Things to do in Indianapolis, July 1-7, 2013

Freedom Blast Fireworks Show in Downtown Indianapolis, July 4.
AroundIndy.com staff photo, (c) 2012, all rights reserved.

Things to do in Indianapolis
July 1-7, 2013

• Freedom Blast Fireworks Show in Downtown Indianapolis
• Glorious Fourth at Conner Prairie Interactive History Park
• Ed Sheeran Live at The Lawn at White River State Park
• CarmelFest in Hamilton County
• Shelby County 4-H Fair in Shelbyville
• First Friday Food Truck Fest at the Old National Centre
• Vans Warped Tour at Klipsch Music Center
• 4th of July Ice Cream Social at the Benjamin Harrison Home
• 2013 Pokemon National Championships, Convention Center
• Lights Over Morse Lake Celebration in Hamilton County

Free publicity for your events! Submit an event.

Embassy Theatre Renovation Gets $2 Million Gift

Embassy Theatre, Fort Wayne.
AroundIndy.com staff photo, (c) 2010, all rights reserved.

Press Release
Embassy Theatre
http://www.fwembassytheatre.org/

The Embassy Theatre Foundation announced that the Goldstine Foundation has granted $2 million to the nonprofit theatre as the lead gift to “A Vision for the Embassy” capital project.

The Embassy will use this significant gift toward a $10 million campaign to renovate four floors of the former Indiana Hotel and other undeveloped areas of the building. These areas have sat unused for more than 40 years. The plan calls for a two-story-high ballroom and rooftop garden, studio and rehearsal space, classrooms, history center and improved public access and concessions areas.

The Goldstine Foundation was established by the late Robert Goldstine, who was a key figure in saving the Embassy Theatre from demolition in the early 1970s. Through Goldstine’s leadership, the community raised $250,000 to purchase the building for the nonprofit organization, which continues to operate it today. The Goldstine Foundation, since its formation, has generously supported the Embassy with annual grants for maintenance and restoration work. Robert Goldstine served as president of the Embassy’s board of directors for its first 20 years and loved playing the historic and rare Grande Page Theatre Pipe Organ.

“Bob had a love for downtown, for redevelopment and for the Embassy,” said Stephen Wesner, Goldstine Foundation board president. “This gift serves as a catalyst for the Vision campaign and as an annuity for future Embassy operations.”

The Embassy’s board and staff have spent several years researching best uses of the building, spurred by the facility’s 2009 third-floor renovation into a public corridor between the Courtyard by Marriott sky bridge and the Grand Wayne Center sky bridge.

“Renewed interest in downtown redevelopment provided the Embassy with an opportunity to move forward with plans that will enhance our current business model – we rent the building for shows and special events – and expand our capacity,” said Marla Peters, board of directors president. “Due to our busy schedule and limited rental spaces, we currently turn away many public and private events. This plan allows us to stick to our successful business model and gives us more spaces for the community.”

Upon receiving the Goldstine Foundation’s lead gift, the Embassy formed a campaign cabinet that began fundraising last summer. To date, nearly $3.7 million is committed to the Vision campaign.

“We conducted focus groups and completed an economic impact study and a feasibility study,” said Carolyn Brody, campaign co-chair and Embassy board member. “This plan generated a great deal of support from community leaders and downtown neighbors, with the feedback to us that this will be the best use of the entire building for decades to come.”

Added Gary Wasson, campaign co-chair, “This project also has to be self-sustaining, because we must be able to financially support what we do with and within the historic building. We thoroughly reviewed the business plan and, after very careful and conservative estimating, the numbers show the renovation generates revenues for the organization beginning in year one.”

The organization’s goal is to obtain at least $6 million in gifts and pledges by Dec. 31, 2013. The organization also is researching other funding sources, such as tax credits and financing. A building task force is currently reviewing proposals for architectural and construction services. “If fundraising continues at its current pace,” Brody said, “we could begin renovations in June 2014.”

Built in 1928, the historic Embassy Theatre, located at 125 West Jefferson Boulevard in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is a nonprofit organization that features national productions from the Broadway stage, concerts of all musical formats, cinema, educational programming and a continued commitment to young people. For more information, visit www.fwembassytheatre.org.

July Events in Brown County, Indiana

4th of July Fireworks will be held at Brown County High School.

By Jamie Newton
Brown County CVB
http://browncounty.com/

Brown County, Indiana is a year round vacation destination, where artists and adventurers alike are drawn to the rustic beauty and quiet charm.

