Free Admission Day at Indiana DNR Properties, May 1, 2022 @indnrnews

ABOVE: Spring Mill State Park in Lawrence County near Mitchell, Indiana, one of the participating parks on Free Admission Day (May 1, 2022)

Indiana DNR Press Release

A free day of outdoor recreation with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources is coming your way on Sunday, May 1, 2022, kicking off Visit Indiana Week, a promotion of the Indiana Destinations Development Corporation that runs May 1-7.

For starters, the Indiana state parks, state recreation areas, reservoirs (on.IN.gov/stateparks), and state forests (on.IN.gov/forestry) that charge a daily gate fee for each entering vehicle will waive that fee for all guests on May 1. Sunday is also the first Free Fishing Day of the year. Indiana residents will be able to fish on that day without a fishing license or trout/salmon stamp, with all size and bag limits applying for those who keep fish.

Free Fishing Day applies to all public waters in Indiana, and free admission provides the perfect chance to fish at one of the many DNR destinations that offer fishing. You can find a fishing destination at on.IN.gov/recfinder.

Free Fishing Day is an ideal chance for anglers to share fishing with someone who does not have a license. To help them get started, fishing tips and videos are at on.IN.gov/learn2fish. You can find public places to fish at on.IN.gov/where2fish. This year’s other Free Fishing Days are June 4-5 and Sept. 24. Learn more at on.IN.gov/fishfree.

When you visit a DNR destination on May 1, regardless of whether you fish, make sure to check in with an Indiana State Nature Passport. Doing so will launch your eligibility for winning prizes from DNR. The grand prize is a package that includes a 2022 State Parks Pass, a $50 gift card for camping, and a subscription to Outdoor Indiana magazine.

In addition, those who donate to the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation (on.IN.gov/nrfdonate) in May will earn a free check-in on their nature passport. 

To view more DNR news releases, please see dnr.IN.gov.

Feast of Lanterns at Spades Park, Aug. 24, 2019

Feast of Lanterns at Spades Park in Indianapolis, Indiana.
(c) AroundIndy.com, LLC. All rights reserved.

By Kay Feeney-Caito
On behalf of the Feast of Lanterns

The annual Feast of Lanterns Festival will be held at Spades Park in Indianapolis (1800 block of Nowland Avenue) on Saturday, August 24, 2019, 4-11 pm.

Free to attend, Feast of Lanterns is an annual family-friendly festival organized by the Lanterns Foundation Inc, (a 501c3 Non-Profit).

This colorful and visually-appealing one-day festival features over 500 colorful and glowing lanterns strung between 100-year-old trees, plus food trucks, live music, a kid’s zone, community vendors, artists, a beer garden, and more. Festival attendees especially enjoy the event at dusk when all of the lanterns are brightly lit following the children’s lantern parade and countdown.

The Feast of Lanterns Festival is host to 30 local artists with items for sale including clothing, soaps, home decor and more, and 30+ neighborhood organizations, non-profit and community groups with tables and information and free goodies for the community, plus a kid’s zone with free craft projects.

Food trucks this year include Calliope Sno Balls, Gordon’s Ice Cream, NY Slice, Lick, Gaucho’s Fire, Black Eye, Greek2Go, Costa Brava, Murry’s BBQ and several more. The beer garden will feature Flat 12, Centerpoint Brewing, and Ash and Elm Cider.

Live music this year features Dorin (4pm), Bashiri Asad (5:15pm), Sarah Grain and the Billions of Stars (6:30pm), Chamber Music Band (7:45pm), Carmichael (9pm) and Pork and Beans Brass Band (10pm).

Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket and to park at the Circle City Industrial parking lot located less than 1/4 mile west of the Park and walk along the Pogue’s Run Trail to reach Spades Park, or park at Teacher’s Treasures located off E. 10th Street.

For more information, visit https://www.indyfol.org.

The History Behind Festival Country, Indiana ( @FestCountryIN )

The Johnson County Museum of History in Franklin, Indiana.
AroundIndy.com staff photo, (c) 2012, all rights reserved.

By Festival Country Intern Bridget Wimmer
Johnson County, Indiana

Tucked away, off the main road of Franklin, Indiana is a building full of all the wonders of Johnson County. The Johnson County Museum of History, which was founded by the Daughters of the American Revolution, not only prides itself on educating visitors on how Johnson County came to be, but also does it’s best to bring its community closer together.

This story begins in the Paleozoic era, when Indiana was closer to the equator. Fossil proof of this time can be found at the museum along with evidence of the beginning of mankind in the Johnson County region.

A pioneer trunk on display at the Johnson County Museum. Photo by Alexis Whiteman provided by Festival Country Indiana and used with written permission.

