Columbia Parks and Recreation

10/15/2026

Pop-Up & Play! October 21, 4:30 - 6:00 PM, Downtown Optimist Park, 100 E Forest Ave.

Join us Wednesday, October 21st, at your local park for an afternoon of play at our final pop-up and play day of the season! We'll bring the games and supplies. You bring the kids and enjoy the fun! For more information contact 573.874.6379 or [email protected].

(Image Description: "Pop-Up & Play!" title text centered over a photo of the playground at Downtown Optimist Park. Event details below: October 21, 4:30–6:00 PM, Downtown Optimist Park. Columbia Parks and Recreation logo in the bottom right corner.)

10/14/2026

THIS WEEKEND! Join us for Yappy Hour at Twin Lakes!

This Saturday, October 17th, from 2-5 PM, we’re hosting the perfect party for all kinds of pups and their people. Come out to the park and enjoy an afternoon beverage, a variety of activities for all ages, vendors specific to improving your pet’s life and your life as a pet parent, a pup-perfect obstacle course and doggy social hour in the off-leash dog park. Our featured sponsor, Lizzi and Rocco’s Natural Pet Market, will be on-site with their Treats Truck full of goodies for pups and people alike, and your registration gets you a drink ticket for our beverage station plus goodies and giveaways! Registration is just $10 per human, including access for your dog, and just $5 per additional person. Children under 10 get in totally free.

To top it all off, the weather for this weekend is looking absolutely wonderful - breezy and sunny, perfect for pups in the park. To go ahead and let us know you’ll be there, register now by calling us at 573.874.7460, or online at https://parks.como.gov/webtrac/web/iteminfo.html?Module=AR&FMID=325654553

10/08/2026

Trick or Treat with your littles at the ARC, October 29!

Each event will have ARC staff present, handing out candy and supervising the area. Register in advance at CoMo.gov or by calling 573.874.7700.

Little Gymmers & Little Swimmers alike are invited to the ARC for Halloween fun!

From 10 AM - 11 AM we'll be hosting a trick-or-treat in the gym. For just $2 per kiddo, little ones can come in costume, collect candy, and enjoy playtime in the gym!

From 11 AM - 12 PM, join us at the pool for a splashy trick-or-treat! This session is also just $2 per kiddo, and families are welcome to sign up for both, for a full morning of Halloween fun, or whichever their little one would prefer.

Each event will have ARC staff present, handing out candy and supervising the area. Parents are asked to accompany little ones for the entire duration of the event. Register in advance at CoMo.gov or by calling 573.874.7700.

(Image Description for Accessibility Aids: Photo of a child in a wonder woman costume on a tricycle. An arc staff member in halloween-candy-print pants stand behind. Another child in a ballerina costume also rides a tricycle in the background. Teat reads "Trick or Treat", "For Little Gymmers and Little Swimmers", "Oct 29 | 10 AM - 12 PM". The ARC logo sits in the upper right corner.)

10/07/2026

Celebrate spooky season with your little ones and your community!

We're hosting a Halloween costume party just for kids ages 2-5 and their adults. We'll have activities, crafts, and candy to enjoy together for just $7. Join us at the Hillcrest Community Center on Wednesday, October 28, from 10:00 - 10:45 AM and celebrate Halloween! Look for more activities for little ones at Hillcrest Community Center throughout the fall and winter, including Thanksgiving, Winter Holiday, and Frosty Fun Times celebrations.

PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED! Sign up now on WebTrac or by calling 573.874.7460.

(Image Description for Accessibility Aids: Colorful purple and orange background. Photo of a child dressed as cat, coloring, at a past Halloween Costume Party. Text reads "Halloween Costume Party For Little Ones" & "W: Oct 28 | 10-10:45 AM | $7". The Columbia Parks and Recreation logo sits in the bottom, right corner.)

10/06/2026

Regular Season Registration with our partner, Columbia Youth Basketball Association, is Now Open!

