If you’ve been searching for the perfect wedding planner, photographer, or other wedding specialist for your upcoming wedding, you need to head to Branson, Missouri, for the 2011 Bridal Show. The bridal show will take place on March 12th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Branson Convention Center, so make sure that you mark your calendar for the event.

At the show, you will have the opportunity to meet with a number of specialists and can use the time to decide if each one is right for helping you out on your special day. Cakes, catering, venues, flowers, decor, tuxedos, and gowns are just a few of the exciting things you can view and discuss at the show, so it might be a good idea to bring a pen and paper to help you organize your favorites. As an added bonus, you will be able to register to win a $1,000 prize package to help you have your dream wedding!

While you’re in Branson for the bridal show, keep in mind some of the other great activities and attractions that are re-opening for the season in March, and make plans to go see them at BransonShows.com.

Experienced anglers and leisurely fisherman are sure to have a good time participating in the 2011 Team Trout Championship at Lilley’s Landing in Branson on February 26! The winners will be awarded with cash and prizes by catching the heaviest rainbow and brown trout, and this year you could win up to $800 for catching the heaviest brown trout. Anglers must enter the contest in teams of two and use only artificial bait. Those who are not competitive but still want to participate can enter the catch-and-release tournament taking place at the same time. For a great time fishing in the Ozarks, be sure to include the Team Trout Championship in your February Branson vacation plans!

While you’re in Branson, make sure that you take the time to visit some of Branson’s shows and attractions. To compare prices and make reservations for lodging and to purchase tickets for shows, visit BransonShows.com for a convenient way to plan your Branson vacation!

Visitors and locals will be heading over to Table Rock Lake on February 12 for a cold swim. Although the temperature may not be favorable to swimmers, the fundraising event puts money toward the Special Olympics, so it goes for a great cause to support others. Swimmers that raise $50 and more will benefit with a special Polar Plunge sweatshirt, and there are many other prizes to be won as well, including duffel bags, hoodies, backpacks and travel gift cards.

Many of the prizes will be distributed at the “Post Plunge Party,”  which will incorporate fun music, delicious food and a silent and live auction into the event as well. If you went for a swim beforehand, admission into the party is free of charge! It’s a Branson event that all can look forward to, whether they’re “hibernating” as spectators, or diving in for a cold swim. Remember to check out other Branson activities and lodging while you’re in the area as well.

With Thanksgiving and Black Friday taking place last week, people everywhere are jumping right into their Christmas celebrations. One celebration that everyone will want to make a part of their holiday festivities is Christmas on the Lake with the Ozark Rivers Heritage Foundation at the Dewey Short Visitors Center. This event is the first annual Christmas on the Lake. The celebration has already begun and will continue through December 11th, so guests will have two more weeks that they can be a part of the special event.

Christmas on the Lake features many special activities that are great for the whole family or friends who want to celebrate the season in a special way together. S’mores and traditional storytelling around a welcome campfire start out the night, and the fun continues with Christmas caroling, Christmas crafts, and the chance to choose some fun gifts from the Discovery Shop at the center. It’s a heartwarming way to make your holiday celebrations unique and entertaining.

If you plan to be at this evening event, you will want to find a hotel to stay in overnight instead of driving back home. You will also want to check out some of the other fun activities and attractions waiting for visitors in the area. BransonShows.com gives you a variety of hotels and activities to look through to help make your decision easy!

Two fantastic gospel groups will be joining the many other Branson performers this December, the Crabb Family Reunion on December 19 and Ernie Haase and Signature Sound on December 20 and 21. Each of these great groups have a large amount of experience that keeps audiences engaged from the first song to the last. Enjoy the great productions of these groups as they sing to toe-tappin’ spirituals from past decades up to the present.

Start your vacation by listening to the Crabb Family as they join together for a fantastic mix of beautiful harmonies and melodies in the Music City Center Theatre. The family has won a Dove Award and been nominated for a Grammy for their past performances. One of their most famous tunes called ”Runaway Train,” made them a hit among the  younger generation, and they’ve been growing in popularity ever since.

Later on, you can listen to the amazing quartet of Ernie Haase and Signature Sound, which will also be performing in the Music City Center Theatre. This gospel group has established itself as one of the leading gospel quartet groups in modern music, and has a solid musical foundation from its founder, Ernie Haase, who was originally a member of the Cathedral Quartet. Combining the old fashioned harmonies of the 1950s quartets with today’s driving beats, this quartet is not one to be missed!

