Chateau on the Lake Resort, Spa and Convention Center in Branson, Missouri will host one of the Midwest’s largest New Year’s Eve celebrations beginning at 7:00  p.m., Monday, Dec. 31, 2007 and featuring a colossal fireworks display over Table Rock Lake to culminate an evening of fine gourmet dining, live music and champagne toasts.

The New Year’s Eve celebration starts in the Chateau’s 32,000-square foot Great Hall with a festive hors d’oeuvres reception and cash bar at 7:00 p.m., followed by a plated dinner of Filet Mignon and fresh Atlantic Shrimp, and topped off with one of the Chateau’s signature hand-made specialty desserts, all presented by Executive Chef Anthony J. Burke, CEC and his team of culinary experts.

For a more intimate dining experience, the Chateau Grille will serve a special five-course New Year’s Eve holiday meal along with their regular menu selections. Reservations are strongly advised.

At 9:00 p.m., the popular Gary Myer’s Band will take the stage in the Great Hall and rock the night away with dance favorites from the 70s and 80s, with a little R & B added to the mix. Guests in the quaint Library Lounge will be treated to an evening of top-notch live jazz music, a roaring fire, an award-winning wine, beer and cocktail menu and complimentary party favors — all with no cover charge.

To signal to guests in the Great Hall that it’s time to bid adieu to 2007, the party hats and horns, champagne and a giant balloon droop will roll out just before midnight.

In keeping with the Chateau’s signature grand style, the resort will present a spectacular fireworks display just after midnight for hotel guests and thousands of spectators whose tradition is to watch from boats on Table Rock Lake, or at one of the popular viewing locations along Highways 165 and 265.

No New Year’s celebration would be complete at the Chateau without their famous New Year’s Day Champagne Brunch featuring dozens of traditional breakfast items, along with carved meats, shellfish, cheeses, salads and decadent desserts. The Chateau’s Dixieland Band serenade during brunch is sure to inspire a few New Year’s resolutions. Brunch runs from 11:00  a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Chateau Grille. Reservations are suggested, but not required.

To make this New Year’s Eve celebration safe and enjoyable, the Chateau is offering several overnight packages starting at just $399 per couple (including tax and service charges), which includes admission to the Great Hall Party, two drink tickets, gourmet dinner for two, fireworks display and one night in a double room.  The Chateau will extend a complimentary 6:00 p.m. checkout time to guests departing on New Year’s Day. Area residents can take advantage of the Spa Chateau’s local discount on a variety of new Spa treatments starting in 2008. For complete details on the Chateau’s New Year’s Eve Spectacular, please visit www.chateauonthelake.com or call toll free (888) 333-LAKE or call the resort directly at (417) 334-1161.

Chateau on the Lake, known for its superb mountain top location and world-class hospitality, is Southwest Missouri’s only AAA four-diamond resort. Chateau offers a wealth of recreational amenities for guests including the new $6 million Spa Chateau, heated indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs, 24-hour fitness center, nature trail, two lighted tennis courts and a full-service marina. Other offerings include The Crawdaddies Kids Club with castle playground, a movie theatre, full-service concierge, two shops and five restaurants and lounges including lake-view dining at the award-winning Chateau Grille. A stunning 10-story sky-lit atrium lobby complete with running streams brimming with Koi fish, lush foliage, exotic flowers and towering trees adds a touch of drama to every arrival.

Chateau on the Lake is a member of the Springfield, Missouri-based John Q. Hammons family of award-winning hotels. John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts is the nation’s leading independent builder, developer, owner and manager of upscale, full-service hotels, resorts and suites, including: Embassy Suites Hotels, Renaissance, Marriott, Radisson, Residence Inn, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Holiday Inn and Courtyard by Marriott brands. For more information about John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts, please visit the company’s website at www.jqhhotels.com.

View Country Music Legend Memorabilia Including CMA Award

The Branson Entertainment Hall of Fame, a non- profit attraction located in the Branson Mall, 2206 West Highway 76, is proud to announce a limited engagement exhibit featuring Roy Clark memorabilia.

