The local 2026 summer tourism season opened on Saturday with the Ozark Riverways Foundation hosting its annual Rendezvous at the Ridge festival. The event 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.