It’s Kissimmee’s birthday and this weekend they’re throwing a huge party downtown.

The 127th annual Kowtown Festival takes place Saturday, March 19, at Toho Square in historic downtown Kissimmee. It runs from 11am to 5pm.

The Kowtown moniker comes from the fact that the city depended heavily on ranching for income from the late 1800s until Walt Disney World opened in 1971.

Enjoy live entertainment, games, arts and crafts, a hot dog eating contest and the 23rd annual Meatloaf Cook-Off.

The Kowtown Festival is free to attend and is fun for the whole family.

[photo of the 2010 Kowtown Fest courtesy of KissimmeeMainStreet.com]