Visit Neewollah!
Neewollah celebration (Halloween spelled backwards) began in 1919 as an effort to provide positive activities for kids of all ages in place of the typical Halloween pranks that occurred in the community of Independence, Kansas. Today Neewollah is the largest annual celebration in Kansas. The city of Independence will grow from a town of just under 10,000 inhabitants to 75,000 in the final days of the now 10-day celebration.
HISTORY OF INDEPENDENCE MAIN STREET
In 1985 Independence was chosen to become one of the first five communities in Kansas to be in the Main Street Program. Today there are 23 communities in the state with an active Main Street Program. Since 1986 over $20 million has been reinvested in downtown Independence through building and facade rehabilitation, over 200 jobs have been added through the opening and/or expansion of businesses and five buildings have been placed on the National Register of Historic Buildings.
ABOUT US
Independence Main Street, Inc. is a non-profit 501c(3) organization. We are part of the National Main Street Program, which is designed to bring economic revitalization to communities with an emphasis on restoration and preservation of core downtown business districts.
Independence Main Street is committed to bringing economic vitality not only to downtown Independence, but the entire Independence community and surrounding area.
We work hard to make Independence a great place to live and do business. We work with entrepreneurs to launch businesses, help existing businesses grow and create jobs, host or support many community events each year, reinvest in downtown Independence, promote our members and shopping locally, provide low-interest business loans, work to beautify and preserve Independence’s downtown historic district and much more.
To drive economic development, we follow Main Streets America’s four points. This approach is a time-tested framework for community-driven revitalization. We believe that supporting and growing local businesses, engaging partners and volunteers, and revitalizing our downtown core are the keys to a strong community.
