Events and activities in Joplin this week

The hustle and bustle of Joplin never ends and this week is no exception! From poetry readings, to theatre, to blacksmith demonstrations, downtown Joplin has a wide range of activities and events planned.

Here’s a look at what is going on in Joplin this week:

October 16: Downtown Poetry Reading and Open Mic, 6:00–8:00pm at Joplin Avenue Coffee Company (506 S Joplin Ave). A poetry reading and open mic event! Open mic sign-up begins at 6:00pm. Featured reader begins at 6:15pm. Open mic readings follow at 7:00pm. This event occurs on the third Monday of each month—same place, same time. Free and open to the public. More information: Julie Ramon, julieramon0802@gmail.com.

October 17: Young Artists Club (Ages 8-12), 4:15–5:15pm at Joplin Public Library (1901 E 20th St). Aspiring young artists are invited to learn about and explore various artists, art styles, and techniques during Joplin Public Library’s Young Artists Club! Each program will include a brief, staff-led presentation and will be followed by a related art activity. Registration required; register by calling (417) 623-7953 or emailing childrens@ childrens@joplinpubliclibrary.org. Free and open to the public.

October 17: Bingo Night (Ages 18+), 6:00–7:00pm at Joplin Public Library (1901 E 20th St). A night of bingo at the library! Play bingo and compete for prizes during this fun, free event. Free and open to the public.

October 18: School-Age Storytime (Ages 5-8), 4:15–4:45pm at Joplin Public Library (1901 E 20th St). A storytime just for early elementary students! Head to Joplin Public Library to explore books and stories through reading, singing, talking, and playing. Free and open to the public.

October 18 & 19: Read and Play Preschool Hour (Ages 3-5), 9:30–10:00am & 10:30–11:00am at Joplin Public Library (1901 E 20th St). Join the Joplin Public Library’s Children’s Department on Wednesdays and Thursdays for preschool storytime. Sing, read, and play! Free and open to the public.

October 19: Pumpkin Painting (Ages 5-12), 5:30–6:30pm at Joplin Public Library (1901 E 20th St). Paint your own artificial mini pumpkin in Joplin Public Library’s Children’s Department! Then, take your pumpkin home to decorate for the holidays or leave it at the Library for their Halloween display. A few aprons will be available, but participants are encouraged to wear clothes that can get messy. Supplies are limited to the first 30 children. Free and open to the public.

October 19: Third Thursday, 5:30–8:30pm in Downtown Joplin. Third Thursday, Joplin’s premier cultural event, is back! Every third Thursday, March through October, thousands of people gather on Main Street in Downtown Joplin to enjoy local artisans, music, entertainment, and food. Free and open to the public.

October 19–21: Guys & Dolls, 7:30pm (Saturday, 2:30pm & 7:30pm) at Missouri Southern State University, Bud Walton Black Box Theatre (3950 E Newman Rd). Missouri Southern State University’s Department of Performing Arts, Division of Music & Theatre is proud to present their fall musical, Guys & Dolls! Set in Damon Runyon’s mythical New York City, Guys & Dolls is an oddball romantic comedy. Gambler, Nathan Detroit, tries to find the cash to set up the biggest craps game in town while the authorities breathe down his neck; meanwhile, his girlfriend and nightclub performer, Adelaide, laments that they’ve been engaged for fourteen years. Nathan turns to fellow gambler, Sky Masterson, for the dough, and Sky ends up chasing the straight-laced missionary, Sarah Brown, as a result. Guys & Dolls takes audiences from the heart of Times Square to the cafes of Havana, Cuba, and even into the sewers of New York City, but eventually everyone ends up right where they belong. Tickets available online. Tickets: General Admission $15, Seniors/Students/Military $10.

October 20: Read and Play Toddler (Ages 0-2), 9:30–10:00am & 10:30–11:00am at Joplin Public Library (1901 E 20th St). Join the Joplin Public Library’s Children’s Department for toddler storytime on Friday mornings to sing, read, talk, and play together! Free and open to the public.

