Don’t miss the Nappanee Apple Festival this weekend!

Tags

Contests, Family Fun, Festival, Food, Fun, Music, Nappanee, Nappanee Apple Festival, Nappanee Chamber of Commerce, Rides

The Nappanee Apple Festival is proud of their family-friendly atmosphere and Midwestern hospitality that attracted over 85,000 people in 2012.

The festival has begun! Come to Nappanee and check out all the crafts, commercial exhibits and enjoy some great food! Today, Mike Hemmelgarn, comedy juggler and ventriloquist is on the Martin’s Entertainment Stage from 11:30-12:30 p.m. and Billy Dee (variety music) is on the CenturyLink Stage from 11:30-12:30 p.m. Senior Bingo starts at 1:00 p.m. in the Martin’s Super Market stage and Silly Safaris has a live animal show on the CenturyLink stage from 1:00-2:30 p.m.

Joe Knapp, from Goshen, IN on a downtown Nappanee sidewalk is about to play “Stairway to Heaven” at my husband’s request. There is so much going on in Nappanee today! Join in on the fun!

The Nappanee Apple Festival also features Indiana’s largest 7 foot baked apple pie. We serve approximately 750 slices of pie and many people travel across the United States to savor their annual piece of this pie. Other activities include a variety of entertainment on two stages, 100 craft vendors, 60 commercial vendors, carnival rides, parade with signature military aircraft fly-over, scholarship queen pageant, corn hole tournament, apple baking contest, garden tractor pull, kids and adult pedal pull contests, wings and wheels show at airport, apple peeling contest, 5K road run and half-marathon and a pie-eating contest.

In the spirit of the celebration, you will find crates of fresh apples dotting the downtown sidewalks and more than 25 food vendors including many local non-profit organizations serving all your favorites. There will be plenty of your favorite fresh apple products like apple pie, apple fritters, apple dumplings, apple turnovers, apple fry pies, apple bread, applesauce, apple cider and apple butter to enjoy during the festival or to take home to enjoy later.

The Nappanee Chamber of Commerce invites you to experience a truly unique hometown festival. After the fun and entertainment, you’ll be sure to mark your calendar to return for next year’s festival!

Click HERE for a schedule of events.

Friday night at New Paris’ 2nd Friday Festival

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2nd Friday, Bingo, Boy Scouts, Community, Corn Hole Contest, Family Fun, Fellowship, Fun, Good Times, Ice Cream, Music, New Paris, New Paris Firefighters, Round Ball Racing, Sunnyside Park Food Booth, Water Ball Contest

What better way to spend a last summer weekend than at the New Paris’ last 2nd Friday Festival of 2013.

There was something for everyone.

New Paris is the ONLY place in Indiana to hold Round Boat races.

WINNERS OF New Paris Round Boat Race…

$1st Place – $100 prize:

Parker and Nathan Hart took 1st place in the New Paris Round Boat Race.

Round Boat Race 2nd Place Winners

The 2nd place winners, Nick Harris and Andy Dixon, were in great spirits. They had come close to taking the first place prize.

Bingo, fellowship with friends, and great food!

New Paris friends get together for Bingo and fellowship. It takes time to make the best food choice because EVERYTHING at the Sunnyside Park ‘Food Booth’ is SO GOOD.

The Water Ball Contest, compliments of the New Paris Fire Department, is a huge hit!

The Water Ball Contest goes on full blast as Nathan and Parker Hart take on their fellow New Paris Boy Scouts.

Who has the OLDEST TREE IN NEW PARIS?

A white oak tree very much like the one that is New Paris’ oldest tree.

Kirby Meyers has the OLDEST TREE in New Paris. His white oak tree, located in Matthew’s woods, is estimated to be 309 years old. In 1704 when the Americas were still in early stages of settlement, Meyers’ tree was just a seedling. White oak trees can grow to a massive size — up to 150 feet with an 80-foot spread. 800-year-old white oak trees have been known to exist.

