Updated Spring Travel Tips & Story Starters

LAKE BREAKING NEWS

-- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --

-- UPDATED WITH MORE INFORMATION --

Spring Travel Tips and Story Starters

pring presents a fantastic opportunity to ditch the freezing cold of a harsh winter and get outdoors to enjoy the many attractions offered by the Lake of the Ozarks Area. The season trumpets the arrival of a full slate of fun festivals and activities to take advantage of both on the Lake and on dry land. Read on for other hot topics and tips to get you started on spring stories about the Lake of the Ozarks. For more information, color images or other media assistance, please contact us.

Check Out the Magic Dragon Nationals

Magic Dragon Street Meet takes over the Bagnell Dam Strip.

Gearheads, automobile fans and families alike are starting their respective engines and going on the road to the 23rd Annual Magic Dragon Street Meet Nationals, hosted by the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by O'Reilly Auto Parts, on April 29-May 1 at the Bagnell Dam Strip in Lake Ozark. The event has super-sized this year with a second show site, Generation NEXT Magic Dragon, on April 30-May 1 at Prewitt's Point in Osage Beach. The Magic Dragon Street Meet on the strip is an open-class show with all makes, models and years of cars, trucks and motorcycles and boasted a record 1,004 vehicles last year. This year's newest addition, the Generation NEXT Magic Dragon, showcases tuner cars (featuring Scion and other imports) and other tricked-out domestic rides. Vendor villages, music, DJs and plenty of family fun are packed into two great shows in one awesome weekend. Admission is FREE for all ages. For more information on this event, call the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce at 800-451-4117 or 573-964-1008.

Get Into The Lake and "Hop" On A Boat!

Spring Harbor Hop at Dog Days Bar and Grill.

When the calendar flips forward to the spring months, motorboat and pontoon pilots, sailors and jet skiiers alike come out of their winter hibernation on the docks and hit the Lake of the Ozarks in full force. There are nine public launch ramps and about 20 different full-service commercial marinas, so there's more than one way to get the watercraft on the water. But once the boat or Jet Ski is on the Lake, what does one do? Well, check out the 14th Annual Spring Harbor Hop on May 7, the ultimate kick off to the spring boating season. The Spring Harbor Hop features a poker run on the water with dozens of participating waterfront establishments all over the Lake. For more information on the Spring Harbor Hop, please call the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau at 800-FUN-LAKE (386-5253) or visit www.FunLake.com.

A Taste of Spring at One of

the Lake's Wineries

Seven Springs Winery near Linn Creek.

Wine enthusiasts looking to taste the object of their passion or spring newlyweds searching for a romantic honeymoon activity can both enjoy the delicious fruits of a winemakers' labor at one of the five majestic winery locales located at Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks. Wines are the featured attraction, but anything from microbrews, sangrias and delicious food can also be found at some

Casa de Loco Winery near Camdenton.

of the locations. Each winery has its own charm, stunning physical beauty and signature beverages to stimulate the five senses. So if one is in the mood for a getaway, visiting one or all five of the wineries can definitely tap into that state of mind. And if you really want to have a "barrel" of good times, visit the 18th Annual Missouri Wine Festival on Aug. 6 at the Country Club Hotel and Spa in Lake Ozark. Admission is $15 and includes wine tasting, hors d'oeuvers and a souvenir wine glass. Several local wineries will be on hand offering wines for the tasting and for purchase by the bottle or the case.

Visit Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks Wineries Online:

15th Annual Oma and Noma Days Festival

Take a trip back in time to the creation of the Bagnell Dam in Lake Ozark.

Want to take a trip back in time but don't own a plutonium-powered DeLorian? No problem. Make a journey to the 15th Annual Oma and Noma Days Festival (May 14 and 15) on the Bagnell Dam strip at Lake Ozark. The festival celebrates Oma and Noma Degraffenreid, the first two people to drive across the dam in 1931, and transports patrons back to the 1920s, '30s and '40s. A visitor will get their fun fill of Ozarks crafters, vintage vehicles, bluegrass and blues music, storytellers and pageants. Not to mention the many zany contests! Sign up or be a spectator at the frog-jumping, peanut-spitting, bubble gum and pie eating competitions or the always popular Great Ozark Outhouse Race! For more information on Oma and Noma Days, please contact the Bagnell Dam Strip Association at 573-365-7132.

Springtime Allows Golfers to

Shoot for the Greens

Hidden Lakes Golf Club at Tan-Tar-A Resort

in Osage Beach.

A memory-making golf story is just waiting for golfers on the picture-perfect greens and fairways on one of the 15 spectacular courses at the Lake of the Ozarks. Once those lovers of the links arrive in the area, they'll be treated to challenging courses designed by greats like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones, Sr., Fred Farley, Ken Kavanaugh, Bruce Devlin, Robert Von Hagge and Tom Weiskopf. Weekend hackers or those with an insanely low handicap can each take out frustrations or celebrate their triumphs by enjoying the many amenities the courses, as well as surrounding lodging and restaurants, offer patrons. If you want to book a golf package, 13 courses are destinations on the Lake of the Ozarks Golf Trail. Booking an unforgettable Lake of the Ozarks Golf Trail Getaway package is easy as hopping online at www.GolfingMissouri.com or by calling 800-490-8474.

Beautiful Shrine Honors Virgin Mary, Mothers Worldwide

Mothers' Shrine in Laurie.

Take the time to make a visit to the Mothers' Shrine in Laurie. The world's only religious shrine dedicated to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and other mothers worldwide. The Mothers' Shrine is the world's only religious shrine dedicated to Mary and centers on a revolving, 14-foot stainless steel statue of Mary in a huge outdoor amphitheater. She watches over the Mothers' Wall of Life, featuring the names of more than 2,000 mothers from all around the world, engraved in gleaming black granite. More than 25,000 colorful flowers are usually in full bloom by April and create a display that is a feast for the eyes. Admission is absolutely free. For more information, please call Rose at 573-374-MARY (6279).

On the Horizon

Check out some more upcoming fun and exciting events around Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks:

May 13 ... Hot Summer Nights, Bagnell Dam Strip, Lake of the Ozarks- The first of five free admission Hot Summer Nights car shows on the strip, with vendors, music and kid-friendly events. Don't miss all the action! For more information, call Bob Schwartz at 573-348-4053 visit the show's website at www.CruiseHotSummerNights.com.

June 2-5 ... Jacob's Cave Swapping Days, Jacob's Cave, Versailles- Traders and guests set up camp or browse through a variety of crafts, goods, livestock and other products. For more information, visit www.JacobsCave.com or call 573-348-4374

June 10-12 ... Dog Days Canine Cannonball, Dog Days Bar & Grill, Osage Beach- Canine athletes compete in Big Air, Extreme Vertical and Speed Retrieve events in this Dock Dogs sanctioned event. For more information on this competition, email Info@DockDogs.com or call 573-348-9797.

July 16 ... AquaPalooza, Lake of the Ozarks- Marine Max and Sea Ray Boats invite all boaters to join them for a great day of fun with music, prizes and plenty of activities. For more information, call 573-365-5382 or visit the event online at www.Aquapalooza.com.

For more information about these and other Lake-area springtime events or for more info about local accommodations and lodging facilities, please call the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau at 800-FUN-LAKE (386-5253) or visit www.FunLake.com.

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Spring is the season of exciting travel stories at the Lake of the Ozarks! For more information, media assistance or high-resolution photography, please call The Beenders-Walker Group toll-free at 800-544-8474 or email Marjorie, Gene or Kyle.