October 20: Ghostly Glades: Nature’s Superheroes, 6:00–9:00pm at Wildcat Glades (301 Riviera Dr). A seasonal event from Missouri Department of Conservation’s Shoal Creek Conservation Education Center and Wildcat Glades Nature Group! Learn about the superpowers and villains of wildlife that call Wildcat Park home during this free and fun family event. Then meet real-life heroes at the Education Cottage following your spooktacular hike. Registration required; register online. Free and open to the public.

October 20–22: School of Rock, 7:00pm (Sunday, 2:00pm) at McAuley Catholic High School (930 Pearl Ave). St. Peter’s Middle School, featuring St. Mary’s Elementary School, presents School of Rock with Dr. Steven Gilbreth as Dewey Finn! This musical, based on the hit movie, follows Dewey Finn, a failed, wannabe rock star who decides to earn an extra bit of cash by posing as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. There, he turns a class of straight–A pupils into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band. But can he get them to the Battle of the Bands without their parents and the school’s headmistress finding out? Tickets: $5.

October 21: Blacksmith Demonstration, 11:00am at Joplin Public Library (1901 E 20th St). A live metal-working demonstration with Joplin Public Library’s Makerspace staff and Monty from Laughing Dragon Forge! All ages welcome. Free and open to the public.

October 21: Saturday STEAM Club (Ages 5-12), 1:00–2:00pm at Joplin Public Library (1901 E 20th St). Explore high- and low-tech STEAM activities in this hands-on, child-led program! Children ages 8 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Free and open to the public.

October 21: Joplin Book Swap (Ages 18+), 2:00–3:00pm at ZINC Coffee (1825 S Main St). Join Joplin Public Library at Zinc Coffee for this month’s book swap. Bring a book, take a book, chat about books, and enjoy tasty coffee and drinks from Zinc! Free and open to the public; food and drink available for purchase.

October 21: Ghostly Glades: Nature’s Superheroes, 4:30–8:00pm at Wildcat Glades (301 Riviera Dr). A seasonal event from Missouri Department of Conservation’s Shoal Creek Conservation Education Center and Wildcat Glades Nature Group! Learn about the superpowers and villains of wildlife that call Wildcat Park home during this free and fun family event. Then meet real-life heroes at the Education Cottage following your spooktacular hike. Registration required; register online. Free and open to the public.

October 21: International Observe the Moon Night, 6:30–8:30pm at George Washington Carver National Monument (5646 Carver Rd, Diamond, MO). International Observe the Moon Night is an annual world-wide program that encourages observation, appreciation, and understanding of our moon. Join a ranger from George Washington Carver National Monument for an outdoor presentation with interactive activities! This program will be held indoors in the event of inclement weather. Free and open to the public.

October 21: S’mores & Pours Night Market, 7:00pm at Joplin Empire Market (931 E 4th St). Joplin Empire Market’s next Night Market event, dedicated to all things cozy and autumnal (with some creepy Halloween vibes, of course)! Craft your own epic s’mores at a s’mores bar; listen to live music; play pumpkin tic tac toe and giant Jenga; paint pumpkins; enjoy apple cider and hot chocolate, or an assortment of seasonal cocktails from the Market Bar; shop at the Harvest Moon Marketplace, featuring some of the area’s best vendors; and grab something tasty to eat. Festivities will take place outside in the Empire Market Festival Courtyard (weather permitting). Free and open to the public; food, drinks, and other items available for purchase.

October 21 & 22: Film: Becoming Helen Keller, 1:00pm at George Washington Carver National Monument (5646 Carver Rd, Diamond, MO). To honor 33 years of The Americans with Disabilities Act, join the rangers of George Washington Carver National Monument for a PBS documentary which revisits the complex life of Helen Keller, who was deaf and blind, and used her celebrity and wit to champion rights for women, people with disabilities, and people living in poverty. Free and open to the public.

October 22: Open Mic Comedy Night, 9:00pm (Sign-Up 8:30pm) at Blackthorn Pizza & Pub (510 S Joplin Ave). Join Joplin Comedy and try out your latest stand-up routine or take in the acts of local comedians, all while enjoying tasty pizza from Blackthorn Pizza & Pub. Age restrictions: 18+ until 10:00pm. 21+ from 10:00pm until close. Free and open to the public.