News-Leader Staff

Unite of Southwest Missouri announces the 18th annual Springfield Multicultural Festival will take place Monday, Jan. 19, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Juanita K. Hammons Hall, 525 Hammons Parkway in Springfield.

Every year in January on the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday, the festival highlights groups representing cultures from around the world to perform on stage at Hammons Hall. There will also be over 50 businesses and organizations sharing information about employment and educational opportunities, banking services, healthcare and other quality-of-life local and regional resources.

This year’s festival performances will include the Celtic Fire Irish Dance Company; The Falcon Family, Native American dance group; blues artist Norman Jackson; SARRAB, Middle Eastern dancing; Springfield Little Theatre, Youth Cast of “Pinocchio,” and many more.

For more information you can go the festival Facebook page. Search for: SGF Multicultural Festival. All festival parking and admission is free and open to everyone.

See former Navy Seal on Friday

Former Navy Seal Jared Ogden, featured on National Geographic’s Ultimate Survival Alaska, will be at a Springfield watch party Friday, Jan. 9, to watch the airing of National Geographic Channel’s “Ultimate Survival Alaska.”

Ogden will be at the American Legion Vietnam Memorial Post 639, 2660 S. Scenic, to watch the program with the public. It will start around 7:30 pm and go to around 10 pm.

This is free to the public.

Ogden founded the nonprofit Phoenix Patriot Foundation (PPF) with the mission of aiding wounded veterans “by developing and implementing an individually tailored program to ensure independence and lifelong sustainability. This enables veterans to return to service in their communities.”

Make reservations for Daddy Daughter Dance

Dads and their daughters are invited to join Springfield Ballet for an evening of ballroom instruction, sweet treats and Valentine’s fun at the 5th annual Daddy Daughter Dance to be held Saturday, Feb. 7 at 6 p.m. in the Exhibition Hall of the Creamery Arts Center.

All proceeds support Springfield Ballet, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing the art of ballet through premier education, performance, outreach and collaboration.

Professional ballroom instructor Obi Simpson of Take the Lead will instruct dads and daughters in a fun mini-lesson, followed by ballroom demonstrations à la “Dancing with the Stars!” Dads and their girls can smile for a special photo-op and enjoy sweet treats. Attire for the evening is your “Sunday best!”

Tickets are $20 per couple, and $5 for each additional child. To make reservations, call the Springfield Ballet business office at 417 862-1343. Reservations are required, and last year’s event sold out, so don’t wait!