Lower your
insurance costs and add more protection. Compare what you have to pay now
with
the family friendly values we find. American
Insurance Depot.
By Sally Campbell Grout
Wondering how it got to be the end of July already? Don't worry; there's still plenty of time to have fun before summer ends--especially if you head to Eastern Indiana for one of these fabulous festivals. (But get going! Some have started already!) When you visit Berne, it doesn't take long to feel the influence of its Swiss heritage. The town is named, after all, for the capital of Switzerland. And every year, residents and guests celebrate Berne Swiss Days with polka dancing, a quilt and art show, and a horse-pulling contest, among other events.
With Berne turning 150 this year, the festival does double duty as Berne's Sesquicentennial/Swiss Days Celebration. Running from July 24-28, the "super-sized" event includes hot air balloon launches, fireworks, a huge parade, carnival rides, and a locally written, produced and directed historical drama. Also on schedule: a bake-off contest, visits from special Swiss & American dignitaries, Jay Fox and the Bavarian Show Time Band, a merchant sidewalk sale, and decade class reunions.
If things look a little "fuzzy," it's easy to explain why. Since spring, many local men have taken shaving out of their morning routine. Another festival activity is the Beard Growing Contest, similar to one held at the centennial in 1952. The local police force has even been granted permission to grow beards for the occasion.
What is it about Eastern Indiana that draws your eyes upward? At Muncie's National Model Aviation Museum and the Academy of Model Aeronautics (Phone Toll Free 800 435 9262), you'll see how aeromodeling influenced aviation. In fact, the museum's 10,400 items include model aircraft that predate the Wright brothers. During the summer, Academy members competitively fly their aircraft at the 1,000-acre flying site.
And this August 8-11, the Muncie Delaware County Airport is the site of the Summer Heat Air Festival. On schedule: Air shows, hot air balloons, a carnival, and vendors. Fireworks and a balloon illume highlight this family festival.
Since you're taking the family to Muncie, save time for Minnetrista Cultural Center & Oakhurst Gardens (Phone Toll Free 800 428 5887). Exhibits feature interactive science, Indiana art and history; the gardens and grounds are beautiful. Another fun stop: the Muncie Children's Museum (Phone 765 286 1660). Areas of interest include Garfield cartooning, dinosaurs, Middletown, trains, and an outdoor learning center.
As home to the world's largest distributor/producer of popcorn (that's from the folks at Weaver), Van Buren is the Popcorn Capital of the World. And what better way to celebrate that fact than with the annual Van Buren Popcorn Festival? Mark your calendar for August 8-10 so you can join the fun.
This year, the festival celebrates an important birthday with the theme "30 Years and Still Popping." Events include a bike parade, a pet parade, food, free entertainment, a 5k race, a garden tractor pull, a car show, children's games and a more than 150 unit parade. Eastern Indiana is filled with the influence of Native Americans. In fact, names of tribes that lived here can still be heard throughout the area. Miami. Delaware. Muncie. This August 10-11, many Native American traditions can be relived at the Mihsihkinaahkwa Powwow in Columbia City, a traditional Native American Powwow.
Special attractions at this event include drums, dancing, native crafts and food, storytelling, children's area, and a Woodland Indian living history village.
Popcorn isn't the only product to come out of Eastern Indiana. The area is also a big producer of glass-from beautiful to functional. (Where would Ball State University be without those Ball jars?)
Celebrate the industry at the 31st Annual Elwood Glass Festival August 16-18 in Callaway Park. This year, it's bigger than ever. Take art glass factory tours and enjoy the crafts, antiques, flea market, parade, pageants, entertainment, kids activities, car show and other fun. Recommended reading this summer: "Freckles" and "The Girl of the Limberlost."
Not only are they wonderful books; they're written by Hoosier author, naturalist and photographer Gene Stratton-Porter. Her second Indiana home in Rome City now serves as the Gene Stratton-Porter State Historic Site Phone (260) 854-3790. It's open from mid-March through mid-December, but a great time to visit is August 17-18 during Gene Stratton-Porter Chautauqua Days. It's a celebration of her birthday and her life.
Two things you need if you visit Wabash August 17: your camera and plenty of trunk space. The camera is a must-have for a tour of the Wabash Marketplace History District (Phone 260-563-0975). See Victorian, Romanesque, and Italian architectural styles. And because you're timed your visit so well, you'll be there for the Wabash Herb Festival. Take home dried and fresh herbs and plants, spices, soaps, crafts and garden supplies; enjoy food, children's games, door prizes, and demonstrations.
Anyone with even a casual interest in automobiles would enjoy a trip to Auburn, home of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum (Phone 260-925-1444). Along with more than 100 classic, vintage, antique and special interest cars, exhibits of original sales, advertising and engineering offices are on display in this historic 1930 Art Deco showroom of the Auburn Automobile Company.
However, true aficionados won't want to be anyplace other than Auburn come August 29-September 2. That's when the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival happens, and it's easily the world's greatest classic car show and celebration. Events include the Parade of Classics, Cruise-in, auction, quilt, crafts and antique shows, entertainment tent, and children's tent. And did we mention cars?
Other Auburn stops for the car fan: American Heritage Village (Phone 260 927 8042), featuring a WWII Victory Museum and Kruse Automotive Museum, and the National Automotive and Truck Museum of the United States (Phone 260 925 9100), with cars, trucks, motorcycles and racing memorabilia. Marshmallows were once made in Ligonier, so what better excuse to have a marshmallow festival? Come celebrate these sweet treats at the Ligionier Marshmallow Festival August 30-September 3. Fun includes a marshmallow roast (naturally), Marshmallow Olympics (for kids), a Marshmallow Bake Off, crafts, amusement rides, cruise-in car show, live entertainment, games, food, music, and parades.
For details on these festivals, and to find hundreds more throughout the state, visit enjoyindiana.com.
All of our articles are hand picked for content and style. If you have appreciated this one, please book mark this page because you will love the rest of them. * Front Page * Weekend getaways in Western Indiana * Northern Indiana * Indiana Waterways * Eastern Indiana * Indiana and Basketball * Explore Indiana's Underground Railroad * MORE articles along these lines are wanted. What kind of stories do you have? Other States *
If you are in sales, and most of us are in one form or another, this book can mean the difference between feast and famine. With the economy like it is there are a lot of people wishing they could sell better and feast more often. Making more when others are making less is a great feeling, I can tell you.