By Sam Gilkey
For the News-Gazette

Kissimmee Main Street believes there are plenty of reasons to come downtown.
The organization that promotes the downtown business district is offering two special events before the end of the year to encourage more visits.
“Come downtown and walk around,” Cheryl Fish, executive director of Kissimmee Main Street, said.
“For several years we have had a Halloween event downtown and we hope to have hundreds of parents and their children for our second Halloween Stroll on Friday, Oct. 29,” she said.
Children ages 12 and under are invited to come to the Welcome Station at 421 Broadway between 4 and 7 p.m. Once they arrive, they will be given trick-or-treat bags and a map of where at least 20 downtown merchants will welcome them.
“We will take pictures of the kids in their costumes and post them on our Facebook page,” Fish said. “The participating merchants will be located on, or within a half-block, of Broadway. The three hours will give children a chance to trick-or-treat at an early hour in a safe atmosphere and allow the parents to see what’s happening downtown.”
Fish said she is looking for at least 500 children to show up this year and said there is no charge to participate.
The second in a planned series of art, craft and antique festivals is set for Saturday, Nov. 20, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in downtown Kissimmee around Toho Square.
“We put this idea together rather quickly in May and had a good turnout of vendors and visitors," Fish said. "The vendors were thrilled with the turnout and their sales and our merchants were also happy.”
Pleasant Street, between Monument and Ruby, and Darlington Street, between Broadway and Pleasant, will be closed to traffic that day. The booths will be located on those streets as well as in Toho Square at the end of Darlington Street.
With 45 vendors in May, Fish said she is looking for as many as 75 participants for the November event. 
“We have tried to schedule the fall festival on a day that doesn’t compete with other similar events in the area,” she said. “This will be the weekend before Thanksgiving and we are looking at an early kickoff to holiday shopping with both the vendors and our merchants participating. The downtown businesses will also be offering discounts that day to those who come and visit us.”
Faced with a sagging economy overall and very hot summertime temperatures, Fish said the downtown merchants have gone through a noticeable slump.
“We are trying to find ways to bring business back to our downtown,” Fish said. “We want residents and visitors alike to come see for themselves. We know they will enjoy the experience.”