Brown County Events Calendar – July 2013

Event: Dizzy Art: Geometry in Motion
Date: July 1-9
Time: Regular business hours
Place: B3 Gallery
Phone/Website: (812) 988-6675 http://www.b3.bussert.com
Admission: Free
About: B3 Gallery will host the show “Dizzy Art: Geometry in Motion” featuring the work of Barb
Bonchek. In Ms. Bonchek’s work art and geometry merge together in black and white mind warping
patterns, creating the illusion of movement. Barb draws her images free-hand creating one-of-a-kind wall
art. Many of her pieces are also melded into everyday, useful items such as table tops and game boards.
B3 Gallery is located at 125 S. Van Buren St., 2nd Floor of Artist Colony Shops, Nashville, IN. The
gallery currently represents 30 Indiana artists, and sells functional and fine art. Each piece in the gallery is
handmade in Indiana.

Event: 4th of July Fireworks
Date: July 4
Time: Dusk
Place: Brown County High School
Phone/Website: (812) 988-7303
Admission: Free but donations welcomed
About: Fireworks begin at dusk at the Brown County High School football field. Fireworks sponsored
by Brown County Lions Club.

Event: Hotel Nashville Gazebo Party
Date: July 5 & 19
Time: 6pm-10pm, except Sunday events 5pm-9pm
Place: Hotel Nashville
Phone/Website: (812) 988-8400 http://www.hotelnashville.com/events.cfm
Admission: Free
About: Join us from 6pm-10pm (5pm-9pm Sunday dates) for our outdoor Gazebo Party in the Hotel
Nashville Grand Gazebo. Live Music, Food and Drinks.Buffet dinner 6pm-9pm. There is a charge for
food and drinks. There is no charge to just come and listen to the music…

Event: Comedy Cabaret on Strings
Date: July 6, 13, 20, 27
Time: 1pm & 3pm
Place: Melchior Marionette Theatre
Phone/Website: (800) 849-4853 http://www.melchiormarionettes.com/
Admission: $5, Under 2 free
About: A fast moving, music filled, trick marionette variety show, suitable for all ages. Hand crafted half
life sized marionettes will make this a unique experience for the whole family. This 20 minute show with
large marionettes will be a unique experience for all ages…free popcorn! Celebrating our 30th
Anniversary in Nashville!

Event: 7th Annual Secret Gardens of Brown County Garden Tour
Date: July 6-7
Time: 10am-4pm
Place: Brown County
Phone/Website: (812) 988-6927 http://browncountyingardenclub.org/
Admission: $10, children 12 and under free
About: Self-guided tour of 5 private gardens in Brown County. Sponsored by the Brown County Garden
Club. Live music, plant sale, garden related art sale. Proceeds benefit Brown County beautification
projects.

Event: eXpedition Zip Line Night Flights
Date: July 6 & 20
Time: 8:30pm-11pm
Place: eXplore Brown County at Valley Branch Retreat
Phone/Website: (812) 988-7750 http://www.explorebrowncounty.com/zip-lines
Admission: $85
About: eXpedition Night Flights! Our popular eXplorer Tour, but beginning as the sunsets, and going
into the cover of darkness! Zip On! into the darkness where only the moon, stars and red headlamp light
your way. This is an experience you will reflect on for years. Select Saturday nights from June –
September 8:30PM (subject to change to due to sunset times) $85 per person Space is limited! Call or
Book Online to reserve your spot!

Event: Quaff N’ Brew Beer School
Date: July 6, 13, 20, 27
Time: 2-4pm and 6-8pm
Place: Big Woods Gallery
Phone/Website: (812) 988-0409 http://www.bigwoodsbeer.com
Admission: $10
About: Do you love beer? Ever wonder how beer is made? Want to learn the difference between porter
and stout or lager and ale? Big Woods is now offering an exciting new class designed to teach you all
about the world of beer. You will learn beer history and why beer is the miracle that saved civilization.
Learn about ingredients, beer styles, the brewing process from grain to glass and even see a batch of Big
Woods beer being brewed. Answer trivia for the chance to win awesome Big Woods gear! Get to know
and understand beer like a true Competent Quaffer while sampling our hand crafted Big Woods beer.

