The centerpiece of the six-week series is the array of top-tier family performers from around the northeast, appearing in the Davis Auditorium every Wednesday through Friday at 11 a.m. This year’s slate includes a mini-residency by the Puppet People, who will perform every Thursday during the Spectacular, as well as shows by family favorites like the Akwaaba Drum & Dance Ensemble (July 22), Mister G (July 24), The Nields (Aug. 12) and host of others.

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Featured performers during the first two weeks of the Spectacular include:

• Wed. July 8  –  Jazz America’s Music: From New Orleans to New York by Made in the Shade
• Thu. July 9 – The Wizard of Oz by The Puppet People
• Fri. July 10  – Premium Live Animal Show by Animal Adventures
• Wed. July 15 – Science Isn’t Always Pretty by Keith Johnson
• Thur. July 16 – Puppet Potpourri by The Puppet People
• Fri. July 17 – The Stupendous Mr. Magichead Show

Fun and educational presentations are offered every week during the Spectacular, starting with live animal demonstrations by Forest Park’s “Zoo on the Go” program from 1:00-2:00 p.m. every Monday. More live animal programs featuring reptiles from the Springfield Science Museum’s Solutia Live Animal Center take place on Wednesdays and Fridays from noon- 3:00 p.m. Visitors during the week of July 13-17 can also explore the history and ecology of the Connecticut River at the Watershed on Wheels (WoW) Express from the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge

Interactive fun is a hallmark of all family programs at the Museums, and the Summer Spectacular is no exception. Young visitors to the Science Museum can enjoy science, math, and technology activities every Monday through Friday at the “Curiosity Corner,” presented in conjunction with the blockbuster exhibit Curious George: Let’s Get Curious! (additional fee applies). Fans of Curious George can meet the mischievous monkey at Tuesdays from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. There are also activity and dress-up stations available daily from noon- 4 p.m. in the Hasbro Games Art Discovery Center at the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, and a hands-on History Cart with artifacts from years’ past at the Wood Museum of Springfield History on Thursdays from noon – 2 p.m.

The six-week Spectacular also features daily planetarium shows (additional fee required) and impromptu science demonstrations by the Roving Scientist at the Museum’s Family Science Adventures Mondays through Fridays from 11 AM – 2 PM.

There is a $5 special exhibit fee in addition to museum admission for Curious George: Let’s Get Curious!, which also includes the forthcoming American Impressionism exhibit.