City Talk – Oct. 12, 2013

City Talk – Oct. 12, 2013
Rolla Daily News
By Mayor Bill Jenks, III   
   
Festivals abound in Meramec Valley Region
 

Get ready for  additional  weekends of festivals, celebrations and open houses as the autumn temperatures and changing colors set a spectacular backdrop for Rolla’s 36th Annual Arts and Crafts Festival on Saturday, Oct. 19th.  In addition PCRMC is hosting Heart Chase on Saturday, October 12th – a fun way to promote healthy living and support to the American Heart Association.  Missouri S&T’s Haunted Mine also opens on Friday, October 18th – a frightful, fun way to get into the spirit of Halloween.  And lastly we’re excited to once again welcome the thousands of participants to the Route 66 Marching Band Classic on Saturday, October 19th – at RHS on the beautiful new synthetic turf field.

Fall is also the perfect time to get out and explore a trail along Little Piney Creek in Lane Springs Recreation Area (located 12 miles south on U.S. Hwy. 63 South), take a stroll, jog or bike ride along the City’s 13-mile-long pedestrian bike path, play a few sets of tennis at Ber Juan Tennis Complex or play a few rounds of disc golf at Ber Juan Park or Lions Club Park before winter sets in. Historic Route 66, which runs through the heart of Rolla’s downtown and along many of the outer roads, is also a favorite among classic car enthusiasts, and fans of ‘The Mother Road’ and the ‘Main Street of America.’

Regardless of what activity you choose to participate in there is plenty to do in the Meramec Valley Region, where award-winning wineries, great restaurants and shopping, sparkling springs, abundant trout streams, and several public golf courses are just around the corner.
 

If you feel a little more adventurous, the 1.5-million-acre Mark Twain National Forest, headquartered in Rolla (401 Fairgrounds Road), offers an endless variety of parks, trails, streams and campgrounds. Be sure to check out the Mark Twain National Forest Website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/mtnf for updates on the fall colors, special places to visit and where the best places are to view the fall foliage, wildlife, and limitless recreational opportunities.
 

For a complete listing of the many activities in the Rolla region I would encourage you to check out the Rolla Area Chamber of Commerce’s tourism site at www.visitrolla.com – wonderful information for residents and visitors alike!  Enjoy the upcoming festivities and have a safe week!