Congratulations Kirby! You had a LOT of competition, but we are proud to have such a distinguished tree, which has lived through so MUCH HISTORY as part of our community.

JOIN YOUR FRIENDS AT THE MIDDLEBURY SUMMER FESTIVAL, AUGUST 9 & 10

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Car Show, Contests, Entertainment, Family Entertainment, Family Fun, Games, Garden Tractor Pull, Middlebury, Middlebury Parade, Middlebury Summer Festival, Music, Pancake and Sausage Breakfast, Parade, Teen Dance, Tractor Pull

Bring your family to meet old friends and new, with live music, festival food, crafters, children’s activities and more!

Wholesome family entertainment can be found at this fun small town festival with the largest small town parade in the area on Saturday at 1:00.

For questions regarding the Summer Festival, contact marketing@middleburyfestivals.com.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Friday & Saturday

August 9 & 10, 2013

Thursday, August 8th			Saturday, August 10th
3:30 – 8:00	Classic Car Cruise-In		9:00	Registration begins at the
	Das Dutchmen Essenhaus			covered bridge at the
				Essenhaus for the 6th
Friday, August 9th				Annual Fishing Tournament. Fish
10:30	Vendors open			from 9:30 to 11:00, with open
				fishing till noon. Coordinated by
6:00 -7:30	Hey Kids, It’s Jamin – A 7 piece			the Middlebury Parks Dept.
	rock band comprised of
	Northridge students		10:30	Music and Dance Academy
	(Entertainment Tent)			Entertainment Tent
			10:00 – 10:45	Arm Wrestling Registration
6:30	Garden Tractor Pull –			(BandStand)
	Held by Elkhart County Garden
	Tractor Pullers (Railroad Street)		10:30	Vendors open
6:30 – 7:45	Kids Games! A variety of games		11:00 – 1:00	Arm Wrestling Tournament
	and prizes for kids.			(Bristol Ave)
	(Beside Fire Station on Bristol Ave)
			11:00 – 12:00	Northern Lights and Starlights
8:00-10:00	DANG! A band founded by			Award winning Northridge High
	Northridge teachers.			School Show Choirs
	(Entertainment Tent)			(East Park Basketball Courts)
8:30-10:00	Teen Dance		1:00	Festival Parade – Route goes
	(East Park Pavilion)			from Middlebury Elementary
				to the library. Grand Marshals:
				Dick and Jolinda Zook. Sponsored
Vendors will remain open until 10:00 pm				by First State Bank of Middlebury
			Following the parade
Saturday, August 10th			* Tae Kwon Do demonstration (East Park)
7:00-10:30	Pancake & Sausage Breakfast		* Distinguished Young Women of Middlebury
	All you can eat. Sponsored by		* Presentation of Parade Awards
	Middlebury Church of the			(Entertainment Tent)
	Brethren         (East Park Pavilion)		3:00 – 5:00	Singer/guitarist Marty Miles delivers
				folk rock originals alongside
7:30-8:15	ECBOR Classic 5K registration			favorites from other artists
	(across Bristol Ave from Fire Station)			(Entertainment Tent)
			5:30 – 7:30	High Life will entertain you with
8:30	ECBOR Classic 5K Run Starts			some of the best Rock and Pop
	(across Bristol Ave from Fire Station)			music from the past!
				(Entertainment Tent)
8:45	ECBOR Classic 5K Walk Starts		7:30	Safety – four guys from Middlebury
	(across Bristol Ave from Fire Station)			who wanted to rock formed a Band
				(East Park Pavilion)
Community Worship in the Entertainment
Tent on Sunday at 5:00 pm			8:00- 10:00	Whistle Pigs – Contemporary Music
Everyone is welcome!				Classic Rock. Funk. Rhythm and Blues.
Sponsored by				seven-piece dance band
The Middlebury Ministerium				(Entertainment Tent)

