Articles

As part of Joplin’s 150th anniversary, the city will celebrate its official flower with a self-guided iris garden tour on May 13, featuring maps, treats, and commemorative cookie cutters, highlighting the iris’s history and significance to the community.

Connect2Culture’s summer concerts at Joplin’s Cornell Arts & Entertainment Complex feature local indie rock band Me Like Bees and Grammy-winning folk duo The Okee Dokee Brothers, offering outdoor performances that celebrate music, community, and nature.

Ed and Susan Wuch have dedicated years to volunteering for Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Four States, especially through recycling efforts and supporting families in need, making their service a model of community commitment and compassion.

Joplin artist Josh Okerson, inspired and mentored by 90-year-old Michael F. Wright, turned to painting as a way to cope with personal setbacks and now pursues his art passionately, drawing on emotion and encouragement to fuel his creative journey.

The 53rd annual Earth Day, celebrated globally on April 22, encourages environmental awareness and action through activities like litter cleanup, tree planting, recycling, and energy conservation, continuing a tradition begun in 1970 to promote a healthier planet.

MuralFest 66, organized by the Miami Arts & Humanities Council, brings new murals by local and national artists, live music, kids’ activities, a car show, and more to Miami, Oklahoma’s Cultural District, creating a free, family-friendly celebration of art and community.

Dora Eastin, once a reluctant marathoner, now runs as a way to cope with life’s challenges, setting ambitious goals—including qualifying for the Olympic trials—and credits her progress to perseverance, mindset, and the support of her coach and community.

New Life Spa in Grove, Oklahoma, led by naturopathic physician Deborah Stauss, offers a range of natural healing therapies—including salt and ozone therapy, body sculpting, and vibrational raindrop therapy—to help clients restore balance and empower them to take control of their health and well-being.

Connect2Culture's April schedule at the Harry M. Cornell Arts & Entertainment Complex features three diverse performances: The Reminders (a Congo-inspired family band), Miss Jubilee & The Yas Yas Boys (St. Louis blues and jazz), and Piano Battle (interactive dueling pianists where audiences vote for the winner).