Summer Festival Season Kicks Off This Weekend
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Memorial Day weekend is the official start of summer and the festival season, with activities kicking off Saturday at Milford.
Milford Fest includes a craft show, Little 500 remote control car race, tractor pull, street dance, raffle drawings and garage sales.
From then on, there are plenty of festivals to keep people hopping well into the next season.
Coming up next weekend, June 3-5, is the Mentone Egg Festival, featuring a parade, tractor pull, crafts, flea market, variety show, antique car show and more.
Activities take place Thursday through Saturday at various locations throughout town. A selection of midway rides and carnival games will be available, and Miss Chick and Mr. Rooster will be crowned among the kids, as well as a teen-age Miss Mentone.
A couple of festivals just a hop, skip and jump away take place June 11-13.
At Rochester, the Round Barn Festival gets under way downtown and along Main Street. Among the festivities Friday through Sunday are round barn tours, live music, crafts, food and a twilight parade.
Coinciding with this festival is the Round Barn Rendezvous & Market June 12-13 on the Fulton County Historical Society grounds. This living history village (circa 1900-1925) includes music, contests, and bake and rummage sales.
At Wabash, the Very Berry Strawberry Fest includes a variety of strawberry foods June 12, as well as homemade crafts, the 5K Strawberry Stomp, a car show and chicken barbecue.
Back in Kosciusko County June 12 is the Summer Safety Fest at Center Lake Pavilion in Warsaw. Attendees can learn about injury prevention, car seat safety and poison control. Then, June 13, there will be a Flag Day Ceremony at Center Lake Pavilion.
On June 18-19, the Silver Lake Days Festival features an ice cream social, sports events, car cruise, parade, contests, antiques, a gospel sing, crowning of a Cutie Queen and King, bingo and more. This year's theme is "A Hawaiian Weekend."
The annual Mermaid Festival is set for June 18-26. The nine-day event boasts contests, concessions, a midway, multi-sports competition, Cutie King and Queen contest, Queen of Lakes contest and a huge parade.
Sponsored by the North Webster Lions Club, there will be an admission charge of $7 per person, which allows unlimited access to rides and entertainment.
Hopping over to Elkhart County June 25-27, the Elkhart Jazz Festival takes place downtown, with more than 100 of the country's top jazz musicians on eight stages from 5 p.m. Friday through 5 p.m. Sunday. There is an admission charge.
In various locations in Warsaw June 25-27 is the City of Lakes Balloonfest with a Friday night concert in Central Park featuring "Ambrosia," hot air balloons, food, music, a triathlon and bike tour. This event is sponsored by the Kosciusko County Convention and Visitor's Bureau.
To the north on June 26, the Oakwood Foundation Art Festival takes place in Oakwood Park at Syracuse. More than 40 artists will display their artwork from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On July 3, the annual Wawasee Flotilla Festival is scheduled to depart from the Lake Wawasee Hatchery. Decorated boats, pontoons, sailboats and other floating powered watercraft will parade across the lake. Anyone can join in the parade.
Head west to Etna Green July 5 for the annual Independence Day celebration. Most events take place in Heritage Park, with a tractor pull, children's games, car show, crafts, bingo and food booths. A parade is also featured.
July 10 is Blues Jam in Central Park, with several bands performing and a headliner act to be announced. Admission is free.
The Kosciusko County 4-H & Community Fair takes place July 13-18, with 4-H, homemaker and artist displays and events, daily themes, grandstand events, an antique tractor and equipment exhibit area, livestock shows, merchandise exhibits, carnival rides, food and more.
July 21-25 brings festival time back to Mentone, with the Popular Rotorcraft Association International Convention/Fly-In at Mentone Airport.
There will be rotorcraft displays, flight demonstrations, educational seminars and autogyro rides. Admission is free.
On July 23 and 24, Downtown Days in Warsaw features a classic car cruise-in, light parade, live music and 5K run, followed July 30 by a Country Music Festival at Central Park in Warsaw. This event features country music star John Anderson and also is free.
Moving into August, there are festivals to the north and south of Kosciusko County, as well as ones in eastern and southern towns.
Here in Kosciusko County, Pierceton Days is set for Aug. 6 and 7. This festival centers around Brower Park and features a car show, garage sales, parade, cake walk, cutie contest, free watermelon feast and more.
To the north, at Nappanee, is the annual Pletcher's Arts and Crafts Festival Aug. 12-15. Attendees and participants travel from all over the United States for this juried exhibit of 365 artists. There is also daily entertainment on three stages, as well as strolling musicians and entertainers.
To the south, also Aug. 12-15 at North Manchester, is the North Manchester Funfest, situated in and around Main Street square. There will be a Friday night street dance, a car show, crafts, entertainment, parade, basketball tournaments and more.
Back in Kosciusko County on Aug. 20-21 is Claypool Festival with plans for a car show, garden tractor pull, 3-on-3 basketball, parade, firemen's water ball contest and carnival games.
Moving over to Wabash County on Aug. 21, the Wabash Herb Festival is set at Paradise Spring Historic Park with dried herb demonstrations, herb-related products and vendors. Admission is free.