Event: Saturday Night Speedball
Date: July 6 & 20
Time: 6-9pm
Place: Explore Brown County at Valley Branch Retreat
Phone/Website: (812) 988-7750 http://explorebrowncounty.com/paintball
Admission: $10-40
About: Saturday Night Speedball at Paintball Valley, the Midwest’s most friendly open practice session!
First and third Saturdays of every month, April 6th – September 21st 6PM – 9PM Individuals and Teams
welcome! Self Equipped players only please. Airball and Hardball Fields to accommodate both 3 and 5
man teams Entry – $10 Paint – $10/bag or $40/case

Event: Hiking Sundays: Outdoor Series
Date: July 7
Time: 1-3pm
Place: T.C. Steele State Historic Site
Phone/Website: (812) 988-2785 http://www.tcsteele.org
Admission: $2 per member; $3 per non-member
About: Join outdoor enthusiasts for this guided hiking series. Each adventure will be different and cover
a variety of topics ranging from identification, orienteering, ecology, above ground archaeology and
history. Tree Management for Home Owners: Learn the best practices to designing and maintaining the
trees and shrubs around your home. Come learn from example as the historic site faces challenges to
preserving the mature landscape of historic trees due to weather and time.

Event: Kids Horse Retreat: Intermediate
Date: July 7-11
Time: 5 day stay with daily routine
Place: Rawhide Ranch
Phone/Website: (812) 988-0085 http://rawhideranchusa.com/activities_kidsretreat.html
Admission: $475
About: Let your kids come stay at the Ranch. Plenty of activities, riding and learning.Our retreaters learn
what it really means to own a horse. They shovel, groom, saddle, feed and water, and if not, they don’t
ride. They essentially become part owner of a horse for that week. We limit the size of our retreats. This
gives each child more one-on-one time with the counselors and the horses. Your child will not be lost in a
large crowd.

Event: Rainstorm Bike Ride
Date: July 8-16
Time: Times vary
Place: Southern Indiana
Phone/Website: (812) 333-8176 http://www.triri.org/storm.html
Admission: See website for details
About: RAINSTORM™ travels over hard-surfaced back roads in southern Indiana. Terrain ranges from
rolling to hilly; expect to be challenged. Lodging in Indiana State Park inns (three nights) and nice hotels
(two nights) is included in the tour fee. All accommodations offer comfortable beds, air conditioning, and
free WiFi.

Event: “From Now On”: Pyrography by DeMaris Gaunt
Date: July 10-31
Time: Daily 10am-5pm
Place: B3 Gallery
Phone/Website: (812) 988-6675
Admission: Free
About: B3 Gallery presents “From Now On”, a collection of original artwork by DeMaris Gaunt. Ms.
Gaunt’s will present a collection of her pyrography, an art form in which designs are burned into solid
wood. Her bold, abstract designs are inspired by nature and the world around her. In addition to
pyrography Ms. Gaunt works in stained glass and mosaic. An artist’s reception will be held on Saturday,
July 13th, from 5-8 PM. Ms. Gaunt will be available to discuss her work and meet visitors.The show will
hang from July 10-August 5th.

Event: 4th Annual Bean Blossom Southern Gospel Jubilee
Date: July 11-13
Time: 4pm-10pm
Place: Bill Monroe Music Park & Campground
Phone/Website: (800) 414-4677 http://www.beanblossom.us
Admission: $15-40
About: 3 days of Southern Gospel music with Promoter Mr. Bill Bailey. Please keep checking website
for complete line up. Bring our lawn chairs and enjoy. Free parking. Camping also available on our 55
acre campground with over 300 hook up sites and over 400 primitive tent sites, heated-A/C showerhouse,
walking trails, stocked fishing lake. Reservations recommended.

Event: Camp Steele
Date: July 11-12 (Session 1); July 18-19 (Session 2)
Time: TBD
Place: T.C. Steele State Historic Site
Phone/Website: (812) 988-2785 http://www.tcsteele.org
Admission: Members: $45 per session, $77 for both. Non-members: $50 per session, $80 for both.
About: Campers entering grade 4 through 7 will discover T.C. Steele, his work, his life and his home by
participating in art activities and tours. Campers will explore the grounds and learn more about using the
site’s natural elements as inspiration. Participants will need to bring a sack lunch, but some snacks and
drinks will be provided.

Event: “Grease” presented by Summer Youth Theatre
Date: July 12-14
Time: Fri/Sat 7:30pm; Sun matinee 2pm
Place: Brown County Playhouse
Phone/Website: (812) 988-6555 http://www.browncountyplayhouse.org
Admission: $19.25
About: America’s favorite musical! From the Director and company who brought you last summer’s hit
“Footloose”, young entertainers from Brown County and 4 surrounding counties will join us at the
Playhouse for some summer lovin’!

