Recreation 

Office Hours: 
Recreation Department Office hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. 

Program Cancellations/Inclement Weather: 
Call the Recreation Department at 816-776-5304 before 4:30 p.m. or turn to Channel 99 on the television. 

Pool Parties: 
Southview Pool can be rented for birthdays or special occasions on Friday, Saturday or Sunday evenings. Call the pool (during the season) at 816-776-5957 or the Recreation Office (in the off season) at 816-776-5304 to reserve a date. 

Youth Scholarships Assistance:
Assistance for youth program fees are available at the Recreation Office in City Hall. 

Parks: 

The City of Richmond has several acres of beautiful green parks. The most popular of these is Maurice Roberts Park located on the east end of town on Main Street. 

Hiking/Biking/Outdoors:
Richmond Parks & Recreation There are numerous parks spread throughout Richmond with tennis courts, fishing, swimming pool, baseball diamonds, shelters, war memorabilia, and the usual park "stuff."

Golf: 
Richmond offers a world famous golf course, Shirkey's Golf Club, awarded a 4-star rating by "Golf Digest" magazine in "1996-1997 Places to Play". The Golf Club also received a 4-star rating in 1998-1999 and 2000-2001. (901 Wollard Blvd.) Call for hours and tee times: 816-470-2582

Theatre: 

Richmond has the Farris Theatre, a renovated turn of the century opera house. It is truly a remarkable piece of architecture. 

The Farris Theatre was built in 1901 as an opera house. It was originally called the Daugherty Auditorium, named for Sam Daugherty who had moved to Richmond in the late 1800's after striking it rich in the gold fields of Colorado. 

Sam adopted Richmond as his home town and decided that it needed some culture. Along with some help from local merchants he built the theater and operated it for several years. It was patterned after the Tabor Theater in Leadville, Colorado and is very similar to the Folly Theater in Kansas City which was built in 1900. 

It was on the circuit for traveling road shows in the early 1900's and was visited by such notables as John Phillip Sousa's band and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It started showing silent movies in the early 20's and converted to "talkies" later. It served as a community center all during the 30's and 40's, and was the showplace for stage shows, plays, movies, meetings, and the like. 

The Farris Theatre has been fully restored for use as a performance theater, movie house, and community center, by a not-for-profit group called "Friends of the Farris". It is one of the best examples of the turn of the century theater architecture and great care has been taken to restore this beautiful theatre, as nearly as possible, to the way it was in 1901.

Museum: 

On a hill overlooking the Ray County Fairgrounds stands an old brick building of curious proportions. Built in 1910, in the shape of a "Y", every room has an outside view. The total cost of $19,491.00 was spent to create County Home (Poor Farm). 

This three-story building has a total of 54 rooms and its unique design earned County Home a place on the National Register of Historical Places. In the 1970's this unique building became the Ray County Museum sponsored by the Ray County Historical Society. The displays are varied and of great local interest. Rooms preserve Ray County's rich heritage and particular historical events, some of which are The Civil War, World War I and II. Other subjects and events represented in the vast 54 room museum are Indian Artifacts, The Shotwell Parlor(1800's), Coal Mining, Black History, Country Kitchen, Governors, The Daughters of the American Revolution, Quilts, Country School, Post Office, Costume, Doctor, Wildlife, and The Mormon History Exhibit Room, replica of the Golden Tablet , funded by the Mormon Church. A very extensive genealogical library is located just off the Main Entryway. 

The Ray County Historical Society, in conjunction with the Ray County Genealogical Society, maintains regular hours to help historical researchers. The Ray County Museum is rated at the top for county museums in the State of Missouri. It is open year round, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday and closed on the holidays. Admission is a $2.00 donation. Group tours are available with advance reservation. 

Ray County Churches: 

Festivals:

Mushroom Festival/Ray County Fair Richmond is known as the Mushroom Capital of the World due to the abundance of morel mushrooms in the area and the popularity of 'mushroom-hunting' in the spring. The festival occurs the first weekend of May each year with crafts, a parade, a carnival, and eating mushrooms. The Ray County Fair occurs each year in late summer and can be described as your typical small county fair with tractor pulls, a demolition derby, go-cart races, FFA & 4H competitions, and carnival rides. 

Richmond has a number of great activities for family fun, including the Ray County Fair, July 15-22; Mushroom festival that it is always held on the first weekend of May; and the Christmas Tree Extravaganza.

For more information or pics, see the Chamber of Commerce Site: http://www.richmondchamber.org/

Calendar of Events:

Spring Open House - Held the fourth weekend of March, Richmond and Henrietta Area-Area Shops have Open House, refreshments, special hours and drawings.
Crafts/Antique/Florist Shops 
Contact: Barbara Hutchings (816)-776-3240; Lynn Pearson (816)-470-5526
(For more information contact Richmond Chamber of Commerce at 816-776-6916, Email at execdir@richmondchamber.org or view our Home Page at: http://www.richmondchamber.org/) 

Annual Mushroom Festival - Richmond, Missouri, the Mushroom Capital of the World, includes the downtown Parade, Arts & Crafts, Carnival, talent show, largest mushroom contest, etc, and lots of Children’s activities. The Parade is held on Saturday the starting at 1 PM. Averaging about 100 units each year. 
Contact: Jerry McCarter, 816-776-6916, http://www.richmondchamber.org/ 

Ray County Fair - Ray County Fair Grounds in Richmond, Missouri- held starting the 2nd week in July. Some of the special events include: Amateur Rodeo, Tractor Pull, Demolition Derby, 4-H shows, and the Farmer Appreciation Dinner & Livestock Sale.
For more information contact: Nancy Coleman at the University Extension Office at: 816-776-6961

Richmond Chamber of Commerce Christmas Tree Extravaganza- The Chamber provides 20 trees and 15 wreaths sponsored by Local business and are decorated in themes also by businesses and organizations. Trees and Wreaths on display starting from the first of November and stay on display until the Saturday before Thanksgiving. They are displayed at Chamber office. You may win one of these beautiful works of art. Chances cost $1 each or 6 for $5. The drawing is held after Community Tree/Square lighting ceremony starting at 6 PM. (You do not have to be present to win).
You may email us at execdir@richmondchamber.org or see more about these events at www.richmondchamber.org If you should have any questions or need additional information, please write or call the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, 107 N. Thornton, Richmond, Missouri, 64085, 816-776-6916. 

Holiday Open House-Richmond & Ray County Area- Area Floral, Gift and Craft Shops will have Christmas Open house normally the 2nd week-end (Fri-Sun) of November. with refreshments, drawings, special hours and sale prices for Christmas. 

Friday Hours: 9 AM to 8 PM 
Saturday Hours: 9 AM to 5 PM 
Sunday Hours: 1 PM to 5 PM 
Contact: Barbara Hutchings, phone 816-776-3240 
Lynn Pearson, Phone, 816-470-5526 
The Chamber office will be open that week-end for information.