Fall Family Must-Dos

You can tell fall is starting to arrive back in Columbia. The students are back, pumpkin spice lattes are popping up everywhere from your favorite coffee shop to your Instagram feed, and the weather is finally starting to cool off and become enjoyable! Fall is definitely my favorite season to be in Missouri and there are plenty of reasons for it, but just so you all don’t get too bored reading them I have compiled a list of Fall Family Must-Dos in Missouri.

·      The Roots N Blues N Barbecue Festival—September 20^th-22^nd—Stephen’s Lake Park

This festival is definitely unique to Columbia and it will be celebrating its seventh anniversary this year! If you are a lover of barbecue and music this is the spot for you to be this weekend. Roots N Blues will have over 30 artists from the genres of roots, blues, gospel, country, folk, and soul, exhibits celebrating culture, and a half-marathon and 10K run!

·      Pick your own produce

There is nothing better than being able to pick your own pumpkins and apples. We are lucky to have many U-Pick farms around the Mid-Missouri area that offer apples, pumpkins, and more! These farms are open throughout the summer and fall for people to stop by and pick their own. Some of the farms in the area Peach Tree Farms, Walk-About Acres, Pick & Pick, and Huffstutter Orchards

·      Hayrides

Fall is the perfect time to take a hayride through the countryside. Grab a sweater, blanket, and your favorite people and head out to these hayrides: Shyrock’s Callaway Farms, Peach Tree Farms, and Jefferson City Hayrides. Always make sure to check their websites and possibly call beforehand to let them know you are coming!

·      Fall Festivals

There are so many festivals going on in the Mid-Missouri area during the fall you could probably visit multiple every weekend! Here are some examples, but the possibilities are endless: Hartsburg Pumpkin Festival, Jefferson City Oktoberfest, Heritage Festival, and Fall Fund Fest (benefiting Meal on Wheels of Columbia and supported by First Chance For Children).

·      Corn Mazes

Get lost in a Missouri corn maze! These will offer hours of family fun, or divide in to teams and make it a race to the exit, no matter how you decide to conquer the maze make sure to check these out: Fischer’s Corn Maze, Shyrock’s Corn Maze, and the Bittersweet Junction Maze!

·      University of Missouri Homecoming—October 25^th-26^th—University of Missouri

The University of Missouri is the birthplace of homecoming and will be celebrating its 102^nd anniversary this year from October 25^th-26^th. Take your family to Campus Decorations (aka House Decs) on Friday the 25^th and then the Parade and football game on the 26^th! Click here for more information about this great Mizzou tradition!

·      Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure—October 12^th—Columbia, MO

Join the Mid-Missouri area in promoting positive awareness, education, and early detection of breast cancer. Come and run in the 5k with survivors and supporters of this disease that affects so many loved ones! Click here to register and learn more about the race!

·      Farmers Markets

Join the growing trend of eating local! Columbia Farmers Market offers three different locations throughout Columbia for families to shop at and enjoy local entertainment. There is also the North Village Arts District Farmers & Artisans Market downtown at the Wabash Station that offers fresh produce, baked good, entertainment, and family activities.

·      Hiking the bluffs and walking the MKT

Fall is beautiful in Missouri, and there is no better way to take in the beauty than hiking and exploring all of the beautiful foliage at our state parks and on the MKT Trail. Pack a lunch and bike to Rocheport or Cooper's Landing and explore the area! 

Free Vitamin Programs for Columbia's Kids!

Many children in the United States do not get the recommended amount of vitamins and nutrients through their daily diets. Without these important supplements children are more susceptible to illness, and can experience problems with anxiety and depression. Not to mention they can have delayed brain development, which can affect every aspect of their life.

Luckily though, many pharmacies throughout the United States have started to combat these issues by providing free multivitamins to children. By providing free multivitamins to children, we can assure that they are getting the nutrients they need. In Columbia, there are three free vitamin programs. These programs are located at D&H Drugstore, Green Meadows Pharmacy, and Keene Street Pharmacy. At D&H, a parent can go in to the store and register their children, ages four to 12, for the program which allows them to get a monthly supply of vitamins until they age out of the program. At both Green Meadows and Keene Street pharmacies, a parent can go in with a referral voucher from a University of Missouri doctor, and a family can pick up a monthly supply of vitamins for each child in the family who is in between the ages 4-12.

There are also other free vitamin programs throughout the state of Missouri, so be sure to check with your pediatrician or local pharmacy so you don’t miss out on this great opportunity to ensure the healthy development of your child!