SPRINGFIELD -- The 11th Annual Cider Days will be held on Historic Walnut Street from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. This two-day fall festival features regional artists and crafters, three performance stages, a free hands-on children’s area with inflatables, a Scarecrow Village, vintage cars and more.
Admission is $4 per person; children 10 and under are free. Last year’s event attracted more than 15,000 people.

Artists and crafters from across the region exhibit and sell a variety of handmade products. Artwork sold during past festivals include Raku-fired
clay pieces, hand-dyed silk scarves, paper Christmas ornaments, preserved hydrangea, painted pumpkins and candles.

Artists often demonstrate the various arts and crafts at their booths. Children also can demonstrate their own creativity in a free hands-on area.  
Performances on the three stages include local and regional musicians, dancers, singers and more.

One of the festival’s most creative displays is the “row of crows,” also known as The Scarecrow Village. The village, located just east of the intersection of Walnut Street at Hammons Parkway, consists of multiple scarecrows designed by area businesses, service groups, churches, youth groups,
schools and individuals. 

The scarecrows heighten community awareness of local groups and services, as well as provide an opportunity for the community to unite and share creative energy, spirit and pride. Cash prizes are awarded at the festival in the following categories: Best of Show, Most
Humorous, Most Creative, Best Use of Recycled Materials and Best Named Scarecrow. The public can vote for their “favorite crow” and be registered for a chance to win $100 in Cider Days Art Bucks.

A free shuttle will take people from the festival grounds to downtown Springfield on Saturday, as well as to the Commercial Street Loft Walk on Sunday. On Saturday, the free shuttle runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to various restaurants and shops in downtown. The shuttle also runs on Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. to Commercial Street for
the Loft Walk. Tickets for the loft walk are available both Saturday and Sunday at Cider Days.  The shuttle's pick-up and drop-off site is the northeast corner of Walnut at Hammons.

As part of the Cider Days, the Springfield-Greene County Park Board and City of Springfield will host a free Autumn Moon Concert at 7 p.m. Saturday at Jordan Valley Park, 735 East Trafficway.  The free concert features local bands M-DOCK, Thirst N’ Howl,
and Steve Smith and the Sneakers, playing a variety of blues, rock, rhythm and blues, and cover songs. The schedule for the evening is: 7 – 7:50 p.m., Steve Smith and the Sneakers; 8 – 9:15 p.m., Thirst N’ Howl; 9:30 – 11 p.m., M-DOCK.