How they lived and ways they survived are told through the artifacts that are on display at the museum, and you can even walk through a replica home to see for yourself. Can you image living in a day and age where electricity and Wal-Mart weren’t around yet? The museum lets you experience this and so much more.

They even have exhibits that change throughout the year so that every time you come back you will have a different and new experience.

The newest exhibit featured at the museum is Strengthening Community One Scoop at a Time. This exhibit focuses on a few of the local Johnson County ice cream businesses as an example of how local businesses help build a community.

Pioneer Fiddle Tunes exhibit at the Johnson County Museum. Photo by Alexis Whiteman provided by Festival Country Indiana and used with written permission.

The Johnson County Museum of History is located at 135 North Main Street in Franklin and allows for an interactive experience on how the county has changed from the beginning of time to now. Make sure to make this one of your priority stops when you visit Festival Country, just south of Indy!

The museum is open Tuesday through Friday, 9 am to 4 pm, and Saturday, 10 am to 3 pm. Admission is free.

For more information on exhibits, check out http://co.johnson.in.us/jcmuseum/permanent-exhibits/, or call 317-346-4500.

For more information about Johnson County, Indiana events, visit https://www.festivalcountryindiana.com.

Concerts on the Canal @indianahistory, June 7 to July 26, 2018

Concerts on the Canal at the Indiana History Center.
(c) AroundIndy.com, LLC. All rights reserved.

By Rachel Hill Ponko
Indiana Historical Society

The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) is pleased to announce the 2018 Concerts on the Canal lineup.

The popular summer series returns to downtown Indianapolis on Thursday nights, June 7 through July 26, 2018.

In addition, concert Thursdays feature free admission to the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, located at 450 W. Ohio St., with extended hours, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

All performances are from 6 to 8 p.m. The 2018 lineup features a variety of styles, from jazz, soul and classic R&B to rock, pop and dance music from the 70s to today.

There is a mix of returning acts, such as Tad Robinson and My Yellow Rickshaw, and those making their Concerts on the Canal debut, such as Tastes Like Chicken and LemonWheel.

Free seating is available on the grassy area along the Canal Walk. In addition, guests can purchase seating on the History Center’s Kruse Family Stardust Terrace in tables of eight ($50/$40 IHS members) or tables of four ($40/$30 IHS members). Single seats are available at the community table ($10/$8 IHS members). The Terrace is a smoke-free and pet-free zone.

Visitors are welcome to bring their own food and nonalcoholic beverages. The History Center’s Stardust Terrace Café, outdoor grill and cash bar, operated by Hoaglin Catering, will open at 5 p.m. All alcohol must be purchased and consumed on site.

Weekly offerings include a rotating schedule of IHS’s traveling exhibits, on display in Eli Lilly Hall. Guests are also encouraged to take full advantage of free admission and tour the Indiana Experience, which features IHS’s newest offering, Indianapolis Colts: The Exhibit, presented by the Indianapolis Colts with support from Plow Digital.

The exhibit uses digital activities, original artifacts, player interviews, photographs, videos and more to celebrate the team while also exploring football’s role in American culture.

The 2018 Concerts on the Canal series and free admission dates are supported by the Indianapolis Indians. For reservations, or for more information about IHS’s events, programs and resources, call (317) 232-1882 or visit www.indianahistory.org.

Veterans and Active Duty Military Free Admission Day at DNR Properties, Nov. 11

Clifty Falls State Park near Madison, Indiana.
AroundIndy.com staff photo, (c) 2016, all rights reserved.

Press Release
Indiana Dept. of Natural Resources

All veterans and active-duty military personnel, and everyone in their vehicle, will be admitted free to DNR state parks, reservoir properties and state forests on Veterans Day, Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017. Veterans and military personnel should present ID or evidence of military service where entrance gates are in operation.

“We appreciate the sacrifices and service of our veterans and active-duty military and look forward to recognizing them with a day to explore some of the best outdoor places in our state,” said Dan Bortner, director of Indiana State Parks.

For proof of military status, gate attendants will accept:

—Discharge papers (veteran’s DD Form 214).
—Veteran license plates: Ex-POW, Purple Heart, Disabled Hoosier Veteran, Pearl Harbor Survivor.
—Veteran license plates also include:
—Air Force Veteran
—Army Veteran.
—Coast Guard Veteran.
—Marine Corps Veteran.
—Merchant Marine Veteran.
—Navy Veteran.
—U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Disability Award Letter.
—Veterans hunting and fishing license.
—Documents showing veteran benefits with veteran’s name on document.
—Any other certificate or verification letter or form.

For general information about state park, reservoir and forest properties, visit http://dnr.IN.gov.

For information about interpretive programs at state parks and reservoirs, visit InterpretiveServices.IN.gov.