Combine your vacation with other Branson activities and shows, and don’t forget to make reservations at your pick of a Branson hotel. The city shows are on their last run for the Christmas season, so make reservations to these activities and lodging while you can!

Your kids will be thrilled with the Branson area’s 18th Annual Hollister Santa Train, which comes rolling through the city on December 12 at downtown Hollister’s historic train depot. Santa will be arriving around 2:00 p.m., but you’ll want to bring your family early to make sure the kids get a great spot in line. Once Santa’s train arrives at the depot, he’ll invite children to come aboard to tell him what gifts they want most for this year’s Christmas.

The event lasts about an hour and a half, and it’s free for everyone who would like to attend. The Hollister community welcomes visitors to their small town, and they’re only about a 5-10 minute drive from Branson, so visitors won’t have to worry about waking up for an early drive. In addition to Santa’s train, the community will bring out a fire truck, ambulance, and police car for the kids to examine. Activities such as decorative face painting and inflatables will provide the children with more excitement and fun.

If you’re interested in heading out to the Branson area for this December weekend, you can reserve Branson lodging online as well as booking a few of our activities. Don’t forget to visit some of the Christmas shows, and head out to Silver Dollar City to witness the over four million lights that line the buildings and trees throughout the traditional theme park.

Every year, approximately 40,000 visitors gather near Branson’s streets for their annual Adoration Parade and Lighting Ceremony, and this year’s 62nd parade promises to be just as exciting as years past. Come down December 2 and feast your eyes on the decorated, well-lit floats that move along downtown Branson, which feature holiday themes like Santa and his reindeer.

The highlight of the Branson Parade will be the beautiful nativity scenery that provides the true meaning of Christmas for spectators. You’ll be able to view the entire manger scene where baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph are the focal point. Viewers will see all these sights and more with festive music to bring out the spirit of the holiday season for all visitors. View all 70 of the floats and marching units, which have marched down the Branson streets since 1949.

Enjoy one of the comfortable Branson hotels during your stay in December, and be sure to reserve some of the area activities for a fulfilling winter vacation. Prepare for the Christmas season with everything our city has to offer.

The Christmas season is close at hand, and nothing excites your kids more than a meeting with Santa. Families will be granted this opportunity at the Titanic Branson, a museum replicated to match the legendary Titanic on its exterior and interior. Saint Nicholas and his magical reindeer will be visiting the Titanic on November 26 and 27 and into December on the 3, 4, 10 and 11. Come by to participate in the holiday cheer, and let your kids share part of their wish list with Santa.

Parents can have their kids’s picture taken with Santa to share the childhood memories for a lifetime. Reindeer will be fully decked out in Christmas gear, from the red and green harnesses to the golden bells on their neck. Best of all, the event is free, so you can bring the whole family without having to worry about spending all of your Christmas money. Don’t miss this two week event taking place right after Thanksgiving Day!

Your stay in Branson can be completed with one of our many attractions such as a Christmas show. Also, you can browse through hotel amenities and room types to match the needs of you and your family. We welcome you here for the end of the year festivities!

As a salute to all American veterans, the Branson Veterans Task Force will be promoting the “Veterans Homecoming Week,” taking place on November 5-11. Everyone is invited to be part of the event, and special tributes and entertainment will be used during the week to show just how much our veterans mean to us, whether past or present. Branson is known for celebrating the commitment and sacrifice of veterans, and this year promises to be just as honorable. 

Members of the community and visitors from around the nation are strongly encouraged to attend and bring friends who have served in the military. Throughout the week, special Branson entertainers will present special music and performances to provide a true salute to America’s heroes. If you’d like to stay for the duration Veterans Week, be sure to book Branson lodging as well as some of the special activities in the area.

Set up a true country experience in Branson on October 22 with The Front Men concert, combining the melodic voices and instruments of Restless Heart, Alabama and Lonestar into one memorable show. Book your tickets for the city’s Tri-Lakes Center and enjoy these music stars as they sing some of their combined 40 chart-topping hits.

The stars will all take the stage at the same time and sing all evening, belting out such hits as “Feel’s So Right,” “Bluest Eyes In Texas,” and “Amazed.” Each one will highlight the talents of the individual singers, and the production inside the center will keep the audience engaged from the opening song to the finale. Stay around after the concert’s over for an autograph from your favorite singer, whether it’s Alabama’s Randy Owen, Restless Heart’s Larry Stewart or Lonestar’s Richie McDonald.

If you’re interested in staying for a fall vacation, Branson boasts all kinds of area lodging, from the smallest rooms to the largest suites. You will also find all kinds of activities and other shows to choose from if you wish.