Welcome to Historic Jefferson City- 

You're Invited to Feel the History  

and Join in the Fun    

For Immediate Release:  

June 29, 2012

JEFFERSON CITY, MO. - Day or night, the family fun spotlight shines brightly on Jefferson City. Missouri's capital city lures visitors year-round with history, attractions, shopping, dining, lodging and fun events. Its streets reflect a unique character and small-city charm that presents a pleasant surprise from sunrise to sunrise.

Jefferson City is Missouri's "life of the party," with a limitless love of music and excitement. The capital city celebrates this love in style by blocking off downtown streets and turning up the music for outdoor block parties such as its Thursday Night Live series and the Capital Jazzfest and Street Fair.

But Jefferson City isn't just alive during its block parties; it's buzzing every day of the week. In the downtown area, a visitor can have a meal or a beverage under the shade of a colorful umbrella, while in the fresh air, at one of the many restaurants, bars and cafes. Downtown visitors also can stroll to retail shops, an art gallery, museums and a beautiful flower garden, all within mere minutes of each other.

Elsewhere around Jefferson City, golfers can tee off at one of five area golf courses. Cyclists, hikers or joggers can hit the Katy Trail State Park for some recreation in the great outdoors. Families and nature lovers can explore over 3,000 square feet of Missouri wildlife exhibits - including a 3,580-gallon fish aquarium - at the Missouri Department of Conservation's Runge Nature Center. Outdoor movies, classical theater, the infamous Missouri State Penitentiary and the picturesque Missouri State Capitol offer even more places to explore.

STREET FAIRS

Jefferson City shuts the streets down for two epic downtown block parties and it's all during the same week in September:

• On Sept. 6, Thursday Night Live features live music, outdoor bars and specials from downtown restaurants, stores and nightspots. Bring your lawn chairs to the corner of Madison and High Streets and enjoy this rockin' block party from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

• The 21st Capital Jazzfest and Street Fair kicks off a day of fun, food, art and jazz Sept. 8 from noon to 9 p.m. at the corner of Madison and High Streets. The event features five jazz acts performing on stage, including the University of Missouri Concert Jazz Band at 2 p.m.; Tom Andes Trio with Margaret Bianchetta at 3:25 p.m.; the St. Louis-based Michael Terry Group at 4:50 p.m.; Kansas City jazz group Sons of Brasil at 6:15 p.m.; and singer Erin Bode, who has been featured on TV's Fox News This Morning and The CBS Morning Show, at 7:35 p.m. The event also includes street artists chalking concrete canvases, "Kids' Art" activities, food and drink vendors, and much more. For more information about the Capital Jazzfest and Street Fair, call Jessica Dulle at 573-635-8355 or Jeff Bassinson at 573-635-6866. You also can visit the Jazzfest and Street Fair on the web at  www.capjazz.org or visit  www.capitalarts.org.

FAMILY FUN

Searching for some free fun for the whole family? Jefferson City has a couple of upcoming events that break out some fun without breaking a family's bank account:

• The Capital Arts Center at 1203 Missouri Blvd. will have a Family Fun Day on July 21 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Guests will be invited to explore the gallery, view the exhibits and create chalk art masterpieces. Kids and adults also can visit the Imagination Station designated for children and parents to create art together. The Imagination Station is equipped with recycled materials (plastic containers, paper towel tubes, egg cartons, etc.) as well as scissors, glue sticks, crayons, markers and paints for putting together the perfect hand-made masterpiece. To find out more about this Family Fun Day or for more about the Capital Arts Center, call 573-635-8355, email artsadmin@capitalarts.org  or visit CapitalArts.org.

• Families can enjoy a free movie, drive-in style, in the open air on the Missouri State Capitol's South Lawn. Jefferson City's outdoor movie series, "Stars Under the Stars," allows spectators to bring all the candy, popcorn and drinks (no alcoholic beverages) they can haul. Just bring a lawn chair or lay out a blanket and delight in movies on the large, inflatable screen. The fantasy action movie Jumanji plays on July 13 and the musical Meet Me In St. Louis shows on Aug. 3. Show activities start at 7:30 p.m. and the movies begin at dusk. For more information about these family nights, call 573-634-6482.  

For more information about other fun family activities and events in and around Jefferson City, contact the Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800-769-4183 or go to the CVB's website at VisitJeffersonCity.com.

SPEND THE NIGHT IN JAIL

If you've always imagined yourself as somewhat of an amateur ghostbuster, then the Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP) Ghost Hunts are right down your dark paranormal alley. On these evening MSP Ghost Hunts, tour guides provide tour-goers with a history lesson about the 176-year-old decommissioned prison as well as the strange unexplained occurrences that have happened behind the walls. Participants on the three-hour tour will be given "paranormal activity" devices, as well as flashlights, and the group will creep around the various "hot spots" in the prison, including the infamous MSP Gas Chamber where 40 inmates were executed. These Hunts are $35 per person and due to the spooky nature of the tours, no one under 14 is admitted. There are also specialized Ghost Hunt Classes that allow potential Ghost Hunters to learn from genuine paranormal experts about using equipment, how to take great ghost photographs and how to recognize paranormal activity. Regular two-hour Ghost Tours also are available as well as a variety of other regular historical tours in both the daytime and at twilight. To find out more about the MSP or to book a tour, call 866-998-6998 or visit MissouriPenTours.com.

Coming Up ...

The 62nd Annual Jefferson City Jaycees Fair 

Dates: July 30 - August 4

Time: 5 p.m. - 1 a.m. (Every Day) 

Admission Cost: Monday, July 30: $5. Tuesday, July 31-Saturday, August 4: $10.

Description: Expect carnival rides and games, 4H and FFA events and beauty pageants throughout the fair. Other activities are scheduled as follows: tractor pulls (July 30-31), an Outlaw Nationals Monster Truck Show featuring the world-famous Bigfoot (Aug. 1-2), wild Figure 8 racing (Aug. 3), the Mid-Missouri Off-Roaders Mud Run (Aug. 4) and much more. This year's featured concerts are: Brooke Burrows (July 30), Ira Dean (July 30), Kip Moore (July 31), Keith Anderson (Aug. 1), Chris Cagle (Aug. 2), Fuel (Aug. 3) and Mark Chesnutt (Aug. 4). A complete schedule of events and concerts are available at the Fair's Facebook page at Facebook.com/pages/Jefferson-City-Jaycees-Fair/324339202294. You also can email jayceesfair@embarqmail.com for more information.

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For more information about these and other attractions in and around Jefferson City, please contact the Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800-769-4183, at

VisitJeffersonCity.com or at the city's Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest pages.   

(573) 632-2820

 Ryan@VisitJeffersonCity.com 

VisitJeffersonCity.com