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Walmart has released its list of the hottest toys for the 2021 holiday season.

Do you think it’s just a list of the toys that made it through the shipping logjam?

Here they are:

• Barbie Extra Doll & Vanity Playset

• Fur-Real Sweet Jammiecorn Unicorn

• Magic Mixies Cauldron

• Hot Wheels Massive Loop Mayhem Track Set

• Na! Na! Na! Surprise Kitty-Cat Camper

Innovators keep coming up with the next best thing and before you know it, things as we knew it are no more. Take a trip down memory lane with this curated list from Stacker of products that came out over the years but no longer exist, scouring timelines, news articles, and trusted websites. Don’t let it make you feel too old, one of the items was just from four young years ago. 😉

If you’ve tried to update your Facebook, scroll through Instagram, or check on WhatsApp you probably ran to check your wifi connection. All three platforms suffered a worldwide outage lasting more than three hours on today, October 4, 2021. Facebook’s internal systems used by employees also went down. Service has not yet been restored.

The company did not say what might be causing the outage, which began around 11:40 ET. Websites and apps often suffer outages of varying size and duration, but hours-long global disruptions are rare.

“This is epic,” said Doug Madory, director of internet analysis for Kentik Inc. The last major internet outage, which knocked many of the world’s top websites offline in June, lasted less than an hour. The stricken content delivery company in that case, Fastly, blamed it on a software but triggered by a customer who changed a setting.

Facebook’s only public comment so far was a tweet in which it acknowledged that “some people are having trouble accessing (the) Facebook app” and that it was working on restoring access. Regarding the internal failures, Instagram head Adam Mosseri tweeted that it feels like a “snow day.” Read the full story at Ky3.

Tonight’s Powerball drawing is HUGE!  How does $620 MILLION sound?!  How many different bank accounts would you have to get to house that amount of money?

Wouldn’t it be incredible if YOU were the sole winner??

Why not get the gang together and get several tickets for better chances to become a millionaire.

It could happen! Good luck!

“If you’re looking for a terrifying trip to the theater, you’ve come to the right place.”

Get ready to embrace your scary side with a wide variety of films which may scare you beyond the grave!

AMC theaters through the month of October, will be showing scary movies on special dates. One of the scary parts? You won’t know what you will be seeing until the movie begins!

Movie ratings and lengths are listed below so you can plan your scary outing:

 Wednesday, October 6 – 1 h 58 m – Not Rated
• Friday, October 8 – 1 h 46 m – Rated R
• Wednesday, October 13 – 1 h 44 m – Rated R
• Friday, October 15 – 1 h 56 m – Rated R
• Wednesday, October 20 – 1 h 36 m – Rated R
• Friday, October 22 – 1 h 25 m – Rated R
• Wednesday, October 27 – 2 h 22 m – Rated R
• Friday, October 29 – 2 h 49 m – Rated R

WEEKEND UPDATE FOR OCTOBER 1-3

FRIDAY

First Friday Artwalk- a self guided town in downtown Springfield. This family friendly activity is FREE

Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Ozarks Poker Tournament starts at 5:30. Poker Players will play Texas Hold’em. Food, drinks, raffles and live entertainment tournament starting at 6:30PM. $50 donation to play

Fall Dinner at Urban Roots Farm begins at 5:30 pm –  6 courses $95 per person with live music.  The Farm is located at 823 W. State- Springfield, mo

SATURDAY

Join Summer Stevens on Saturday at fall Farmfest- 9am until 11am at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds

Join Corbin at The Arts and Crafts Festival in Ozark from 1-3 pm

Fix-It-Fair at Midtown Carnegie Branch library begins at 10 am- 2 pm. Give your household appliances, computers, bicycles or even clothes a new lease on life, and reduce waste while learning a valuable repair skill. Volunteer experts will help you repair your fixable items

Fall Festival and Antique Market in Fordland 353 E. Main Street open at 9 am.

Harvest Fest 2021 at the Rutledge-Wilson Park  opens at 11 am- 5pm. Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze!

Farmer’s Markets: Springfield/ Glenstone and Battlefield, Nature Center and C-street. also in Ozark, Nixa  most open at 8 am

Roundtree Lantern Walk begins at 7 pm.  Let your light shine along the 1.8 mile loop route. October is Pedestrian safety month.

Kick off the Halloween season at “the most haunted place in Springfield” and experience the supernatural encounters that make up the bone-chilling past of the Historic Landers Theatre. Groups of 15 will be led on hour-long tours up secret stairs and down haunted hallways that have been off-limits to the public for decades.

Friday & Saturday, October 1st & 2nd starting at 6:00 PM with the last tour ending at Midnight.

Get your tickets… if you dare!

Fall festivals are plentiful this time of year but there are so many great things to add to your autumn itinerary that you will not be without a little spice in your life or latte.

See entire list at the Springfield website.

