With everything that Branson’s Highway 76 has to offer, it’s no wonder that historic downtown gets overlooked. But if you look closely, you will find great things in Historic Downtown Branson.
One of downtown Branson’s biggest attractions nowadays is the Branson Landing. This shopping district is loaded down with your favorite stores, like Bass Pro Shops, American Eagle, Brookstone, and White House Black Market. The Branson Landing also offers unique shopping experiences like Girlie Girl Originals, Versona Accessories, and Majestic Gems. Aside from the big city atmosphere at the Branson Landing, downtown Branson is also home to the Branson Scenic Railway. This attraction takes passengers on a 40 mile roundtrip excursion through the beautiful Ozark Mountains, touring locations that are inaccessible to cars or other transportation. The trip takes approximately one hour and 45 minutes, and provides a glimpse at Ozarks history through the train conductor’s narration. You get to experience the first-class treatment that was common in the heyday of train travel.
Historic downtown Branson is also home to a number of annual events, including Plumb Nellie Days, the annual Fiddle Festival, Autumn Daze, the Piccadilly Women’s Event, the Veteran’s Day Parade, and the Adoration Parade. The 25th Annual Fiddle Festival is coming up soon. On August 3 – 4, some of the most talented area fiddlers will converge on downtown to impress audiences with their skills. There will be a championship fiddling contest, along with demonstrations and workshops. On Friday night, there will be a free kick-off Jam Session and Gambler’s Draw fiddling competition, and Saturday evening promises the fun of a square dance inside the tent from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets for the square dance event are $3 per person. There is also a $3 daily admission fee for adults, $1.50 for children ages 4 to 12, and children 3 and younger get in for free.
Another upcoming festival in downtown Branson is the Autumn Daze festival. More than 100 crafters and artisans will be in downtown to show off their skills. The history of the area will be highlighted through these traditional crafts, foods, and performances that feature local talent. There will be a sidewalk sale going on throughout the duration of the festival, which runs from September 19 – 21 in 2013. One of the crowning moments of the festival will be Friday night’s street dance. The dance begins at 5:30 p.m. and runs until 7:30 p.m.
One of downtown Branson’s biggest fundraising events is the Piccadilly Women’s Event and Gala. This will be the gala’s sixth year, and will be held as always at the beautiful Chateau on the Lake resort hotel. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. with a cheese and wine tasting, followed by a delectable three-course dinner. There will be live entertainment, both a live and silent auction, and the well-known POWER BALL drawing. Tickets for this event are $50 per person, and businesses can sponsor a table of 10 for $500. The proceeds from the event are given to the “…revitalization and marketing of Branson’s Historic Downtown” according to the Downtown Branson Betterment Association website.
Before you go straight to Branson’s Highway 76, make sure not to overlook the treasures that historic downtown Branson has to offer. From restaurants to shops, you can only find these unique places in downtown Branson.
