Press Release - Fall/Winter Events Offer Cowboy Thrills, Halloween Chills, International Fests, Fun-filled Comedy Series in Kissimmee
Fall/Winter Events Offer Cowboy Thrills, Halloween Chills, International Fests, Fun-filled Comedy Series in Kissimmee
KISSIMMEE, FL (Fall/Winter 2009) – Wild and wonderful special events await visitors to Kissimmee this fall, many sure to make a trip to the heart of Florida a fantastic and memorable voyage.
Starting things off is an event that provides a glimpse into the cattle ranching heritage still found in Kissimmee. Not just a vacation destination, Kissimmee offers real Cracker Cowboy culture that is a way of life here, on display at Florida Cattlemen’s Association Ranch Rodeo Finals and Cowboy Heritage Festival, featuring two rodeo events and a Saturday festival on Oct. 2 and 3 at Osceola Heritage Park.
From colt riding, wild cow milking and team doctoring, to cattle sorting, these events inspired by the daily life of a working cattleman, the Ranch Rodeo offers a look at ranch workers – not professional rodeo riders -- doing what they do best for prizes of buckles and bragging rights. Rodeo action begins at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2 and Saturday, Oct. 3. In addition, the Cowboy Heritage Festival offers crafts, cowboy artwork, cowboy poetry and storytelling, horse shoeing demonstrations and much more from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.
Heralding the arrival of autumn each year are the many festivals surrounding the cultural diversity of the area’s communities and the many flavors of fall.
Kissimmee attractions and communities also are offering several great ways to celebrate Oktoberfest and the arrival of autumn this year.
Enjoy a celebration of German heritage featuring music, dancing and great food, sponsored by the Osceola German American Club, on Oct. 10 at the St. Cloud Civic Center. In addition, enjoy fun activities of the city’s Fall Festival at the same time, featuring music through the decades, food vendors and a classic car show.
The Oktoberfest at Celebration festival beginning at 5 p.m., Oct 9 and 10 on Market Street is a German street party featuring a hayride, pumpkin painting and a nightly leaf fall. Celebrate in the old-world German tradition with the sounds of Dan Witucki & Weimatland Musikanten on Friday, and then celebrate “Rocktoberfest” with the unforgettable sounds of Orleans with special guest Jimi Jamison of Survivor.
New this year is the Oktoberfest Fly-In Fun at Kissimmee Air Museum and Warbird Adventures scheduled for Oct. 17, where pilots from all over are expected to jet in for the fun and festivities. There will be brats and beer (non-alcoholic for the pilots, of course) and more for the family while guests take a tour of the vintage aircraft museum. In addition, guests can take the controls of the aircraft on a flight with Warbird Adventures.
If visitors want some extra spice in a celebration, Viva Osceola is just the ticket. The Latin festival features well-known cultural musicians and artists, as well as a tempting array of Spanish cuisine. Join in beginning at 11 a.m. at Kissimmee Lakefront Park on Oct. 10.
Also on Oct. 10, Forever Florida kicks off its Fall Festival Days with the 2nd Annual Harvest Music Jam, a day-long outdoor music festival featuring 17 local bands and performers. Musical acts range from folk to rock to bluegrass and blues. Admission is $5 per person, and free for children ages 5 and younger. The gates will open at 11 a.m.
In addition, the wildlife conservation area also offers a scary good time during its Howling Halloween on Oct. 23, 24, 30 and 31. Enjoy an intensely frightening haunted safari, spooky hayrides , as well as a not-so-scary kids’ zone with prizes and nightly food and entertainment. The festivities start at 7 p.m. Admission is $10 per haunt.
Of course, one of the best parts of fall is to play dress up and be a kid again, with all the spooky and not so spooky thrills that go along with Halloween. Go back in time and prepare to be scared at Halloween Eves at the Pioneer Village, from 6 to 8 p.m., Oct. 10, 17 and 24. Featuring shadowy candlelight, monstrously huge oak trees draped with Spanish moss and storytellers with an eerie view of Kissimmee and Osceola County history. Encounter the strange “Lady in the Portrait,” the Lady in Black and the mysterious children who play on the village grounds each night.
