####Mid-Missouri Pride Fest####

Columbia’s annual pride celebration takes place in August, just as MU students return to school. The all-day event has something for everyone – with drag shows, concerts and a street fair being just some of the available activities.

####Roots N Blue N BBQ####

Columbia’s preliminary music festival also serves as a culinary event. This year’s Roots N Blue N BBQ Fest will take place from Sept. 27 to 29 in Stephens Lake Park. The three-day festival features country and roots music, as well as BBQ vendors from all across Missouri and a 5K, 10K and half-marathon run.

####True/False Film Fest####

The largest of Columbia’s festivals, True/False is an annual tradition with homegrown roots. The festival, which started in 2004, has occurred every year since at the beginning of March. True/False specializes in documentaries and other forms of non-fiction filmmaking from around the world. This year’s festival featured guests like television personality Nathan Fielder and “Us” star Tim Heidecker.

####Unbound Book Festival####

Since 2016, the Unbound Book Festival has been hosted by Stephens College, featuring a variety of literary events for readers of all ages. In the years since its inception, Unbound has grown to host acclaimed authors like Zadie Smith and Man Booker Prize-winner George Saunders. The festival features conversations between authors, panels, poetry slams and other readings. In addition, the festival is free to attend, making it accessible to all Columbia readers.

_Edited by Zainie Qureshi | zqureshi@themaneater.com_