Country legend Clark, co-host of TV’s Hee Haw for more than 20 years, had numerous Top Ten hits before coming to perform in Branson in 1983 at the Roy Clark Celebrity Theatre for local entrepreneur Jim Thomas.

Several items on display include a 1973 Country Music Association Award for Entertainer of the Year, performance costumes designed by Harvey Krantz, a 1986 Gospel Artist of the Year Award and The Best of Roy Clark Gold Record.

Clark was a Branson Entertainment Hall of Fame inaugural inductee in the category of Performer along side Lloyd “Shad” and Ruth “Mollie” Heller, Yakov Smirnoff, Jim Stafford, Mel Tillis and Andy Williams. Other inductees included a special recurring award named in honor of novelist Harold Bell Wright. Chisai Childs, Bill & Janet Dailey, The Herschend Family – Hugo & Mary, Jim Thomas, The Trimble Family – Bruce and Mary were inducted in the Leadership category. The Baldknobbers, The Foggy River Boys and the Presleys were inducted in the Performing Groups category and Joe Sullivan was inducted in the Horizon category.

The Branson Entertainment Hall of Fame celebrates Branson’s entertainment history and recognizes those who have had a significant impact on the Branson entertainment industry. Admission to the Branson Entertainment Hall of Fame and Museum is free of charge. Donations are gratefully accepted and Museum Memberships are available.

For hours of operation and more information contact the Branson Entertainment Hall of Fame toll free at 866-922-FAME (3263) or locally at 417-336-FAME (3263), by email at info@bransonentertainmenthalloffame.com or visit www.bransonentertainmenthalloffame.com.    

About The Branson Entertainment Hall of Fame: The Branson Entertainment Hall of Fame, a nonprofit organization, celebrates Branson’s entertainment history and recognizes those who have had a significant impact on the Branson entertainment industry. Admission to the Branson Entertainment Hall of Fame is free of charge. Please visit www.bransonentertainmenthalloffame.com for updates.

Indoor Mall Celebrates 20 Years As Year-Round Venue

There’s music in the air inside the Engler Block this afternoon. Art Reed is playing dobro on the Pickin’ Porch, a popular gathering place in the Engler Block where 30 shops offer visitors a wide variety of handcrafted items, gifts of all sorts and the pleasure of watching artisans at work.

Reed is a luthier, the term for a person who makes stringed instruments. His wife, Faith, is plunking the rhythm on an upright bass. Jim Wiggerman, a retired teacher visiting Branson from Fort  Dodge, Kansas., edges up onto the porch, taps his foot and sings along with the Reeds’ version of the old hymn “How Great Thou Art.”

Wiggerman’s wife, Bonnie, leans forward in one of the rocking chairs in front of the Pickin’ Porch. She watches her husband with an almost reverent smile. At home in Fort Dodge, he plays dobro with a group of friends who entertain at local restaurants and retirement homes.

“I may have him build me a dobro,” Jim Wiggerman says. And later, he places the order.

Training and Therapy

Art Reed makes his living building stringed instruments by hand, including guitars, dulcimers, mandolins and ethnic folk instruments. But he’s more than an artisan. He’s fostering new artisans, and that’s significant as the number of new artisans dwindles. Fewer children these days grow up watching Grandpa whittling on the front porch, says the fifth-generation woodworker.

So Reed, who’s also been a minister, looks for young artisans with promise and shows them ways to make a living with the craft they love. He provides space for them to work and sell and gets a small cut of the profits. And he teaches them tricks of the trade, such as selling peripheral products like the how-to-play music books he’s published.

His business also is good therapy. Reed, who is 66, discovered in 1992 that he had Parkinson’s disease.

“I’ve been a motivational speaker, and I knew music was great therapy for aging men,” Reed says. “It’s really been great therapy for me, and the doctors say it’s bought me 10 years.”

A Small  Village

The Engler Block has long offered a welcome refuge to artisans and to those who stroll, shop and maybe have dinner here or snack on something from the bakery.

The business began in 1963 when Iowa builder M.D. Harris came to Branson to manufacture souvenirs. Soon after, he acquired the 30,000-square-foot warehouse. He  joined forces with Lou Schaefer and Gene Keckler who owned a novelty business called Lougenes, says Bill Skains. Harris was his father-in-law and family members still operate Engler Block.

