States
The Carter County Senior Center is hosting a Chili Cook Off event March 8th, 2024. Judging begins @6PM. Entry fee is $20. Prizes are as follows: 1st Place- $100, 2nd Place-$50, 3rd Place- $25. After judging, there will be a chili supper available for purchase $7/person. Supper will include Hotdogs, Chips, Chili, Desert and a Drink. For more information you can reach out to Barb Rodgers: 573-323-8377

Van Buren Job Fair
2023-11-08 14:00 - 17:00 | MO
The Van Buren Chamber of Commerce will hold a Career/Job Fair on November 8th from 2 to 5pm in the High School gym.
The main goal of this is to provide our youth with information related to the types of jobs available after High School. A secondary, and also important goal, is to give our residents looking for work and opportunity to meet employers who are hiring.

There will be door prizes available for those who attend!

Are you a business wanting to participate in the job fair? Contact Jacob Black with JAG at jblack@vanburen.k12.mo.us
Please RSVP by Friday, October 20, 2023 if you would like to have a booth at the event.

Van Buren Fall Festival
2023-10-14 - 2023-10-15 | The Landing
Join us on the crystal clear Current River for two days of arts & crafts, vendors, food, music and fun for the whole family! We’re so excited to be hosted at The Landing – Current River this year.
Parking is free, entry is $5 per person, kids 10 and under are free and our Veterans enter free as well with their Military Retired Identification Card or DD 214.
We will feature music from Tyson Zimmer, Friends Pickin, Iron Mountain Station and The Baker Family!!
Yes we will have our hayride shuttles this year and we added Stagecoach rides on Saturday! We will have bounce houses, a graffiti wall and more for the kiddos.

Van Buren - Fall City Wide Yard Sale
2023-10-07 | MO
Sales will be set up all over City limits of Van Buren, MO and outside city limits. Free set up at the old Courthouse at 105 Main Street. Set up is free anywhere you set up, but you must get permission from any landowner if property is not yours. Come see us!! Looking forward to this annual event!!

River Jam at Van Buren Riverfront Park
2023-10-07 | MO
Come join us for an unforgettable day of music and fun at River Jam 2023, featuring the legendary band, The Kentucky Headhunters! Get ready to rock out! Joining The Headhunters will be a very special guest band and Coalshine, an up and coming band from Ohio. To sweeten the deal, we’re starting the day off with a killer car show and kick butt bike show!! You don’t want to miss this!

Date: Saturday, October 7, 2023
Time: 11:00 AM Kicks off the Car & Bike Show – Music Starts approx 5:30PM
Location: 1001 Riverfront Park, Van Buren, MO 63965
Ticket Price: $20 Online and $25 at the Gate (Ticket Includes Car & Bike Show Pass)
Veterans Enter Free at Gate – Present Your Military Retired Identification Card or DD 214

Van Buren City Fireworks
2023-07-02 20:00 - 21:00 | Main Street, Van Buren, MO, 105 Main Street, Van Buren, MO, 63965, United States

Jolly Cone America Fest '23
2023-06-30 - 2023-07-01 | Main Street, Van Buren, MO, 105 Main Street, Van Buren, MO, 63965, United States
Make plans to attend the Jolly Cone America Fest ’23 as our friends @ RiverTime RV have joined in on the celebration with the addition of a concert. Freedom Patch Fireworks will be conducting a fireworks show immediately following the musical performances. Freedom Patch will be on site @ RiverTime RV with a fireworks stand from 6/28-7/05. Please like, follow, and share. These events are free to the public and all are invited. See below for details!

Special thanks to the city of Van Buren, Jolly Cone on the Current, RiverTime RV, The Ranch House Cafe, and Beavers Teeth Axe Throwing Brew and Chew!

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