The local 2026 summer tourism season opened on Saturday with the Ozark Riverways Foundation hosting its annual Rendezvous at the Ridge festival. The event at Shannon County’s Big Rock Candy Mountain resort has grown over the past few years from a local draw to attracting regional interest as a showcase of rural Missouri’s best. As the Ozark Riverways Foundation’s largest fundraising event, the gathering also provides a big boost in supporting its mission to preserve some of the state’s most unique cultural heritage and natural landscapes.
“We're essentially the friends group for the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, which is the most wonderful and most beautiful place on Earth, and I am very sincere when I say that,” said Dave Tobey, a board member with the Ozark Riverways Foundation. “Today is our signature event. We started this several years ago to kick off the floating season and the summer season for all of our visitors, making sure that they know we're here and we want them to have the best experience any way we can help them.”
Several other nonprofit organizations were on hand on Saturday to share different sightseeing opportunities and other subjects of local interest. Musicians and artisan vendors were also selling crafts and sharing their talents.
“This was the very first river system in our country that was protected by an act of Congress, and that makes it incredibly special in itself,” Tobey said. “There was a reason for that, and that was because so many people came down here thanks mainly to Bales Boating Company. They operated from 1927 until 1964 when the park came in. They took politicians, artists and anybody that wanted to float the river in a John boat. They had these huge excursions, and those people passed the word. They wrote books, they wrote articles and they made artwork.”
Providing firsthand perspective on that history Saturday was Keith Powell, who worked for Bales Boating Company.
“I grew up on the Current River, around Two Rivers, and we were all boaters and knew how to be a guide from a very early age as part of the Bales Family,” Powell said. “Bales Boating Company started at just the beginning of the [Great] Depression. They provided a lot of employment up and down the river, and they would try to spread it out so that different families would get a few dollars guiding. It was hard to start a company in depression days, but they had the nerve to do it, and Walter Bales made a success of it.”
Tobey said the Ozark Riverways Foundation is helping carry on the tradition of offering guided float trips for those seeking a deeper connection to the Ozarks.
“We offer guided services, and we are happy to take you on a personal trip down the river,” Tobey said. “What we do is tailored to small groups, finding out what you need and what your interest is. What I like to tell people is that when they go down the Current or the Jacks Fork River, there is a story at every sinkhole, every pool, every shoal, and every spring along the river. There's a special story to be told here, and most people miss all that, and so that's why we offer the guided services. If somebody is looking for a little bit more in-depth experience, whether it be natural history or cultural history, we can help you with that. We love to share the story of this special place.”
Powell said he is thankful to see the old traditions carried on and hopes the Ozark Riverways Foundation continues to bring a positive impact to the region.
“I am very impressed with what they're doing and they seem to be expanding each year doing a lot of things,” Powell said. “I love this country, especially Shannon County. I know so many of the people and a lot of older things are disappearing with the new generations. They don't have the same knowledge we have, it's getting away, and we're trying to document the history of Shannon County and the rivers.”