The partners started making souvenirs that were sold wholesale to the recently opened Silver Dollar City and attractions at Wisconsin Dells, Skains says.

About that same time, woodcarver Peter Engler took a shop in Silver Dollar City. As word of Engler’s work spread, other carvers were attracted to the Ozarks. It wasn’t long before their work gained national attention and Branson became known for its fine woodcarvers. Other artisans also gathered for the season at Silver Dollar City, but it wasn’t a year-round attraction.

In 1987, Engler joined the Harris’ warehouse and the Engler Block was born.

“This was the first true, year-round operation for the crafters, to bring them inside under one roof to work,” Skains says.

Peter Engler later moved into Peter Engler Designs in the Grand Village shopping center where he continues to carve, with Santas as his specialty.

The block-long warehouse has now been expanded to about 50,000 square feet. For visitors, it’s like exploring a small village with a new shop around each corner. The artisans produce jewelry, stained and blown glass, pottery, soaps, silver, leather goods and much more. There are other unique products as well including home furnishings, quilts, grandfather clocks and a coin shop.

Customers Come Back For More

Bobbie Hackbarth is picking out several pieces of blown glass jewelry in Helwig Art Glass near the front of the Engler Block. She’s already bought oil lamps and glass coasters to take home to Neenah,  Wisconsin, for gifts.

“This is my second trip to Branson,” says Hackbarth, who is director of corporate administration for Landmark staffing service. “I was in here a year ago and I had to come back to get these items, and I’ll probably come back again tomorrow.”

Glass artist Wren Helwig has been in the Engler Block since it opened 20 years ago, but he’s been doing art glass for 40 years. After he earned a bachelor’s degree at Drury University in 1973 in nearby Springfield, he opened a studio and explored glassblowing as an art form.

“I didn’t know how to do anything else, so I thought I’d better stick with this,” he says. Having a gathering of artisans helps attract customers.

“There’s always strength in numbers,” Helwig says.

One of the most spectacular pieces in his shop is a large pink glass sculpture hanging from the ceiling and priced at $75,000. He was inspired to make the piece by a photo in National Geographic of the pink tentacles and gills of Hawaii’s spaghetti worm, a six-inch ocean reef-dweller.

It took two years to build and weighs about a ton, he says.

Hackbarth’s husband, Stuart Hackbarth, says he’s impressed with the Engler Block and the resident artisans.

“We don’t want arts like these to be lost,” Hackbarth says.

Welk-Sullivan Productions is making some changes in 2008 at the Welk Resort Theatre with new pairings of beloved entertainers, some brand new talent and the return of two popular reunions.

Tony Orlando will join The Lennon Sisters in 2008 for an all new Christmas Celebration production at the Welk Resort. This new pairing of beloved headliners in an all-new show will run from November 1 through December 6, 2008.

The new production will showcase America’s Sweethearts of Song -- Kathy, Janet and Mimi Lennon -- with an entertainer admired and known for his string of chart-topping hits and the song that became an American anthem of hope and homecoming, reunion and renewal.  

Orlando, a consummate entertainer, sings his hit songs including “Tie A Yellow Ribbon Around The Old Oak Tree,” “Candida,” “Knock Three Times” and many more. Then he delights audiences with music from different genres, adds variety as he showcases his very talented band and then pulls even more surprises out of his vast repertoire.  The Lennon Sisters dazzle audiences with their sweet harmonies, signature songs and “More than 50 Years in 5 Minutes” video remembrance of their amazing entertainment career.  

“We’re thrilled to bring these beloved entertainers together and bring a new Christmas production to Branson in 2008, said Joe Sullivan, general manager of the Welk Resort Theatre and executive producer of Welk-Sullivan Productions. 

“I’ve enjoyed working with Larry, Steve and Rudy Gatlin since 2001 when we brought the Gatlin Brothers Christmas Reunion Show to Branson.  Although I will miss working with them next year, I fully support their decision to perform in a morning timeslot at Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theatre next year,” said Sullivan. “I have been and continue to be a Gatlin Brothers fan and friend.”

