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Carmel Symphony Orchestra

If you are already planning a weekend getaway to Hamilton County’s 8 Great Towns or want to take a last minute Indiana vacation, here are 8 Great Things to do in Hamilton County, Indiana this weekend:

1.  Discover your inner rock star during the Kings of Leon concert at Verizon Wireless in Noblesville  – Friday, September 25.

2.  Listen to beautiful music as Micheal Feinstein joins the Carmel Symphony Orchestra for a one-night only performance – Friday, September 25.

3. Play putt putt at Ben & Ari’s or ride the 1859 Balloon Voyage at Conner Prairie (both in Fishers) and see the 8 Great Towns staffers there! – Friday, September 25.

4.  Visit the Museum Of Miniature Houses in Carmel to celebrate the 5th Annual Smithsonian Museum Day. Before you go, be sure to download a Museum Day Pass at smithsonian.com – if you do, you will be given free admission – Saturday, September 26.

5. Unwind while watching a Movie in the Park at West Park in Carmel – Saturday, September 26.

6. Experience “National Take a Child Outside Weekend” at Conner Prairie – Saturday, September 26 – Sunday, September 27. UPDATE: Conner Prairie is also honoring the Smithsonian Pass mentioned above – Take advantage of this great deal!

7.  Visit the small town of Atlanta for the 36th Annual Atlanta Earth Festival (and ride the EarthFest Train there!) – Saturday, September 26 – Sunday, September 27.

8.  The Carmel International Arts Festival is back! Attend this free event that showcases talented artists of all kinds – Saturday, September 26 – Sunday, September 27.

*Visit us online at 8GreatTowns.com for more details on the activities above and other weekend fun ideas!

Wow that is going up HIGH!

This Friday the staff of the Hamilton County CVB will be getting out of our offices to experience the county.  A few times a year, we try to have a little get together- last year we feasted on barbeque from Big Hoffa’s and it was delicious!

This year our staff outing begins with a little friendly competition at Ben & Ari’s – putt putt if the weather is nice and bowling if it is too chilly or raining (although the forecast I just looked up shows 80 & partly cloudy on Friday).  After the putt putt/bowling winner is announced, we will chat over pizza.  We will then head over to Conner Prairie to explore the grounds – and for the first time I will ride 350 feet up in the air on the 1859 Balloon Voyage!  Wish me luck.

I will report back on the events of the day – in the meantime, I can’t wait to get out and stretch my legs with my 8 Great Towns colleagues.

But no matter how much emphasis we put on the visitor, it’s really about helping support community. We have a saying here: “Great places to live are great places to visit.” And that’s what the Responsible Tourism Congress came about. The Association of Indiana Convention and Visitors Bureaus is joining with the Hamilton County Convention and Visitors Bureau and a number of other organizations to host a conversation on how we as communities can embrace authentic, sustainable, “green” tourism. And tourism that’s sensitive to the communities we promote.

On October 8 & 9, Indiana tourism organizations, Main Street representatives, historic preservationists and community development specialists will join in conversation about “responsible tourism” at a congress being held at The Renaissance Hotel in Carmel. Anyone interested in building communities around tourism and tourism around communities is encouraged to attend. Day One is all about how we define what is “responsible” and how we embrace that responsibility in Indiana. Day Two is a toolkit for building responsible tourism communities.

If you’re interested in learning more, visit our web site at 8GreatTowns.com/responsibletourism.

We talk about this as a “conversation” because that’s what it is.

To celebrate fall, we are having an online contest giving away fall getaways so that you can experience the fun that Hamilton County, Indiana has to offer.  The packages listed below will be given away September 16 – October 9. Packages vary but include 1-night accommodations, a dining gift card and tickets to attractions and/or upcoming festivals.  To win, visit the following link: 8GreatTowns.com and fill out the form, winners are drawn at random (drawing dates are also listed below)!  Good luck and enjoy your Indiana getaway!

Getaway Packages

Britni is one of the most dependable, consistent, and friendly associates at the Renaissance Hotel.  Just recently, a guest took the time to send a letter to the GM, Paul O’Conner, to compliment Britni’s dedication to service.  The guest said his arrival experience with Britni was “wonderful!” He told Mr. O’Conner how Britni upgraded him to the Club Lounge floor.  To his surprise and delight, when he arrived to his room at 4pm, Britni had two of his favorite beers delivered to his room with Britni’s compliments.  Britni treats everyone likes VIP and is highly respected around the hotel.

For the business nominations, the 2009 U.S. Senior Open Championship Committee, Kelties Restaurant and Peterson’s Restaurant were nominated, with Peterson’s winning the award.