51st Annual Amish Acres Arts & Crafts Festival

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Amish Acres Arts and Crafts Festival, Amish Exhibits, Art, Crafts, Educational Exhibits, Elkhart County, Family Fun, Indiana, Local Craftsmen, Nappanee

Nappanee, IN – Amish Acres Historic Farm & Heritage Resort will host the 51st annual Arts & Crafts Festival August 1 through August 4, 2013. For the fifth time, Amish Acres has been selected by the American Bus Association (ABA)as a TOP 100 event in North America solidifying the festival’s standing in the top echelon of America’s festivals dedicated to the creative arts. In addition, the Arts and Crafts Festival was recognized for the first time as a top ten event in the state of Indiana by AmericaTheBeautiful.com and Top Events USA.

The event’s 2014 “Proud as a Peacock’s Plumage: The Colorful World of Art” theme is derived from the new “It’s A-Peeling” apple art, an Interactive outdoor art exhibit placing four foot high fiberglass apples designed and painted by local artists around Nappanee and funded through individual and corporate sponsorships. Amish Acres apple features a peacock in full plumage promoting Amish Acres historic Kuhn’s Apple Cider Mill, ranked one of the Top 10 Cider Mills in America.

Over 300 artists and crafter’s from 35 States, surround Amish Acres pond to ply their trade and sell their wares. The event brings to this northern Indiana historic farm a marketplace filled with the creations of artists and artisans from every corner of the country. Nearly 60,000 visitors, many representing third generations, descend on the farm annually for the celebration that includes live strolling musicians and entertainment on four stages throughout the day, festive food from apple pie to zucchini bread, and $5,000 in cash prizes awarded by professional judges from 900 entries in the competition tent.

The fourth generation of the founding family is now involved in the festival’s

The cider mill stood in two locations before being moved to the Amish Acre location in the early 1900s. It was used each fall to press cider from the orchands of neighboring Amish farmers. The press has a listed capacity of 3,000 gallons per day. It was powered by a steam engine. The stone grist mill was added by Amish Acres.

planning and production. Richard Pletcher, founder of the festival and Amish Acres, remains CEO and Jennifer Pletcher Wysong is the festival director. The event started as a clothes line show in downtown Nappanee during sidewalk days in 1962. Amish Acres was created and grew out of the demand from the early festival’s visitors for Amish related experiences and products.

Over $250,000 in cash prizes have been awarded over the last five decades. The Best of Show collection is on permanent display in the new Arts & Crafts Best of Show Museum located in the Barn Loft Wine Room of Amish Acres Restaurant.

Festival hours & Admission Prices are:

• Thursday-Saturday (August 1-3) 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday (August 4) from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Admission price is $7.00 for adults, $6.00 for seniors (60 & older), active military, and students 12 – 17 and free for children under age 12.
• Round Barn Theater Curtain Times 7:30pm
• Parking is free with several parking areas and six entrances for visitors’ convenience.

Amish Acres is located on U.S. Highway 6, one mile west of downtown Nappanee.  Pre-event tickets and four-day passes can be purchased online. More information on Amish Acres, the Arts and Crafts Festival, and The Round Barn Theatre can be obtained online at AmishAcres.com

Date Set for Goshen’s 4th of July Fireworks

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2013, 4th of July, Celebrate America, Community, Elkhart County, Elkhart County Indiana, Family Fun, Fireworks, Fireworks Display, Indiana, July, Music

Goshen’s Celebrate America recently held its kick-off meeting at First Baptist Church in Goshen, Indiana.  Celebrate America’s 2013 fireworks display and  patriotic program will be held Sunday, July 7th, at Black Squirrel Golf Course. Two musical groups, Exalt Brass and Gold will perform during the evening.

The patriotic program will begin at about 8:00 PM and the fireworks will go off at dark (about 10:00 PM). There is no charge for admission and free parking will be available at the First Baptist Church of Goshen, or Goshen Middle School. Both are on the corner of Plymouth and Indiana Ave. and are just a short walk from the Golf Course. Handicapped parking is available at the Golf Course. Bring your blanket, lawn chairs, lawn games, and picnic for a relaxing and fun family friendly evening! Concessions will be available.

