Dig IN, A Taste of Indiana, Aug. 30, 2015

At last year’s Dig IN event. Photo provided by the event organizers and used with written permission.

By Jen Thomas
On behalf of Dig IN, A Taste of Indiana

High-quality, locally produced products are the hallmark of Indiana’s favorite food festival, Dig IN, a Taste of Indiana 2015, scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 30, 2015.

Indiana chefs, brewers, vintners and food artisans will showcase a bevy of prepared dishes and beverages. The single-price admission includes all the samples and live performances by Indiana-based musical groups.

A list of chefs, producers, wineries and breweries, as well as other event information will be posted at http://www.digindiana.org/.

WHAT:
Dig IN, a Taste of Indiana 2015

WHEN:
Aug. 30, 2015, 12-5 PM

WHERE:
White River State Park, 801 W. Washington St., Indianapolis

TICKETS:
Tickets available online beginning in July and at the gate

$35 for General Admission ($45 after Aug. 23)
$60 for Early Admission at 11 a.m.
$120 for the Ultimate VIP Experience, including:
• Parking in nearby underground garage
• Climate-controlled luxury restrooms
• Air-cooled tent
• Rare and reserve beers and wines available exclusive for VIPs
• Bistro table seating

INFO:
www.digindiana.org, 317-363-4625

Dig IN, a Taste of Indiana 2015

WHEN:
Aug. 30, 2015, 12-5 PM

WHERE:
White River State Park, 801 W. Washington St., Indianapolis

TICKETS:
Tickets available online beginning in July and at the gate

$35 for General Admission ($45 after Aug. 23)
$60 for Early Admission at 11 a.m.
$120 for the Ultimate VIP Experience, including:
• Parking in nearby underground garage
• Climate-controlled luxury restrooms
• Air-cooled tent
• Rare and reserve beers and wines available exclusive for VIPs
• Bistro table seating

INFO:
www.digindiana.org, 317-363-4625

LM Sugarbush Maple Syrup Festival in Salem

LM Sugarbush Family Farm in Washington County, Indiana.
AroundIndy.com staff photo, (c) 2014, all rights reserved.

By Bob Burchfield, Editor
AroundIndy.com, LLC
http://aroundindy.com/

You know, one of the things I love about Indiana is the broad diversity of events. There’s always something good and interesting to do around Indy no matter what it is in which you are interested. If you want to go fancy in tux and tails, there are events for that. If you want go to the other extreme, there are events to suit your tastes, too.

One of those events is the 23rd annual Maple Syrup Festival at Leane and Michael’s Sugarbush, 321 North Garrison Hollow Road, east of Salem in Washington County, Indiana, about two hours south of Indianapolis via I-65 to the Scottsburg exit, then west. Last weekend was the first of two weekends of pancakes and maple syrup, old-fashioned games, live music, demonstrations, wagon rides, crosscut sawing, candle making, and lots more at this remote country site in the hills of southern Indiana.

Parking on a county road near the Maple Syrup Festival.

The operative word in the venue’s address is “hollow.” The festival is located on a family farm down in the bottom of a hollow in Washington County. Be prepared to park on the berm of a county road and walk a long way down into the hollow to get to the festival (see photo at right). This means that you also have to walk back up out of the hollow at the end of your visit, which is not a desirable chore if you are elderly or not in good physical condition, and there is no shuttle service (handicapped parking is available on the grounds; show a staff member your handicapped sticker). Wear comfortable clothes and take a good pair of boots (hey, it’s a farm, it’s muddy).

Having said that, the Maple Syrup Festival is a lot of fun. On Saturday there were lots of kids enjoying themselves at the straw maze, the tomahawk throw, climbing Jacob’s Ladder (or not!), and even building a spillway in the creek that passes through the property (I’ll bet that made some parents happy!).

There are many exhibits and vendors. The Sugar Store offers those cute little jugs of maple syrup plus maple cotton candy and maple cream, and there’s a wide variety of merchandise for sale. And, ohhhh, that evaporator room! It’s pretty intriguing just to watch the staff members making the maple syrup with the steam rolling out of that big evaporator.

Pancakes and Maple Syrup at the Maple Syrup Festival.