Also new in 2008…The Rankin Brothers Classic Music Revue will debut at the Welk Resort Theatre in March and run through December.  Matt and Mark Rankin, along with their cast of outstanding musicians and performers, will present timeless, classic hits covering six decades of music.  These genuine, talented brothers thrill audiences with their authentic renditions of the most-beloved songs of all time. 

The fast-paced variety show will feature the Rankin Brothers backed by a five-piece band, two female singers and a specialty/comedian act.  Based on their belief that classic music is timeless, the Rankin Brothers project a love and respect for the music they play, re-creating perfect renditions of favorite songs. From The Everley Brothers to The Doobie Brothers, Buddy Holly and Sam Cooke to Bruce Springsteen, Simon and Garfunkel and Huey Lewis & The News, the Rankin Brothers Classic Music Revue will entertain with classic hit music which appeals to all generations.

Along with their considerable vocal and musical talents, the Rankin Brothers have the showmanship that audiences of all ages adore.  Multi-media technology will add a modern element to the performance with rich, eye-catching films, stills, graphics and audio.

“Mark and Matt Rankin have dreamt about moving to this great community and performing full-time for many years” said Sullivan.  “They’ve really honed their performance skills in Texas, playing for corporate, private and special events since 1989.   They have the talent, charisma and heart to make it here in Branson.

“Welk-Sullivan Productions brings a proven track-record of production experience and presenting promising new talent to Branson,” said Sullivan. “We think it’s a promising partnership and an exciting new addition to the Branson entertainment scene for 2008…and many years to come.”

“Darren Romeo plans to perform in Branson next year and he will be making an announcement about the venue at any time,” said Sullivan. “I’ve also become a Darren Romeo fan and friend since we launched ‘Siegfried & Roy present Darren Romeo’ in 2004."

And returning in 2008 will be The Tillis Family Reunion starring Mel Tillis and Pam Tillis.  This reunion received rave reviews for their Fall 2007 engagement at the Welk Resort Theatre and will return in 2008 from September 16 through October 25 for 38 performances.

With singer, songwriter, comedian and 2007 Country Music Hall of Fame Inductee Mel Tillis at the helm, this famously talented family delights audiences with chart-topping music and their special Tillis Family humor.  Mel has recorded more than 60 albums and 36 Top Ten singles including Coca Cola Cowboy, Good Woman Blues and Southern Rains.

Daughter and country music superstar Pam Tillis combines the best of traditional and contemporary music.  This CMA Female Vocalist of the Year has 3 Platinum and 2 Gold albums to her credit plus 10 Top-Five hits on the Country Music Charts including Mi Vida Loca, Maybe It Was Memphis, Shake The Sugar Tree and Cleopatra-Queen of Denial.  Pam continues to record and perform hit music such as Band In The Window, from her 2007 CD “Rhinestoned,” which topped the European country music charts.

Rounding out this family reunion are singer/songwriter Mel Tillis Jr., aka “Sonny,” and perennial favorite Carrie April Tillis with her breathtaking opera singing.

Confirmed special events at the Welk Resort Theatre in 2008 include:

• Welk Stars Reunion 2008, September 3 – 7; guest stars to be announced.
• Tony Orlando’s Yellow Ribbon Salute To Veterans, November 11.
• Additional special events/concerts to be announced.

The Welk Resort Theatre is located three miles south of Highway 76 at 1984 State  Highway 165. The 2,245-seat theatre near Table Rock  Lake was home to The Lawrence Welk Show from 1994 through 2004.  Since 2004 Welk-Sullivan Productions has presented extended engagement shows in the theatre including Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers, Pam Tillis, The Lennon Sisters, Darren Romeo, Mel Tillis & Connie Smith, Crystal Gayle & Lee Greenwood and the Tillis Family Reunion.  Special engagement concerts have featured B.B. King, The Moody Blues, The Beach Boys, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Taylor Hicks, Chuck Berry, Three Dog Night, Ray Price, Creedence Clearwater Revisited, B.J. Thomas & Billy Joe Royal, Delbert McClinton and annual week-long Welk Stars Reunion shows.  The destination resort complex includes a 160-room hotel, the Stage Door Restaurant & Lounge, swimming pool, gift shop, miniature golf course, new luxury condos and, opening in 2008, an indoor/outdoor recreation center.