Event: Village Art Walk
Date: July 13
Time: 5pm-8pm
Place: Village of Nashville
Phone/Website: (812) 340-8781 http://www.villageartwalk.com/
Admission: Free
About: Second Saturdays Village Art Walk. Participating galleries will be open later hours (5-8pm) with
refreshments, music, special programs and show openings. Each month a different gallery will be
featured. Participating restaurants will be offering a special for art walk patrons that will be good for the
following Sunday as well. Stop in to see the BEST of Nashville’s local and regional artists!

Event: Art on Fire
Date: July 13-14
Time: Varies
Place: Nashville, IN
Phone/Website: (812) 988-7303 http://indianaglasstrail.com/events/art-on-fire/
Admission: Free
About: The Indiana Glass Trail presents the “Art On Fire” event series. The visually stimulating art glass
form will be featured with various demonstrations, displays, and presentations throughout the weekend.

Event: Welcome to the Jungle
Date: July 18-24
Time: 9:30am-4:30pm
Place: Rawhide Ranch
Phone/Website: (812) 988-0085 http://www.teameffectinc.com/holler-hoppin-zip-lines.html
Admission: $30
About: Take a walk on the wild side in July and join our experienced guides as they lead you on a
thrilling adventure through the Jungles of Brown County. Experience the exhilaration of soaring over
ravines up to 50 feet deep as you traverse over 1100 feet of zip “vines” on our six hop tour. Keep your
eyes peeled as you trek between hops, as you never know what manner of wild creatures are lurking
among the trees!

Event: Murder Mystery Dinner Theater
Date: July 20
Time: 6-8:30pm
Place: Artists Colony Inn and Restaurant
Phone/Website: (812) 988-0600 http://www.artistscolonyinn.com/
Admission: $45
About: The Artists Colony Inn welcomes you to join us for dinner and a murder. Golden Ticket
Productions present A Star is Dead. Meet us on the red carpet for the opening of “Indiana Smith and the
Next to the Last Crusade” and meet some of Hollywood’s greatest stars and legends including director,
Seymour Spielberg, co-star Sean Cannery and close family friend, Angela Stansbury. Its murder and
mayhem as one of the evening’s guests is found dead and the police arrive to solve the crime. Dinner will
be served buffet style at 6:00 downstairs in our banquet room, and the show starts at 6:30. Call The
Artists Colony Inn for more details or to reserve a room.

Event: 15th Annual Bean Blossom Gospel Jubilee
Date: July 25-27
Time: Evening
Place: Bill Monroe Music Park & Campground
Phone/Website: (800) 414-4677http://www.beanblossom.us/
Admission: $15-40
About: Bluegrass Gospel Music during the 3 day festival, please keep checking website for complete line
up of bands. Bring your lawn chair and enjoy! Free parking! Only 5 miles north of Nashville, Indiana
Camping available on our 55 acre campground with over 300 hook up sites and over 400 primitive tent
sites, heated-A/C showerhouse, walking trails, stocked fishing lake.

Event: Charlene Marsh Studio & Gallery Summer Open House
Date: July 27
Time: 10am-5pm
Place: 4013 Lanam Ridge Road Nashville, IN 47448
Phone/Website: (812) 988-4497 http://www.charlenemarsh.com
Admission: Free
About: Visit the studio and gallery of Brown County plein air painter, Charlene Marsh, and enjoy new
paintings, organic, “living foods” refreshments, summer flowers and gardens, hummingbirds and
butterflies. Everyone welcome.

Event: Indiana Finger Style Guitar Competition
Date: July 27
Time: Competition 10am-2pm; Evening Concert 7:30pm
Place: Brown County Playhouse
Phone/Website: (812) 988-6555 http://www.browncountyplayhouse.org
Admission: $17.50/$22.50/$32.50
About: 2nd annual amazing event! 40 top musicians from across the USA compete 10am to 2pm (with
lunch break) plus an evening concert at 7:30pm featuring the winners. Daytime and Evening tickets may
be purchase separately or as discounted Combo-Ticket. Daytime food for sale from local favorite
restaurant Muddy Boots.BC beer and wine available in the auditorium.

