This month's Second Saturday and Fall Fest activities are shaping up nicely!  Thanks to the many businesses that are participating with great specials and themed activities to invite and engage customers. The City of Kenosha's Fall Fest activities in Library Park will run from Noon to 3pm, while specials and activities at Downtown businesses will be offered throughout the day and into the evening.  Downtown Kenosha has organized a free outdoor movie with costume contests prior to show time. The "Build-A-Monster" scavenger hunt has 15 businesses participating and will be a fun activity to move customers around the district.  For full details of all Second Saturday activities, click HERE.

NOTE: If you're featuring a "451" special in honor of the Fahrenheit 451 Big Read event, there are free table tents available from UW-Parkside. If you'd like some table tents, please contact Kevin Ervin (Franks Diner) by email.

The Kenosha Kingfish are hosting the first annual Spooky Sprint 5k Run/Walk on October 18th. The event will start at 9am at City Hall in downtown Kenosha and end at home plate at Simmons Field. From City Hall, the route will follow the lakefront promenade through Eichelman Park, then to 75th Street via the 3rd Avenue sidewalk. There will be no street closures for this run. Click HERE for more details.

Interviews for the Downtown Kenosha, Inc. Executive Director position have wrapped up after a selection committee met with several qualified candidates in recent weeks. Discussions are currently underway to assess the interviews and expectations are to have a new Director in place by the end of October. 

Downtown Kenosha is now on Instagram, an online photo sharing platform primarily used on mobile devices. If you are not an Instagram user, you can view the photos posted by Downtown Kenosha at  www.Instagram.com/DowntownKenosha. We need your business photos to help populate this new social media feed and show what a unique destination Downtown Kenosha is. We welcome photos of your products and services, you or your employees interacting with customers, your storefront displays, etc.  If your business is already on Instagram,  let us know!  If not, you can email us your photos with a description and we'll post them to the Downtown Instagram account.  We may also use your photos for other promotional efforts including Facebook, Twitter and the new Downtown Kenosha website (coming soon!).  TIP:  A square format is best for Instagram, with the subject matter centered, such as in the screen shot below.

The Fall-Winter issue of the Downtown Kenosha Magazine is in the works. This issue will be available from late October through March, with 15,000 copies distributed in Downtown Kenosha as well as over 75 locations throughout Kenosha, Racine and Lake Counties, including Festival Foods and select Pick n' Save, Piggly Wiggly, Sentry and Walgreens stores.  Ads cost as little as $60. Deadline is October 15th.  Click HERE for details and insertion order. Questions?  Contact Donny Stancato at (262) 564-8800 or by email.

WLIP AM1050

Be a part of a unified radio campaign featuring the official Downtown Kenosha jingle. A custom 60-second commercial costs as little as $20 per spot. Or split the cost with 3 other businesses and pay as little as $5 per spot. All commercials run during prime time, Mon-Fri 6am-7pm and rates include production costs.Click HERE for details or contact Mike Hirsch at (262) 694-7800 ext. 121 or via email. 

Kenosha News Get Out

This special Downtown advertising section runs the second Friday of each month (the day before Second Saturday). It's a great opportunity to reach consumers who are already planning to come Downtown or to help encourage them to do so! Ad spaces are just $65 per date and include full color. Click HERE for details or contact Allyson Barnes at (262) 656-6262 or via email.

The Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha will be featuring the upcoming Natalie Troha's Pride of Kenosha event in a special commemorative tabloid in the Kenosha News on Wednesday, November 5th. Taking part in this tabloid helps you spotlight your business or organization to all of Kenosha News' 24,000+ subscribers, while also supporting a great cause.

You're invited to place an ad in the tabloid, and if there is enough participation, Downtown business ads will be placed together under a special Downtown banner to further highlight them. Ads are available for as little as $100.  Space and artwork deadline is Friday, October 10th.  Click HERE for details and contact information.  

Mission Main Street Grants is an effort by JPMorgan Chase Bank to increase awareness of the important role small businesses play in local communities and to help small businesses grow. Mission Main Street Grants will award 20 grants of $150,000 to small businesses nationwide. Through October 3rd, any for-profit business in the U.S. with fewer than 100 employees and which meets all other eligibility requirements may apply. Full eligibility requirements are available HERE.  The public will choose the businesses to be considered by the panel of experts by voting for their favorite registered small business either through Facebook or website. Public voting is taking place now and will end October 17, 2014. Businesses must receive at least 250 votes to be considered for a grant.