Spring kicks off festival season in Indiana—a time to experience the sounds, tastes, and smells of the dozens of festivals and special events taking place all throughout the state. You’ll find food festivals, cultural festivals, farmers markets, and everything in between.
Given the number of food festivals happening in northern Indiana, you can taste your way through festival season. There’s the wildly popular Pierogi Fest in Whiting, Kielbasa Fest in East Chicago, and in Valparaiso they have events to celebrate popcorn, chocolate, and barbecue. In White County, there’s the Monon Food Fest.
A celebration of mint? Of course! In North Judson, the 45th annual Mint Festival is a three-day festival featuring lots of special activities, including how to cook with mint.
While you’re in the area, don’t miss Hammond’s Festival of the Lakes with free concerts, polka party, food vendors and more.
Also in northern Indiana, you’ll find two unique festivals in Noble County. The Mother’s Day Annual Kite Day takes place at the Windmill Museum in Kendallville, and admission is free. And at the town’s Fairy, Gnome, and Troll Festival you can meet Tinkerbell, enjoy a bubble party, attend a fairy tea party, and more. And in Peru, the town will celebrate its own hometown legend at this year’s Cole Porter Festival June 9-13.
In Central Indiana, one of the biggest festivals of the year is taking place May 27. The Indy 500 Festival Parade features larger-than-life floats, marching bands, and of course the 33 drivers competing in this year’s Indy 500 race.
April in southern Indiana means the dogwoods will be in bloom, and it’s a reason to celebrate. The town of Orleans is known as the “Dogwood Capital of Indiana” and the Orleans Dogwood Festival takes place April 22-29. Perry County’s Annual Dogwood Weekend, April 22-23, is in its 65th year.
Southern Indiana is also home to the Indiana Wine Fair, held each year at the Story Inn in Nashville. The event features some of Indiana’s best wineries, along with food trucks and vendors.
And don’t miss out on all the local farmers markets that will start popping up all over the state. While they’re open year-round, the Yorktown Farmers Marketplace, voted #3 farmers market in Indiana, opens their summer outdoor market May 19.