Event: GnawBrew-Art, Music, & Homebrew Party
Date: July 27-28
Time: 12pm-12am
Place: eXplore Brown County at Valley Branch Retreat
Phone/Website: (812) 988-7750 http://gnawbrew.ticketleap.com/gnawbrew/
Admission: Pre-sale $15; Gate $20
About: GNAWBREW™ is the most exciting Craft Beer event set in the rustic hills of Brown County,
Indiana. Bringing together home-brewers, regional breweries and beer distributors with artists and
musicians for a fun filled, yet family friendly event. Make plans now to join us for our 4th Annual
GNAWBREW Party here at beautiful eXplore Brown County

Event: Brown County 4-H Fair
Date: July 29-August 3
Time: Various times
Place: Brown County Fairgrounds
Phone/Website: http://www.browncounty4hfair.org/new/
Admission: Ticket prices vary
About: Come enjoy carnival rides, fair food, and observing all of the projects the 4-h members of Brown
County have been working hard on all year. Don’t forget to see all of the live stock, and cheer on the
contestants of this year’s queen contest. Come out for the best week of summer!

Watermelon Party for the Wolves, July 6

Photo provided by the venue and used with written permission.

By Denise Pearson
Wolf Park
http://wolfpark.org/

Wolf Park is having its 13th annual Watermelon for Wolves Party!  Join us at 2:00pm on Saturday, July 6, 2013, when we will give each wolf, fox and coyote his or her very own cold watermelon, stuffed with treats such as pig ears, cheese, and dog biscuits. Visitors are invited to watch as each animal enjoys their summery treat. See the new fox kits.

Our wolves really enjoy receiving their watermelons.  Unique treats provide environmental enrichment, giving our critters something to roll on, stuff their noses in, paw, lick, chew, scent-mark, and defend.  This year our fox kits will also get to enjoy watermelons— their first ever.

We have an extra treat for the humans — Gibson’s Shaved Ice will be here with flavored ice treats for just $1.  Visitors and wolves can both cool off and enjoy their day.  Gibson’s Shaved Ice will kindly share the proceeds with Wolf Park!

Want to help support Wolf Park’s efforts to cool off the wolves, and to do our important educational work?  Tell our critters you think they’re special by giving a donation for a nice, full, stuffed watermelon complete with pig ears and “snausages”. For our summer watermelon fundraiser, in return for your $25 donation we will send you a photo of the animal of your choice enjoying their watermelon.   See details online at www.wolfpark.org

General Admission: $8 adults, $6 kids age 6-13, kids 5 and under and Wolf Park Members are always free.

For more information call 765-567-2265 or visit our Web site at www.wolfpark.org.

South Shore CVA Celebrates 30 Years in July

South Shore Along Lake Michigan.
Image provided by South Shore CVA and used with written permission.

By Nicki Mackowski
South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority
http://southshorecva.com/

The South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority will be celebrating its 30th anniversary throughout the month of July; to help celebrate, the organization is leading the 30 Stops in 30 Days campaign. Each day throughout the month, the South Shore Tour Mobile will be making a stop at a different attraction, restaurant, event or business in the South Shore.

At the various stops, visitors will have opportunities for giveaways and prizes including coupons, gift cards, free admission tickets to attractions and other promotional items. Visitors stopping at the Tour Mobile during the stops will be entered to win a $25 gift card each day from Family Express. Additionally, for each stop a visitor makes, they will be entered to win the grand prize of a $2,000 gift card from Family Express.

During the past 30 years the South Shore CVA has been leading the hospitality and tourism industry and showcasing tremendous growth. To recognize that growth, the South Shore CVA will be commending 30 individuals who have impacted tourism along the South Shore. Each week during July, the South Shore CVA will be releasing information on the 30 Faces of Tourism.

For more information on 30 Stops in 30 Days, the Family Express daily gift cards and gas contest or the 30 Faces of Tourism, visit www.southshorecva.com/30.

In addition to following the Tour Mobile during 30 Stops in 30 Days, visitors will also have the opportunity to win a $500 Visa gift card from the South Shore CVA by submitting photographs in the Summer Fun along the South Shore photo contest.

Photographs should be candid and depicting people enjoying summer activities such as water parks, festivals, beaches and parks.

Submitted photographs may be featured on the South Shore CVA’s website, promotional material or ads. First place winner from the 2012 summer photo contest Scott Keithley was visiting the beaches of the South Shore when he took a picture of his son playing in the water. His winning photograph was featured on the South Shore CVA’s 2013 visitor maps.

For more information or to submit photos into the contest, visit www.southshorecva.com/summerphoto.