The annual Big Brothers/Big Sisters Car & Truck Show will take place Aug. 21-22 at Petro's GM Showplace in Warsaw. The fun begins Saturday with a food court and a '50s/'60s cruise-in.
Sunday begins with a pancake breakfast, followed by an all-day car and truck show.
A '50s/'60s Fest will round out the month Aug. 27 at Central Park in Warsaw. Attendees can enjoy a great evening of oldies music for the whole family. Admission is free.
As fall nears and the weather cools, people may want to sit around a fire pit with a bag of marshmallows. Or they may want to visit the Ligonier Marshmallow Festival Sept. 3-6.
It should still be plenty hot in early September, so if the fire's out, hit Main Street in this Noble County town and take part in a bake-off, marshmallow putting contest and other games, shop for crafts, ride rides and enjoy a car show, entertainment and parade.
There also will be factory tours of the country's center for marshmallow manufacturing.
One of the area's largest festivals, the Marshall County Blueberry Festival, holds down Labor Day weekend in Plymouth. More than 600 craft and commercial booths and food booths will be packed into Centennial Park Sept. 3-6. There also is a parade, circus, fireworks, 15K run, car show, sports and luscious blueberry treats.
The Roann Covered Bridge Festival takes place Sept. 9-12 in the town's downtown. There will be crafts, a flea market, family-oriented contests, parade, a horse pull, antique tractor pull, live bands and karaoke.
Another September event is the Nappanee Apple Festival Sept. 17-19. Centered in and around Depot Plaza, the festival includes a parade, arts and crafts, food, entertainment and apples galore.
Bourbon will host the Bourbon Antique Tractor & Engine Show Sept. 18 and 19 at 15840 Ind. 331.
This event boasts demonstrations of how things were done in grandparents' days, the early 1900s.
Rochester's Trail of Courage Living History Festival takes place Sept. 18-19 on the Fulton County Historical Society grounds and teaches the history behind the 1838 Trail of Death. Descendants tell their story via music, dance, open-fire foods, crafts and re-enactments of camp.
September is escorted out in Warsaw with the Indian Pow Wow "Land of the Lakes - Gathering of the People" at the Kosciusko County Fairgrounds and Back to the Days of Kosciuszko at Lucerne Park. The former takes place Sept. 24-26 and the latter is Sept. 25-26.
The Pow Wow is a traditional native American event with arts, crafts, food and a presentation of native spiritual ways.
Back to the Days is a Revolutionary War-era re-enactment celebrating the county's namesake, Thaddeus Kosciuszko, and is a fund-raiser for Kosciusko County Agency on Aging and Aged. [[In-content Ad]]
Memorial Day weekend is the official start of summer and the festival season, with activities kicking off Saturday at Milford.
Milford Fest includes a craft show, Little 500 remote control car race, tractor pull, street dance, raffle drawings and garage sales.
From then on, there are plenty of festivals to keep people hopping well into the next season.
Coming up next weekend, June 3-5, is the Mentone Egg Festival, featuring a parade, tractor pull, crafts, flea market, variety show, antique car show and more.
Activities take place Thursday through Saturday at various locations throughout town. A selection of midway rides and carnival games will be available, and Miss Chick and Mr. Rooster will be crowned among the kids, as well as a teen-age Miss Mentone.
A couple of festivals just a hop, skip and jump away take place June 11-13.
At Rochester, the Round Barn Festival gets under way downtown and along Main Street. Among the festivities Friday through Sunday are round barn tours, live music, crafts, food and a twilight parade.
Coinciding with this festival is the Round Barn Rendezvous & Market June 12-13 on the Fulton County Historical Society grounds. This living history village (circa 1900-1925) includes music, contests, and bake and rummage sales.
At Wabash, the Very Berry Strawberry Fest includes a variety of strawberry foods June 12, as well as homemade crafts, the 5K Strawberry Stomp, a car show and chicken barbecue.
Back in Kosciusko County June 12 is the Summer Safety Fest at Center Lake Pavilion in Warsaw. Attendees can learn about injury prevention, car seat safety and poison control. Then, June 13, there will be a Flag Day Ceremony at Center Lake Pavilion.
On June 18-19, the Silver Lake Days Festival features an ice cream social, sports events, car cruise, parade, contests, antiques, a gospel sing, crowning of a Cutie Queen and King, bingo and more. This year's theme is "A Hawaiian Weekend."
The annual Mermaid Festival is set for June 18-26. The nine-day event boasts contests, concessions, a midway, multi-sports competition, Cutie King and Queen contest, Queen of Lakes contest and a huge parade.
Sponsored by the North Webster Lions Club, there will be an admission charge of $7 per person, which allows unlimited access to rides and entertainment.
Hopping over to Elkhart County June 25-27, the Elkhart Jazz Festival takes place downtown, with more than 100 of the country's top jazz musicians on eight stages from 5 p.m. Friday through 5 p.m. Sunday. There is an admission charge.
In various locations in Warsaw June 25-27 is the City of Lakes Balloonfest with a Friday night concert in Central Park featuring "Ambrosia," hot air balloons, food, music, a triathlon and bike tour. This event is sponsored by the Kosciusko County Convention and Visitor's Bureau.