Spa Chateau at Chateau on the Lake Resort, Spa and Convention Center in Branson, Missouri wants to help you find the perfect gift for that hard to buy for man, woman or teen in your life. There’s no better gift than that of ultimate relaxation and to start the New Year off right, Spa Chateau (www.chateauonthelake.com today announced four new spa packages for 2008.

The Winter Warming Package is designed to chase away the winter blues and soothe dry winter skin. Featuring a skin nourishing milk bath and an 80-minute Hot Stone Massage on a heated massage table, the Winter Warming Package makes a great holiday gift for anyone who enjoys having particular attention paid to soothing their skin.

The ultimate gift for two is the Spa Signature Package which features the White River Bathing Ritual in a dual tub, followed by an 80-minute Grand Chateau Massage in one of the Spa Chateau’s 10 luxurious treatment rooms. Couples can spend an entire day at the Spa and enjoy the co-ed indoor and outdoor Roman whirlpools, sauna, eucalyptus steam room and dine on items from the Spa Menu in the private men’s and women’s relaxation lounges overlooking Table Rock Lake.

Also for couples, the Royal Celebration of Love Package, which makes a great Valentine’s Day gift, features a 30-minute White Bathing Ritual followed by an 80-minute Grand Chateau Massage.

Ladies who want the perfect gift for a female family member or girlfriend can check out the Girlfriend Spa Destination Vacation. It includes an entire day of Spa pampering starting with a soak in the indoor or outdoor heated Roman whirlpool, a visit to the sauna and eucalyptus steam room and either the Chateau Dogwood Signature Massage, the Talking Rocks Host Stone Massage, or the Slim and Tone Wrap. The package also includes two beautiful Spa Chateau tote bag gifts.

For the hard-to-buy-for men in your life, the Chateau offers an exclusive Barber Spa featuring a la carte items such as the hot lather shave, haircut, mustache & sideburn trim, manicure and foot massage, which compliment the Spa’s full range of therapeutic massage service.

Teens and children as young as eight year-old, when accompanied by a guardian, can enjoy a large selection of services at the Spa. A la carte items at the Image Center Hair Salon make great stocking stuffers and include haircuts, manicures, pedicures, facials, waxing and expert makeup application for special occasions. For those new to the art of makeup application, the Spa offers makeup lessons —- a great gift idea for the teenager on your Christmas list!

The 14,000-square foot Spa Chateau was recently profiled in “Best Spas USA, The Guidebook to Luxury Resort, Hotel and Destination Spas.” Spa Chateau is among 40 spas in 17 states and the only one in Missouri, featured in both the guidebook and on the accompanying website, www.bestspasusa.com.

The European style two-story spa boasts signature treatments such as the Chateau Dogwood Signature Massage and the Royal Shave. The Chateau’s 10 luxurious treatment rooms feature hydraulic-operated massage tables complemented by plush heated padding and dressed with Comphy“ skirting, sheets and comforters for maximum relaxation. In-residence and poolside massage services are available to guests staying at the hotel.

Chateau on the Lake, known for its superb mountain top location and world-class hospitality, is Southwest Missouri’s only AAA four-diamond resort. Chateau offers a wealth of recreational amenities for guests including heated indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs, 24-hour fitness center, nature trail, two lighted tennis courts and a full-service marina. Other offerings include The Crawdaddies Kids Club with castle playground, a movie theatre, full-service concierge, two shops and five restaurants and lounges including lake-view dining at the award-winning Chateau Grille. A stunning 10-story sky-lit atrium lobby complete with running streams brimming with Koi fish, lush foliage, exotic flowers and towering trees adds a touch of drama to every arrival.

Chateau on the Lake is a member of the Springfield, Missouri-based John Q. Hammons family of award-winning hotels. John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts is the nation’s leading independent builder, developer, owner and manager of upscale, full-service hotels, resorts and suites, including: Embassy Suites Hotels, Renaissance, Marriott, Radisson, Residence Inn, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Holiday Inn and Courtyard by Marriott brands. For more information about John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts, please visit the company’s website at www.jqhhotels.com.