Grades: K-12
Cost: $150 (financial assistance available)
Games: minimum of 8 games in January and February
Grades 2-5: registration closes October 16th
K/1st grade families: tell a friend and get $25 off through the CYBA referral program!
Register and learn more at cybahoops.org
Questions? Email [email protected]

(Image Description for Accessibility Aids: Background photo of three kids standing together in basketball uniforms, in a gym, smiling. One holds a basketball. Text reads "CYBA Regular Season Registration Now Open" & "Register and learn more at cybahoops.org". The CYBA and Columbia Parks and Recreation logos sit along the bottom of the image.)

10/05/2026

For the 13th year of our 13.1 mile run, we thought it was time for an update. We’re stoked to share our new Bear Creek Run Half Marathon logo, debuting this year on our race medals and t-shirts! Our new look pulls just enough elements from our original logo to look good with your collection of race medals, but modernizes our merch enough that you’ll want to wear it out and about to all your training sessions.

Claim your 13th Annual Bear Creek Run merch today- register at https://tinyurl.com/BearCreekRun2026 or by calling 573.874.7700. Follow our Facebook event for more info and updates!

(Image Description for Accessibility Aids: First image shows the new Bear Creek Run logo featured on a metal and wood medal with a blue ribbon. The race logo and "24 October 2026" appear next to the medal. Falling leaf icons also appear in the image. The second image shows the new Bear Creek Run logo featured on a long sleeve, blue athletic tee. The race logo and "24 October 2026" appear next to the tee. Falling leaf icons also appear in the image.)

10/05/2026

Temporary Closure Reminder!
The Armory Sports and Recreation Center is temporarily closed to the public beginning today, Oct. 5, for an HVAC replacement project, which will significantly reduce the building's electricity and natural gas usage and improve our energy footprint!
The closure is expected to last through the first week of January 2027. This will impact all programs and activities that take place at the Armory, including Community Recreation programming, rentals, the CARE program and the Bike Co-op. Programs will be relocated or postponed until the winter.
Please call the Parks and Recreation office at 573.874.7460 for details about program cancellations or relocations.

(Image Description for Screen Readers & Assistive Technology: The image background is a photo of the Armory building facade, including a CAT construction machine at the edge of the image. An alert symbol in bright yellow sits above the following text: "Temporary Closure", "The Armory Sports and Recreation Center", "Oct 5, 2026 - Jan 2027", "Call 573.874.7460 for details about program cancellations or relocations.". The Columbia Parks and Recreation logo sits in the bottom-right corner.)

10/02/2026

Calling all families with kiddos ages 2-10! October 16th at 10 AM, join Columbia Parks and Recreation staff for a fun and educational tour of the MU Foremost Dairy Farm at 9601 Highway 40 West, Columbia, MO 65202.

Learn about cows, dairy farming, and how milk makes its way to our kitchen table. After the tour, Tiger Ice Cream will be available for $5 per scoop. Limited spots available! Pre-register to claim your spot today at CoMo.gov or by calling 573.874.7460

(Image Description for Accessibility Aids: Background art of a field and blue sky with clouds. Central photo of a dairy cow. Text reads "MU Foremost Dairy Farm Field Trip", "Oct 16 | 10 AM", & "Pre-Registration Required! Register at CoMo.gov Or Call 573.874.7460". The Columbia Parks and Recreation logo sits in the bottom-right corner.)

10/01/2026

Join our Active Adults Membership today! Sign-ups are now available for our annual Active Adults Membership. Programs are based out of the Hillcrest Community Center, Moss Building, and Waters House, and range from Mah Jongg to Painting to our WE Hike group.

Active Adults are community members 50+, getting together to socialize, get active, learn new skills and practice hobbies together. We host Bingo, Monthly DIY Crafts, Knitting/Crochet Groups, and more.

Active Adults can attend as many of these activities as they like for just $42 a year- and if you sign up for your 2027 membership in October, you get October-December 2026 totally FREE.

To join, call 573.874.7475 to sign up over the phone or visit Hillcrest Community Center from 9 AM - 4 PM Mon-Fri to sign up in person.

(Image Description for Accessibility Aids: Green background with white text reading "Active Adults", "2027 Memberships Now Available!", "Mah Jongg, Bingo, Painting, Crafting, Hiking & more with community.", & "Sign Up Now & Get Oct - Dec 2026 FREE!". Featured photos show Active Adults members playing games and hiking. The Columbia Parks & Recreation logo sits atop the farthest-right photo.)