To the north on June 26, the Oakwood Foundation Art Festival takes place in Oakwood Park at Syracuse. More than 40 artists will display their artwork from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On July 3, the annual Wawasee Flotilla Festival is scheduled to depart from the Lake Wawasee Hatchery. Decorated boats, pontoons, sailboats and other floating powered watercraft will parade across the lake. Anyone can join in the parade.
Head west to Etna Green July 5 for the annual Independence Day celebration. Most events take place in Heritage Park, with a tractor pull, children's games, car show, crafts, bingo and food booths. A parade is also featured.
July 10 is Blues Jam in Central Park, with several bands performing and a headliner act to be announced. Admission is free.
The Kosciusko County 4-H & Community Fair takes place July 13-18, with 4-H, homemaker and artist displays and events, daily themes, grandstand events, an antique tractor and equipment exhibit area, livestock shows, merchandise exhibits, carnival rides, food and more.
July 21-25 brings festival time back to Mentone, with the Popular Rotorcraft Association International Convention/Fly-In at Mentone Airport.
There will be rotorcraft displays, flight demonstrations, educational seminars and autogyro rides. Admission is free.
On July 23 and 24, Downtown Days in Warsaw features a classic car cruise-in, light parade, live music and 5K run, followed July 30 by a Country Music Festival at Central Park in Warsaw. This event features country music star John Anderson and also is free.
Moving into August, there are festivals to the north and south of Kosciusko County, as well as ones in eastern and southern towns.
Here in Kosciusko County, Pierceton Days is set for Aug. 6 and 7. This festival centers around Brower Park and features a car show, garage sales, parade, cake walk, cutie contest, free watermelon feast and more.
To the north, at Nappanee, is the annual Pletcher's Arts and Crafts Festival Aug. 12-15. Attendees and participants travel from all over the United States for this juried exhibit of 365 artists. There is also daily entertainment on three stages, as well as strolling musicians and entertainers.
To the south, also Aug. 12-15 at North Manchester, is the North Manchester Funfest, situated in and around Main Street square. There will be a Friday night street dance, a car show, crafts, entertainment, parade, basketball tournaments and more.
Back in Kosciusko County on Aug. 20-21 is Claypool Festival with plans for a car show, garden tractor pull, 3-on-3 basketball, parade, firemen's water ball contest and carnival games.
Moving over to Wabash County on Aug. 21, the Wabash Herb Festival is set at Paradise Spring Historic Park with dried herb demonstrations, herb-related products and vendors. Admission is free.
The annual Big Brothers/Big Sisters Car & Truck Show will take place Aug. 21-22 at Petro's GM Showplace in Warsaw. The fun begins Saturday with a food court and a '50s/'60s cruise-in.
Sunday begins with a pancake breakfast, followed by an all-day car and truck show.
A '50s/'60s Fest will round out the month Aug. 27 at Central Park in Warsaw. Attendees can enjoy a great evening of oldies music for the whole family. Admission is free.
As fall nears and the weather cools, people may want to sit around a fire pit with a bag of marshmallows. Or they may want to visit the Ligonier Marshmallow Festival Sept. 3-6.
It should still be plenty hot in early September, so if the fire's out, hit Main Street in this Noble County town and take part in a bake-off, marshmallow putting contest and other games, shop for crafts, ride rides and enjoy a car show, entertainment and parade.
There also will be factory tours of the country's center for marshmallow manufacturing.
One of the area's largest festivals, the Marshall County Blueberry Festival, holds down Labor Day weekend in Plymouth. More than 600 craft and commercial booths and food booths will be packed into Centennial Park Sept. 3-6. There also is a parade, circus, fireworks, 15K run, car show, sports and luscious blueberry treats.
The Roann Covered Bridge Festival takes place Sept. 9-12 in the town's downtown. There will be crafts, a flea market, family-oriented contests, parade, a horse pull, antique tractor pull, live bands and karaoke.
Another September event is the Nappanee Apple Festival Sept. 17-19. Centered in and around Depot Plaza, the festival includes a parade, arts and crafts, food, entertainment and apples galore.
Bourbon will host the Bourbon Antique Tractor & Engine Show Sept. 18 and 19 at 15840 Ind. 331.
This event boasts demonstrations of how things were done in grandparents' days, the early 1900s.
Rochester's Trail of Courage Living History Festival takes place Sept. 18-19 on the Fulton County Historical Society grounds and teaches the history behind the 1838 Trail of Death. Descendants tell their story via music, dance, open-fire foods, crafts and re-enactments of camp.
September is escorted out in Warsaw with the Indian Pow Wow "Land of the Lakes - Gathering of the People" at the Kosciusko County Fairgrounds and Back to the Days of Kosciuszko at Lucerne Park. The former takes place Sept. 24-26 and the latter is Sept. 25-26.
The Pow Wow is a traditional native American event with arts, crafts, food and a presentation of native spiritual ways.
Back to the Days is a Revolutionary War-era re-enactment celebrating the county's namesake, Thaddeus Kosciuszko, and is a fund-raiser for Kosciusko County Agency on Aging and Aged. [[In-content Ad]]