Springfield is a surprising center of culture in southwestern Missouri. Maybe being the starting point of Route 66 brought a little of the West Coast vibe to this Bible Belt city. Whatever the reason, Springfield is a bit more welcoming to diversity than many of its neighboring cities.
Downtown has been revitalized with a burst of energy from the arts. The Jordan Valley district of downtown has been the center of a lot of this new energy. The constant flow of youth and vitality from Missouri...
Springfield is a surprising center of culture in southwestern Missouri. Maybe being the starting point of Route 66 brought a little of the West Coast vibe to this Bible Belt city. Whatever the reason, Springfield is a bit more welcoming to diversity than many of its neighboring cities.
Downtown has been revitalized with a burst of energy from the arts. The Jordan Valley district of downtown has been the center of a lot of this new energy. The constant flow of youth and vitality from Missouri State University also helps contribute to the diversity and openness of downtown.
There are a few gay nightclubs scattered around downtown, but many other drinking and dancing establishments are welcoming and friendly to all sorts of people.
Gay visitors will find a significant portion of the homosexual population living out of the closet in Springfield, and the local pride fest continues to flourish despite protests from right-wing Christian groups.