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Critic's Choice: INDIANA FIDDLERS' GATHERING, June 22-24

Forge Mountain Diggers

May 26-27
VALPO-FEST MOTORCYCLE SWAP
Porter County Fairgrounds | 215 E. Division | Valparaiso | valpo-fest.com | Sat 8 AM-5 PM, Sun 8 AM-4 PM | $8, $2 children under 12, women on motorcyles free

June 7-10
COLE PORTER FESTIVAL
Miami County Museum | 51 N. Broadway | Peru | 765-473-9183 | miamicountymuseum.com | Thu 6:30-midnight (benefit black-tie dinner for restoration of Porter birthplace), Fri 7-10 PM (hors d'oeuvres and Cole Porter revue), Sat 9 AM-11 PM, Sun 10 AM-4 PM | $125 for Thursday benefit, $25 for Friday concert

June 8-10
ROCHESTER ROUND BARN FESTIVAL
Downtown | Rochester | 574-224-2666 | contactrochester.org | Thu 4-10 PM, Fri 9 AM-11 PM, Sat 8 AM-11 PM |

June 8-10
CRAWFORDSVILLE STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL
Henry S. Lane Place | 212 South Water | Crawfordsville | 765-362-5200 | thestrawberryfestival.com | Fri 1 PM-9:30 PM, Sat 10 AM-9:30 PM, Sun 9 AM-5 PM |

June 9-16
BILL MONROE BEAN BLOSSOM BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL
Bill Monroe Music Park and Campground | Bean Blossom | 800-414-4677 | beanblossom.com | 7 AM-midnight | $15-$25 advance tickets (purchase by June 1), $65 three-day weekend pass, $125 eight-day pass. After June 1, $20-$30, $75 three-day weekend, $165 eight-day pass, children under 13 free

June 14-17
BBQ RIBFEST
Headwaters Park | 333 S. Clinton | Fort Wayne | 260-602-1831 | bbqribfest.com | Thu noon-midnight, Fri-Sat 11-1 AM, Sun 11:30 AM-10 PM | Free until 5 PM, $5 after, children under 14 free, weekend pass $20, free all day Sunday

June 22-24
ELKHART JAZZ FESTIVAL
Elkhart | 800-597-7627 | elkhartjazzfestival.com | Fri 5 PM-12:30 AM, Sat 11 AM-12:30 PM, Sun 10 AM-5 PM | $30-$50 single-session pass, $120 for all sessions, $195 VIP admission

June 22-24
INDIANA FIDDLERS' GATHERING
The 35th annual Indiana Fiddlers' Gathering promises a jam-packed weekend of bluegrass, folk, gospel, and down-home country music. Highlights include Portland, Oregon, "supergroup" the Foghorn Stringband and punk refugees the Forge Mountain Diggers. It kicks off Friday night with a set by the Kountry Kernals, a group of local performers -- some of whom have played at every gathering since 1973 -- playing 1930s Indiana country; there's ample space for primitive tent camping on the festival grounds. Fri 8-10 PM, Sat 9:30 AM-11 PM, Sun 9:30 AM-5 PM, Tippecanoe Battlefield Park, Battle Creek, Indiana, indianafiddlersgathering.org, Advance tickets for individual concerts $6-$9 adults, $4 children 13-18; gate tickets $8-$12 adults, $5 children 13-18; daily and weekend passes also available, $22-$30 adults, $12-$15 children 13-18; children under 13 always free. --Martha Bayne

June 23
WAKARUSA BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL
66425 State Rt. 19 | Wakarusa | 574-862-2807 | wakarusajamboreebluegrassfestival.com | 10 AM-10 PM | $12 in advance, $15 at the gate

July 13-15
ANTIQUE POWER STEAM SHOW
Lake County Fairgrounds | Crown Point | 219-663-4359 | Fri 9 AM-5 PM, Sat 9 AM-8 PM, Sun 9 AM-4 PM | $4, children under 12 free

July 14-21
CIRCUS CITY FESTIVAL
Peru | 765-472-3918 | perucircus.com | Performances Sat 7/14 and 7/21, 2 and 7 PM; Sun 7/15, 3 PM; Mon-Fri 7/16-7/20, 7 PM; circus parade Sat 7/21, 10 AM | $10-$13, $9-$12 children

July 18-23
FESTIVAL OF THE LAKES
Wolf Lake Park/George Lake/Hammond Marina | Hammond | 219-853-6378 | thefestivalofthelakes.com | Tue 6-11 PM, Wed-Thu 5-11 PM, Fri 8 AM-midnight, Sat 9 AM-10 PM, Sun 2-11 PM |

July 21
INDIANA MICROBREWERS FESTIVAL
Opti Park | 320 E. 66th | Indianapolis | 3-7 PM | brewersofindianaguild.com | $30 advance, $35 gate

July 27-28
HOT DOG FESTIVAL
Main Street | Frankfort | 765-654-4081 | accs.net/mainstreet | Fri noon-10 PM, Sat 10 AM-10 PM |