According to Goshen Celebrate America’s president, Greg Lanzen, Celebrate America’s annual firework display is just the icing on the cake.  “We celebrate with a party,” Lanzen said, “but the rest of the year we are busy overseeing different parts of Celebrate America with a patriotism education program at Goshen’s middle and elementary schools and with our veterans program.”

As part of the veteran’s program, Goshen’s Celebrate America partners with local veterans organizations to help send WWII, Korean, and Vietnam veterans to Washington D.C. to tour the city and Washington D.C.’s military memorials.”

Here is a video of Goshen’s VFW Post’s 2009 trip. Maybe you’ll see yourself or someone you know on this video:

‘Strong Woman’ from Soup of Success…because we need to hear MORE good news

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Challenge, Church Community Services, Civic Engagement, Community, Community Service, Constitution, Education, Education Empowers, Elkhart County, Elkhart County Indiana, Ensuring Success, Family Fun, Food, Food Pantry, Freedom, Goshen, Indiana, Life Skills, Need, Soup of Success, Volunteer, Volunteering, Women, Work

Need some inspiration?

WEEKLY ‘SEED TO FEED’ UPDATE…IT IS ALL GOOD!

Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2012 7:45 AM
Subject: Seed to Feed Weekly Update

Hi Everyone,

This past week we had two great harvests at both of our gardens. There
were 29 volunteers who showed up at the Bullard Garden on Monday and 25
volunteers at the Goshen Garden on Tuesday. Thank You all.

We are moving the time of the Bullard Garden picking to 6:00 p.m. We are moving the time of the Bullard Garden picking on Monday evenings. We still need 30 volunteers to pick green beans and sweet corn. Although we will pick on Monday evenings, if anyone wants to pull weeds between the rows, please do so at your own time schedule. If more weeds are pulled,that means more beans get picked. The Bullard Garden is
directly across from Sorg Jewelers, C.R. 17. With 30 volunteers, weeds pulled and fast pickers, we could pick a 1000# of green beans in 3 hrs—-we have lots of beans!!!!!

The Goshen Garden has tons of green tomatoes that should be ready
soon. We will pick every Tuesday at 6:00pm and it is located at 14723
C.R. 36. Last week with 25 volunteers, we picked 11 boxes of beans, tomatoes
and peppers in 1 1/2 hours.

This was a great week and thanks to ALL the volunteers that came and
helped pick. See you Monday and Tuesday at the gardens.

Blessings
Dave Hochstetler

Elkhart County Commissioners approve fireworks for Labor Day weekend

Tags

Celebrate, Family Fun, Fireworks, Fireworks Display, Frank Lucchese, Holiday, Labor Day Weekend

By JOHN KLINE THE GOSHEN NEWS

GOSHEN — Elkhart County Commissioners Monday approved the temporary use of fireworks over the upcoming Labor Day weekend. The vote was made as a concession to the forced emergency ban on fireworks enacted over the 4th of July holiday due to ongoing drought conditions in the area.

“So we’re opening this up temporarily for only the year 2012 for four days, Aug. 31, Sept. 1, Sept. 2 and Sept. 3,” said Elkhart County Commissioner Mike Yoder. “For us I think it was an issue of fairness.”

According to Commissioner Frank Lucchese, the idea for the temporary allowance of fireworks stems from the large number of comments the commissioners have received from area residents who say they made expensive purchases of fireworks earlier in the year with the idea that they would be allowed to shoot them off over the 4th of July holiday.

Read more HERE.

Elkhart County Commissioners Monday, Aug. 20, 2012, approved the temporary use of fireworks over the upcoming Labor Day weekend. The vote was made as a concession to the forced emergency ban on fireworks enacted over the 4th of July holiday due to ongoing drought conditions in the area.