More historical lessons about a time when Kissimmee was nothing more than a cattle town and cattle roamed free in the downtown streets before it became a vacation paradise can be learned at two local events. Pioneer Day at the Osceola County Historical Society will bring history to life with live entertainment, historical exhibits, living history camps and demonstrations, all set among the historic buildings such as a family home, a blacksmith shop, a citrus packing house and more. The festival is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nov. 14.
A bigger, better and brighter flame will shine bright in Kissimmee when the annual Guy Fawkes Night celebration brings the traditional elements of this Bonfire Night from the United Kingdom to Central Florida. The family-friendly event sponsored by Central Florida’s British American Chamber of Commerce begins at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 5, at Osceola Heritage Park. A bonfire will be the centerpiece as guests enjoy the food, music and other classic elements of the internationally flavored holiday but with the pleasant weather for which Kissimmee is known. The bonfire lighting ceremony will begin at 7:30 p.m. Several new activities have been added for this year’s event, including costume contests, rides for kids and fireworks at 8:30.
A bright light of a different kind will shine in Kissimmee when legendary superstar Kenny Rogers brings a traditional Christmas to The Theater at Silver Spurs Arena on November 30, mixing in his hits with holiday classics such as “Silent Night” and “Let it Snow” with the help of local choirs.
Also taking the stage at The Theater at Silver Spurs Arena this fall will be a series of three headlining comedy shows in conjunction with Bonkerz Comedy Club. First up is comediennes from the famous Country Fried Chicks tour, Sonya White and Karen Mills, on Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. Next are Ron Feingold, Kier and Michael Mack from the Musical Comedians of Comedy Tour, beginning at 8 p.m. Nov. 20. Finally, The Cowboy Comedian and Wild Bill Bauer from the No Collar Comedy Tour will perform at 8 p.m. Dec. 18.
When the winter months roll in, there are plenty of ways to celebrate the season. Even though the “snow” isn’t as cold as it is for Florida’s northern neighbors, a traditional and one-of-a-kind holiday is easy to find in Kissimmee.
An increasingly favorite way to have a little holiday cheer is with the Best of Florida Christmas celebration at Gaylord Palms resort from Nov. 14 to Jan. 3, 2009. The resort is decked out in holiday finest, with whimsical wreaths, a 54-foot tree, visits to Santa and live entertainment. The highlight, though, is ICE! at Gaylord Palms, featuring nearly 2 million pounds of ice carved into amazing holiday sculptures, including a Nativity scene.
Nearby Celebration also offers a “winter wonderland” with all the comforts of the balmy Florida weather. “Celebration’s Snowing Nightly” is a month-long festival packed with holiday essentials, including pictures with Santa and holiday carolers. “Snow” falls for 10 minutes every hour on the hour from 6 to 9 p.m. on Market Street beginning Nov. 28 to Dec. 31.
The cities of St. Cloud and Kissimmee also offer a small town holiday celebration enjoyed by visitors and locals alike. Kissimmee’s parade and festival is scheduled on Dec. 12 at Kissimmee Lakefront Park. St. Cloud’s festival and parade is Dec. 5.
If the New Year finds you in Kissimmee, there are many ways to ring in 2010. New Year’s Eve at Old Town will offer the country tunes of Jim Van Fleet and the Reign beginning at 8 p.m., as well as rides and a fireworks show at midnight.
A special performance of the Arabian Nights Dinner Attraction also is a great way to usher in the New Year. Reservations include the dinner show, a countdown to midnight, and dancing until 3 a.m., with a midnight champagne toast and 2 a.m. continental breakfast.
Fall and winter festivals and special events are a great reason to go ahead and plan that Central Florida trip. Kissimmee’s more than 47,000 budget-to-luxury accommodations, its proximity to world famous theme parks and its natural adventures are even more reasons. Go to www.VisitKissimmee.com for information on special events and more.
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CONTACT: Public Relations Department
Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau
407-742-8211
media@floridakiss.com
www.visitkissimmee.com/b2b/press_room/