Fall means pumpkin season! One of the most authentic experiences you can have with the whole family is picking pumpkins from a pumpkin patch. Several patches around the Ozarks are a great weeknight or weekend adventure. Check out our post Visit These Pumpkin Patches Around Springfield for a list.

If you love apple pie or caramel apples, you can pick your own for all your delicious fall recipes this year. Here are some orchards just a few miles outside of Springfield:

Gardener’s Orchard & Bakery

4455 W. Farm Road 2, Brighton, MO 65617

Murphy Orchard

255 N. Hwy. 60, Marionville, MO 65807

Sunshine Valley Farm

8011 E. State Hwy. AD, Rogersville, MO 65742 

If you love history and spooky spots, consider taking a haunted history tour. Here are a few in the area that are a must-see.

Haunted History Walking and Bus Tours

You can start your exploration of the eerie with the Haunted History Walking tours available from Sept. 17-Oct. 30 from the History Museum on the Square. You’ll get to know the city’s history and some of the spooky stories connected to it.

Haunted History Walking Tour – Non-members $20, Members $15 per person. Masks are recommended.

Haunted History Bus Tour – Non-Members $25, Members $20 per person. Masks are required.

Tours are at 5:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Click here to reserve your space.

Pythian Castle Ghost Tours

Pythian Castle was built as an orphanage and retirement home for members of the Knights of Pythias and was later owned by the military and served as a prisoner of war camp. People report seeing, sensing and hearing spirits of the young and aged, especially in the basement.

This certified haunted castle offers ghost tours year-round. It’s been featured on several TV shows about haunted places, including “Ghost Adventures” on The Travel Channel.

Schedule your ghost tour at https://pythiancastle.com/ghosts-events.html.

If you want to see more haunted locations, check out our post You’ve Got To Visit These Haunted Places Around Springfield for more haunted stops.

Nothing says fall quite like fall brews. Visit several local wineries, breweries and distilleries to try their new cocktails, wines and other creations.

If you’re wondering where to go next, check out our Tap and Pour Craft Beverage Tour. Embark on a self-guided journey around the Ozarks to experience the region’s growing brewery, winery, and distillery scene. Download the pass to your phone and begin your journey.

Once you’ve visited at least ten (10) locations on the Ozarks Tap and Pour Tour (must include at least one brewery, one winery and one distillery), you’ll earn yourself a free Ozarks Tap and Pour collector T-shirt. Check out the pass for more information.

Fall is a beautiful time to see the ranging colors of autumn. If you’re looking for a safe social-distancing activity this year, check out breathtaking autumn colors at these parks and attractions around the Ozarks.

• Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield
• Smallin Civil War Cave
• The Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden
• The Springfield Conservation Nature Center
• Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park
• Dogwood Canyon Nature Park
• Jordan Valley Park
• Lost Hill Park
• Ritter Springs Park
• Lake Springfield
• Top Of The Rock
• Maple Park Cemetery

For a more detailed list, check out our blog post, View Beautiful Fall Foliage At These 15+ Spots Around Springfield And Beyond.

There are several fall events coming up in the Ozarks that you don’t want to miss. Here are a few noteworthy events you should try to attend.

Ozarks Fall Farmfest

When: 9 a.m-5 p.m. Oct. 1-2, 2021, 9 a.m-4 p.m. Oct. 3. 2021

Where: 3001 N. Grant Ave, Springfield, MO 65803

Looking for more events? Check out our events page for more.

Instead of buying new fall decorations, make a one-of-a-kind piece! There are several spots in Springfield that allow you to make a custom piece to take home with you. Some include:

• AR Workshop

• Artistree Pottery

• Creative Escape Glass

Several locations in Springfield will show some new and nostalgic Halloween movies in September and October. Check out these theaters to see some of your favorite scary showings:

• The Alamo Drafthouse

• The Gillioz Theatre

• AMC 11

• Regal College Station

Throw Some Axes

Axe throwing is about as historical of a pastime as you can get. Test your aim and practice throwing a few tomahawks with your friends to see who is the better shot. Here are two places to throw axes:

• Tommyhawks

• Craft Axe Throwing

If you’re staying in Springfield, consider staying in one of Springfield’s cozy bed and breakfast locations:

• The Mansion at Elfindale

• The Walnut Street Inn

• Rader Manor

Check out what is new in Galloway! For the second time in as many years- a coffee shop in the  Galloway Village has changed hands. Look for the  “Black Lab Coffee Co.” at  3541 S. Lone Pine Ave it used to be Springtown Coffee but changed hands last month. The owners of “Black Lab”  also own the Black Lab Coffee Co in downtown Springfield at 300 W. McDaniel.  What will you find on the menu?  Hot, iced and frozen coffee drinks named after dogs, such as the Bulldog and Goldendoodle.  Welcome to Galloway…

Check out this video of a bear who turned on a lost GoPro which was discovered by a hiker in Wyoming.  The majority of the video is just the bear trying to eat the GoPro! What a cool find!  The hiker who found it — in early June — said the GoPro had been sitting in the snow in Wyoming for a long time.