Santa Cali Gon Days Festival

From Santa Cali Gon Days Festival Website:

Santa-Cali-Gon Days Festival is a non-stop celebration of Independence, Missouri as the starting point of the great westward expansion of the United States. The three main trails to the west, Santa Fe, California and Oregon originated in Independence.

Other components of Santa-Cali-Gon Days include:
Over 500 vendor booths of which 50 are sponsored by Independence non-profit organizations.
Three free entertainment stages -- Main Stage, Community Stage and Gospel Stage.
A large carnival midway, provided by Wade Shows.

The Main Stage entertainment is without exception the festival's biggest attraction. Performers of past festivals include: The Dixie Chicks, Dierks Bentley, Kenny Chesney, Marty Stuart, Clint Black, Sawyer Brown, Eddie Rabbit, Josh Gracin, Eric Church, Little Big Town, Easton Corbin, and Steel Magnolia to name a few.

More than 100 local non-profit organizations benefit from Santa-Cali-Gon Days. Surveys show participating non-profits generate 1/3 of their annual budgets from their sales. Retail sales in the City of Independence during the festival are estimated at $3 million.

The success of the Santa-Cali-Gon Days Festival allows the Independence Chamber of Commerce to reinvest in the Independence community while taking the lead on numerous projects. Projects such as: efforts to build a roadway that include the Little Blue Parkway and South Riverfront Expressway, streets and parks improvements, and neighborhood revitalization, to name a few. The Independence Chamber of Commerce also works eagerly to assist with the development of the future leadership of Independence through various adult and youth programs; CHOICES, L.E.A.D. Independence, and Youth L.E.A.D Independence.

The 41st annual festival will take place August 30 - September 2, on the historic Independence Square.