Of course, no festival worth attending would be any good without some great Hoosier food, and the Maple Syrup Festival lives up to this standard with pancakes and sausage, BBQ chicken, pork chops, pulled pork, and that amazing Waffle Boat Supreme topped with strawberries or blueberries, ice cream, whipped cream and pure maple syrup. OMG.

The Maple Syrup Festival is open for its second weekend, March 1-2, 2014, from 9 am to 5 pm on both Saturday and Sunday. There’s no parking fee or admission charge to enter the grounds, but of course you’ll want to take some money for food and any purchases (and a couple of the activities have a small charge). For more information, visit http://www.lmsugarbush.com/, or call 812-867-4491. Here are more photos from last weekend’s visit to LM Sugarbush:

The Evaporator Room at LM Sugarbush

In the Sugar Store at LM Sugarbush

Those cute little Pure Maple Syrup jugs at LM Sugarbush

Navigating the straw maze at the Maple Syrup Festival

Climbing Jacob’s Ladder (or at least trying to!) at LM Sugarbush

“The line forms here” at LM Sugarbush

Building a spillway in the creek at LM Sugarbush

Tomahawk Throw at LM Sugarbush

In the Sugar Store at LM Sugarbush

Crosscut Sawing at LM Sugarbush

LM Sugarbush Deliciousness at the Maple Syrup Festival

Firepower for the maple syrup evaporator at LM Sugarbush.
All photos are AroundIndy.com staff photos, (c) 2014, all rights reserved.

RiverRoots Music and Folk Arts Festival in Madison, May 17-18

Madison, Indiana is on the Ohio River in southeastern Indiana.
Image provided by VisitMadison.org and used with written permission.

By Ann Mulligan
On behalf of RiverRoots Music and Folk Arts Festival
http://www.riverroots.org/

Exciting changes are in store at the 2013 RiverRoots Music and Folk Arts Festival in Madison, Indiana. This quickly growing event features up and coming musical artists on the threshold of national acclaim. There’s a greater focus on serving the finest craft beers from the region. And new for this year will be gourmet food trucks from surrounding cities. The event also features a Folk Art Village with artisans and craftsmen demonstrating pre-1800 craft skills.

This year the festival is moving to a two-day format, Friday and Saturday, May 17-18, 2013. And for the first time there will be two stages with continuous music throughout the weekend. As always, the event takes place on the beautiful riverfront in historic Madison, Indiana.

Favorite performers from past years will return for this 9th annual festival, including The Carolina Chocolate Drops and the Latin/Mountain fusion group Appalatin. Others include Ben Sollee, John McCutcheon, Rani Arbo and Daisey Mayhem, The Vespers, and Andrea Davidson. The Second Stage will feature Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart, Danny Flanigan, Ma Crow and the Lady Slippers, and Danny Schmidt and Carrie Elkin.

“We couldn’t be more excited about the changes this year,” said Event Coordinator Greg Ziesemer. “Our Friday headliner is authentic Cajun music by Balfa Toujours from Lafayette, Louisiana, and we have dance instructors coming to teach the crowd the Cajun “Two-Step” before their set! Our Second Stage performances will be “staggered” between the Main Stage performances, so there’s never a break in the action.”

Every year many of the performers take time out to spend time in the Folk Village Jam Tent for workshops and jamming. “It is a highlight of the festival when the main stage artists join us,” said Folk Jammer founder John Sheckler. “I’ll never forget when the Chocolate Drops came to the tent and shared their amazing talent.”

Culinary choices will be expanded this year with a new “Kitchen Alley,” featuring gourmet food trucks and fresh food vendors. “These food trucks are rolling works of art that can deliver a hot, gourmet meal within minutes,” said Kevin Watkins, Director of Culinary Services. Greg Ziesemer continued, “We are really elevating the overall experience at our festival. Food trucks are a diverse and exciting way to offer interesting, healthy food options, AND, they’re totally hip!”

Complementing the food will be a greater emphasis on craft beer from regional brewers. “The Craft Beer tent will feature five Indiana micro breweries with 15 different brews to choose from. There should be something to suit anyone’s taste,” said Craft Beer Coordinator Don Clapham.

For tickets and a full list of performers, activities and show times go to www.RiverRoots.org or call 800-559-2956.

Editor’s Acknowledgement: VisitMadison.org.