The public and the working press are invited to attend the official opening ceremony for the inaugural Missouri Literary Festival, 10-10:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 2, at the Hammons Field Plaza (in front of the main gates).

Literary Festival Chairman William Brandon Bowman will serve as Master of Ceremonies. The opening ceremony is free and open to the public, and the program will run as follows:

Invocation
Reverend Kenneth L. Chumbley, rector, Christ Episcopal Church

Welcome to Hammons Field and The Creamery Arts Center
Kirk Elmquist and Leah Hamilton Jenkins

Remarks
Local and state dignitaries, including Jim Anderson, president of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce; David L. Coonrod, Greene County presiding commissioner; Dan Chiles, Springfield mayor pro tem; Greg Burris, Springfield city manager; Norma Champion, District 30 state senator; andCharlie Denison, District 135 state representative.

Missouri Literary Festival Trumpet Fanfare
composed by Dr. John Prescott and performed by Maestro Ron Spigelman and three trumpeters from the Springfield Symphony

Collective Ribbon Cutting

Declaration of Opening by William Brandon Bowman

Tickets to the Missouri Literary Festival are $5 for ages 11 and up, and children 10 and under get in free. A single ticket is good for the duration of the festival, which is held Oct. 2, 3 and 4, and the ticket must be presented at the gate each day. Tickets may be purchased in advance at Borders Books, the Library Center, the Library Station, The Creamery Arts Center and Hammons Field in Springfield.