New Paris: 2nd Friday at Sunnyside Park in Downtown New Paris

Tags

Back Packs, Back to School, Elephant Ears, Family Fun, Family Games, Food, Fun, Ice Cream, Kettle corn, Music, New Paris, Sunnyside Park

Aug 10

■4 p.m. – Noah’s Ark Slide
■4 p.m. – Elephant Ears, Kettle Corn & Ice Cream
■5-7 p.m. – Pork Burger Meal
■6 p.m. – 1st Annual Round Boat Races (winner gets T-shirt & Trophy)
■6 p.m. – 3 on 3 Basketball tournament
■7 p.m. – Corn Hole Tournament (pavilion)
■8 p.m. – Music and “Back to School gift bags” at Park Stage

Related articles

• Fun for the whole family: 2nd Friday, July 13 at Sunnyside Park in downtown New Paris (elkhartcountygrassrootshub.wordpress.com)

Community event: ‘Wednesday at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair’

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Activism, Baby Animals, Commercial Buiding, Community Service, Displays, Elephant Ears, Elkhart County 4-H Fair, Elkhart County Community Serviices Booth, Entertainment, Fair Food, Family Fun, Family Good Times, Fun, Glen Campbell, GOP Exhibit, Humane Society of Elkhart County Booth, Rides, Talent Show, Tickets, Volunteering

The crowd enjoys the talent competition.

Waiting for a turtle to come out of his or her shell. (Exhibit by Elkhart County Park Department)

 

Elkhart Community Services provides Elkhart residents with a food pantry, a mentoring program, utility assistance and rent assistance. Please stop by their booth to purchase outstanding food items, make a donation, offer to volunteer or to find out more about their programs.

The Republican booth took 3rd place for best non-commercial exhibit.

Don’t forget to stop by Commercial Building E, Booth 1 and say HI to the Humane Society of Elkhart County! Bring us a picture of an animal you adopted from us and see it on a poster board in the shelter! Also view the pictures of animals that have found “forever” homes on our board at the fair.

Everybody wants the sheriff’s car.

Hungry? There is SO MUCH delicious food from which to CHOOSE.

Who can resist an elephant ear? Not me!

“National Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team” coming to Goshen

Tags

4-H Fair Parade, Afghanistan, Amputee, Elkhart County, Elkhart County 4-H Fair, Family Fun, Goshen, Goshen Fair, Iraq, Softball, Sports, Veteran, War, Wounded Soldier

The National Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team is coming to Goshen July 20-22, 2012. They will arrive July 20 and on Saturday July 2012, they will play the Goshen Firefighters Slow Pitch Softball Team at 12:30 p.m. at Shanklin Park. That same evening they will play the Elkhart Firefighters Softball Team at 7:30 p.m. at Riverside Park. On Sunday, July 22, they will participate in the Elkhart County 4-H Fair parade and will be on hand at the fairgrounds after the parade for a “Meet and Greet” time.

The National Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team pushes the limits of modern prosthetic technology. Their motto is “life without a limb is limitless”. Representing some of our nation’s bravest and most determined soldiers and veterans, all of the young men sustained severe injuries while serving in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Through extensive rehabilitation and perseverance, they have become competitive athletes again.

The National Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team does not receive funding from any private or government agency. Tickets for the games are $10. For more information go to their web page, here.

Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team (Photo credit: The U.S. Army)

THE TEAM HAS RECEIVED NATIONAL COVERAGE:

CBS Evening News –
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/vp/44402185#44402185″&gt”>NBC Nightly News –
“Sports Illustrated Battlefield to Ball Field, a piece written by Phil Taylor, July 4, 2011.
Wounded Warriors Clip on HBO “Real Sports” with Bryant Gumbel on July 19

Related Articles:

• Wounded veterans trade the battlefield for the playing field (jsonline.com)
• Wounded veterans trade the battlefield for the playing field (stripes.com)
• City Prepares To Host Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team (whnt.com)
• Saul Bosquez and Matt Kinsey, Nationals wounded warriors to play against celebrities (wjla.com)