Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau

Stephens Lake Park is the crown jewel of Columbia’s park system and is known for its 11-acre fishing/swimming lake, mature trees, and historical significance in the community. It serves as the center for outdoor winter sports, a variety of community festivals, and outdoor concert series at the amphitheater. It has five reserveable shelters, three playgrounds, a swimming beach and spraygrounds, art sculptures, waterfalls, and walking trails. This popular park houses numerous tree collections, including red bud, oak, conifer and nut trees, along with the Hindman Memorial Garden, Children’s Grove, and demonstration rain gardens, which have earned it a Level II Arboretum Accreditation.

For those who share a deep connection to their craft and their community, Bur Oak Brewing Company offers well crafted beers that bring people together. The Tap Room can hold 30 guests comfortably ($400 rental fee). Tap Room and Brewery can hold 450 guests ($600-$1,000 rental fee). All rentals must purchase a minimum amount of kegs prices subject to change. Plenty of space and parking.

Explore shopping, dining, and entertainment all in one location at Columbia's thriving mall. With over 120 stores and 10 restaurants, a carousel, children's play area, plenty of parking, and community events such as blood drives, pet adoption events, and makers markets, there is truly something for everyone at the Columbia Mall!

Our owner Maury Allen’s fifth great grandfather, Isham Allen, owned and operated the Six-Mile Ordinary over 200 years ago in Virginia. On July 1, 1774, free holders congregated there and drafted the James City Resolves not to import British goods. Two years later, the same group gathered again to declare their support for American independence. Six-Mile Ordinary even served as a place where Col. James Innes and his troops retreated when hundreds of British infantrymen came ashore on April 21, 1781. Isham eventually left his ordinary to join the revolution. Our Columbia, MO distillery pays homage to the iconic ordinary that served as a refuge for early Americans. We pay tribute to a family business that originated near the dawn of our nation, and is steeped in rich history, while also looking to the future.

Located on the northeast side of downtown, the North Village Arts District is the district to be in for all things art. The North Village Arts District is home to artist studios, galleries, film companies, musicians, performance spaces and dance studios, as well as restaurants, a theatre, and so much more! They also host First Fridays, a monthly free art crawl for the community, as well as an array of affordable cultural opportunities designed to appeal to and be accessible to all.

Rose Music Hall’s story starts back in 1999 when then Blue Note owner Richard King expanded his business and purchased the venue formerly known as Mojos, located just a few blocks from the historic theater-turned-music-venue. After 34 years, King sold The Blue Note and Mojos to Matt Gerding and Scott Leslie. The pair came armed with a promise to continue King’s legacy of bringing great live music to Columbia and to expand the culture even more. Soon after, Mojo’s got a new name: Rose Music Hall, a tribute to local writer, musician and namesake of the adjoining park, Forrest Rose. The calendar is full of great local and national talent, alternative-programming events, and a jam-packed park season that includes happy hours, music festivals, community events, weddings, and so much more. A few of the noteworthy bands who have graced the stage at Rose Music Hall & Rose Park include The Pixies, R.E.M, Arcade Fire, Chance The Rapper, Spoon, Jack Harlow, Ben Kweller, Tapes ‘n Tapes, Portugal. The Man, Whiskey Myers, The Breeders, and Bright Eyes, and countless more.

The MKT Trail is Columbia’s premier multi-use trail. This 10-foot wide trail built on the old railbed of the MKT railroad begins in downtown Columbia in Flat Branch Park at 4th and Cherry Streets and ends at the State of Missouri’s Katy Trail State Park near McBaine. The distance from the start of the MKT Trail to the Katy Trail is 8.9 miles. The Katy Trail extends for 240 miles from St. Charles in eastern Missouri to Sedalia in western Missouri. The MKT Trail’s all-weather crushed limestone surface provides opportunities for walking, running, and cycling. The Forum Nature Area Trail winds through 108 acres including a small demonstration wetland habitat. It reconnects to the MKT Trail near Twin Lakes Recreation Area. Thanks to funding support from the Park Sales Tax, trail users can travel the MKT Trail all the way to the Katy Trail without crossing a street. The trail was routed under Stewart, Providence, and Elm Streets as part of a capital improvement project completed in 2007. The year-round restrooms that the replaced port-a-pots at Forum and Scott Blvd. accesses were installed in 2008 and were also funded by the Park Sales Tax.

Originally The Varsity Theater, films were shown in this historic building from 1927 to 1960, before being turned into a music venue. Beyond live music, The Blue Note also features stand-up comedy, dance parties, weddings, community events, and even “Brew n’ View” movie screenings. Look for even more live music and events at their sister venue, Rose Music Hall!