July 27-29
PIEROGI FESTIVAL
119th Street and Indianapolis Blvd.| Whiting | 219-659-0292 | pierogifest.net | Fri-Sat 11 AM-10 PM, Sun 11 AM-5 PM |

August 2-4
PAUL WILLIAMS' BEAN BLOSSOM GOSPEL JUBILEE
Bill Monroe Music Park and Campground | Bean Blossom | 800-414-4677 | beanblossom.com | 7 AM-11 PM | $10-$15 per day or $30 for three-day pass, children under 13 free

August 3-12
LAKE COUNTY FAIR
Lake County Fairgrounds | Crown Point | lake-county-fair.com | 9 AM-11 PM daily | $1 admission; carnival rides extra

August 8-19
INDIANA STATE FAIR
Indiana State Fairgrounds | 1202 E. 38th | Indianapolis | 317-927-7500 | in.gov/statefair | Sun-Thu 6 AM-11 PM, Fri 6 AM-midnight, Sat 6-12:30 AM | $8, children 5 and under free

August 10-13
AMISH ACRES ARTS AND CRAFTS FESTIVAL
Amish Acres | Napanee | 800-800-4942 | amishacres.com | Thu-Sat 9 AM-7 PM, Sun 10 AM-5 PM | $6, children under 12 free

August 16-19
LAKEFRONT FESTIVAL
Festival Park | Hobart | 219-942-2987 | Thu-Fri 5-11 PM, Sat 10 AM-11 PM, Sun 10 AM-9 PM |

August 18-19
MICHIGAN CITY LAKEFRONT ART FESTIVAL
Washington Park | Michigan City | 219-874-4900 | lubeznikcenter.org | Sat 10 AM-6 PM, Sun 10 AM-5 PM | $4, $3 seniors and children under 13

August 17-19
MIDWEST CORVETTE & CHEVY CAR SHOW
Porter County Exposition Center and Fairgrounds | 215 E. Division | Valparaiso | 219-464-9918 | valpocarshows.com | Fri 3-10 PM, Sat 8 AM-10 PM, Sun 8 AM-5 PM | $7, children under 12 $2

August 18-19
ROLLING PRAIRIE'S ANNUAL OLDE FARMERS' FEST
Downtown | Rolling Prairie | 219-778-4317 | rollingprairie.org | Sat 9 AM-5 PM, Sun 10 AM-5 PM |

August 25
KOUTS PORKFEST
Downtown | Kouts | 219-766-2867 | kouts.org | 8 AM-6 PM |

August 31-September 3
MARSHALL COUNTY BLUEBERRY FESTIVAL
Plymouth Centennial Park | Plymouth | 888-936-5020 | blueberryfestival.org | Fri 5-10 PM, Sat-Sun 10 AM-10 PM, Mon 10 AM-6 PM |

September 8
VALPARAISO POPCORN FESTIVAL
Courthouse Square | Valparaiso | 219-464-8332 | popcornfest.org | 7 AM-6:30 PM |

September 14-16
FRANCESVILLE FALL FESTIVAL
Downtown | Francesville | 219-567-9689 | francesvillefallfestival.com | Fri 4:30-9 PM, Sat 6 AM-11 PM, Sun 10:30 AM-5 PM |

September 14-15
MIDDLEBURY FALL FESTIVAL
Downtown parks | Middlebury | 574-825-4300 | middleburyin.com | Fri 9 AM-7 PM, Sat 9 AM-5 PM |

September 13-16
NAPPANEE APPLE FESTIVAL
Downtown | Nappanee | 877-277-5375 | nappaneeapplefestival.org | Thu 5-9 PM, Fri 11 AM-9 PM, Sat 9 AM-9 PM, Sun 11 AM-6 PM |

September 15-16
DUNELAND HARVEST FEST
Chellberg Farm and Bailly Homestead | N. Mineral Springs between Hwy. 20 and Hwy. 12 | Porter | 219-926-7561, ext. 225 | nps.gov/indu/events | Sat-Sun 11 AM-5 PM | Parking donation of $6 per car, $20 per bus

September 15-16
JOHNNY APPLESEED FESTIVAL
Archer Park | Fort Wayne | 260-427-6003 | johnnyappleseedfest.com | Sat 10 AM-6 PM, Sun 10 AM-5 PM |

September 15
LAPORTE SUNFLOWER FAIR
Downtown | LaPorte | 219-362-2084 | lpchamber.com | 8 AM-4 PM |

September 27-30
MUSEUM DAYS: REMEMBERING JAMES DEAN AND THE JAMES DEAN RUN
Fairmount Historical Museum | 203 E. Washington | Fairmount | 765-948-4555 | jamesdeanartifacts.com | Various times |

September 29-30
BACK TO THE DAYS OF KOSCIUSZKO
Kosciuszko County Fairgrounds | Warsaw | 574-265-6093 | backtothedays.com | Sat-Sun 9 AM-4 PM | $3, children under 5 free

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