Silver Dollar City 2009 Festival Highlights

WORLD-FEST - APRIL 4 - MAY 3 (Open Wednesdays through Sundays)
America's largest international festival presents incredible entertainment from around the globe, featuring performers from six continents:

• Featured Production: The Zhejiang Balancing Monks of China present an all-new show of incredible acrobatic proportions. This internationally-acclaimed troupe of two dozen acrobats and head-balancing monks demonstrate awe-inspiring mastery of body and mind in the first U.S. performance of this show.
• Featured Production: New, 28-member music and dance troupe Jallmay from Peru
• New Show: Dance group Los Pampas Gauchos from Argentina
• Featured Production: The park's largest Irish production show ever, Ireland's Feet of Fire, showcases dramatic "fire dancing" along with championship step dancing and live music.
• Invaders, a steel drum band from Trinidad, presents Caribbean rhythms Island-style.
• Russian Academic Band presents brass band music with Russian and American influences
• New: New Zealand musician Jenny Blackadder
• Australian entertainer Wayne Horsburgh

Plus, international foods are featured at Tastes of the World.

BLUEGRASS & BBQ - MAY 13 - 31 (Open Daily)
Bluegrass & BBQ, America's premier bluegrass festival, presents a feast for the senses from the stages to the grills. Bluegrass headliners include:

• Seven-time IBMA* Female Vocalist of the Year Rhonda Vincent & the Rage
• 2008 IBMA Superstars Dailey  & Vincent, winners of Entertainer of the Year, Vocal Group, Album of the year, Male Vocalist, Gospel Recorded Performance, Recorded Event of the Year and Emerging Artist of the Year.
• 2006 & 2007 IBMA Entertainer of the Year The Grascals
• IBMA and Dove Award Nominee Sierra Hull
• Special Events: Youth in Bluegrass Contest & National Single Mic Contest

Huge outdoor grills turn out an all-American barbecue feast from ribs to smoked chicken, served up daily in the "House of BBQ," and hundreds of sauces offer regional flavors from smoky chipotle to sweet hickory.

NATIONAL KIDSFEST - JUNE 6 - AUGUST 9 (Open Daily)
America's biggest KidsFest presents amazing entertainment and family adventures from the Swedish Supergroup JEERK to roller coasters soaring through the tress:

• Featured Production: New this year, the U.S. debut of Swedish Supergroup JEERK, with five spectacular performers using their percussion skill, rhythmic body movements and an array of novelty props to drum, dance and crash in a super-stomping, rhythm and dance show.
• Featured Production: The Magic of Peter Gossamer with tricks, levitations, vanishings and comedy from the master illusionist
• Featured Production: The original VeggieTales live stage show, "The Invention of Silliness," starring America's favorite talking vegetables in a musical adventure created exclusively for Silver Dollar City
• Kid Concoctions Activity Center where kids can make their own creations from the acclaimed Kid Concoctions books and television show
• Moonlight Madness features nighttime fun July 27 - August 9, with rides running until 10 p.m. for summer night thrills.

Thirty themed rides and attractions offer family thrills, including high-speed coasters such as the explosive-launch coaster PowderKeg, the mega-splashing American Plunge and the Silver Dollar Steam Train. 

SOUTHERN GOSPEL PICNIC - AUGUST 27 - SEPTEMBER 7 (Open Daily)
The top names in southern Gospel fill stages throughout the park for the fan-favorite Southern Gospel Picnic, as the park serves up a picnic feast of Chicken & Fixin's. The festival features top groups from contemporary artists to the traditional, including:

• Dove Award winners Jeff & Sheri Easter, Brian Free and Assurance, The Isaacs and Austin's Bridge.
• Grammy nominees Karen Peck & New River
• Singing News Fan Award stars The Booth Brother, winners of Tenor of the Year, Lead Vocalist, Trio of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Favorite Artists
• Southern Gospel Hall of Famers The Kingsmen and The Perrys
• Featured show: The spectacular Southern Gospel Nights concerts bring top Southern Gospel performers together to fill the 4,000-seat Echo Hollow Amphitheater each evening.

NATIONAL HARVEST FESTIVAL - SEPTEMBER 12 - OCTOBER 31 (Open Wednesdays - Sundays)
The largest gathering in America's Heartland of demonstrating craftsmen, authentic harvest-time foods and musical performances, featuring two special events: a Salute to the Cowgirl in September and a Salute to the Best of Missouri in October:

• Featured Production: New, the All American Cowgirl Chicks equestrian drill team brings precision trick riding, daring stunts and thrilling horsemanship to Silver Dollar City's arena
• Featured Production: New, the Wings Over Missouri birds-of-flight show presents the state's most majestic birds in soaring flight, from Bald and Golden Eagles to Great Horned Owls.
• Featured Production: Headin' West, an original musical production, presents the adventure of Western expansion with scenes from white water river travel to a buffalo stampede.
• Acclaimed artists including watercolorist and actor Buck Taylor, wavers, jewelry makers and leather crafters, and Best of Missouri Hands juried artist
• Music groups including: Belinda Gail & Curly Musgrave, the Quebe Sisters and Les Gilliam

AN OLD TIME CHRISTMAS - NOVEMBER 7 - DECEMBER 30
(Open Thursdays - Sundays, plus November 25, closed December 21 - 25, open December 26 - 30)
Silver Dollar City's An Old Time Christmas, ranked as one of the world's top holiday events by CNN.com, USA Today, Good Morning America and The Travel Channel, dazzles with Christmas lights, shows, rides and foods.

• Featured Show: The spectacular Christmas on Main Street featuring the five-story special effects Christmas Tree and an encompassing light-and-sound show on the Square with over 1 million lights flashing in synchronization to Christmas music
• Featured Production: A Dickens' Christmas Carol, an original adaptation of the classic story and one of the park's biggest production shows with elaborate sets, vanishing ghosts and flying spirits
• Featured Production: The Living Nativity, a musical retelling with talented actors, original music and elaborate set in a dramatic presentation of the birth of Christ.
• Featured Show: Frosty, an interactive musical show where kids help bring the legendary snowman to life
• The Holiday Light Parade with colorful, musical floats winding through the city streets
• The Silver Dollar City-Along Steam Train and nighttime rides

Plus holiday shows, specialty foods and over 4 million holiday lights.

*International Bluegrass Music Association