My husband & I wanted to celebrate our anniversary in a special way, so we went to Peterson’s Restaurant.  From the moment we walked in, the hostess, wait staff, management and chef treated us like royalty. The food was cooked perfectly and came out without any lag time.  As the staff walked by they greeted us with a “Happy Anniversary!” they also brought out a (free) chocolate fudge type of cake at the end – it was so good.  Overall, the ambiance, food and service made for a perfect Anniversary.

Thank you to those that made nominations. Congrats to both the winners and as well as all the nominees.  Excellent service is what makes Hamilton County, Indiana a great place to visit!

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Riding the Rails with the Indiana Transportation Museum

If you are already planning a weekend getaway to Hamilton County’s 8 Great Towns or want to take a last minute Indiana vacation, here are 8 Great Things to do in Hamilton County, Indiana this weekend:

1.  Buy fresh, locally grown fruits and veggies at the Westfield Farmers Market – Friday, September 18.

2.  Take a group of family and friends to Numa Festival in Westfield for music and dance performances, a chili cook-off, a kids art area and more! – Saturday, September 19.

3. Spend Saturday at the 4th Annual Art in the Park in Fishers, a fun-filled day featuring artists that have been judged and selected specifically for this event. – Saturday, September 19.

4.  All teenagers should head to “Teen Spree” at Clay Terrace for garage bands, cheer squads and giveaways – Saturday, September 19.

5. Have dinner out with the family in a whole new way and ride the Pizza Plus Express Train! – Saturday, September 19.

6.  Stare at the pretty fall sky during the “Star And Satellite Gazing Tours” at Strawtown Koteewi Park in Cicero – Saturday, September 19.

7.  Celebrate Indiana’s farm heritage, play an historic game of base ball and visit the Tent of Wonders- all during Country Fair at Conner Prairie in Fishers – Saturday, September 19 – Sunday, September 20.

8.  Hop aboard a caboose at the Indiana Transportation Museum in Forest Park for a quick train ride - Sunday, September 20.

*Visit us online at 8GreatTowns.com for more details on the activities above and other weekend fun ideas!

We are having a contest on the blog that will give you some time away with a loved one.  If you win, you will first travel back in time while at Conner Prairie Interactive History Park in Fishers.  You can spend your day strolling the grounds, working on a farm, gobbling up caramel apples from the Apple Store or flying 350 feet above Hamilton County.  After a fun filled day, slow down during a romantic dinner at the Glass Chimney restaurant in Carmel.  Dine on a mouth watering meal of steak, seafood, dessert and more.  Once you have finished dessert, tuck into a comfy bed at the Quality Inn & Suites in Noblesville. Head home the next day filled with a lifetime of happy, romantic memories.

Prize:

2 general admission tickets to Conner Prairie, $50 Gift Certificate to the Glass Chimney, 1 overnight stay at Quality Inn & Suites

How to enter:

To win, answer to the following question in the comment section of this post: How many days/months/years/decades have you loved your significant other (we have to keep it romantic, right?)?  The winner will be selected at random!  See the blog policy tab for more details on contest policies.  This contest closes at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 16.

(we are having another contest on our website where we are giving away “Fantastic Fall Getaways” - enter to win!)

I had the pleasure of going to this unique event with a close friend.  The weather was just beautiful with lots of sun and light breeze.  As we wandered around, we discovered over 140 cars on display.  We were fascinated with the oldest car – a 1905 Brush Roundabout in mint condition! Some of the other cool cars were a 2008 Lotus Exige S240, an old Cadillac covered in pennies, sleek Lamborghinis and, of course, iconic race cars!  The Penny Car was quite the sight to see- with the sun shining off the pennies it almost looked like a car covered in small mosaic tiles.

My favorite cars were the ones from the late 50′s to late 60′s.  My friend and I were taken back in time as we remembered cruising around in our parents cars and only putting $1.00 worth of gas for a Friday or Saturday night on the town. I certainly enjoyed taking that walk down memory lane!

It was a beautiful afternoon to take in the sights and enjoy some fine food and drinks.  Take a Saturday afternoon this month to appreciate one of the upcoming arts events in the District; a Gallery Walk on the 19^th or the Carmel International Arts Festival on the 26^th-27^th.

Photo from carmelartomobilia.com

Artomobilia, photo courtesy of CarmelArtsAndDesign.com

1.  Celebrate “Going Local Week” by visiting a weekend Farmers Market, a local winery or a U-Pick.

2.  View the “Berlin Airlift – A Legacy of Friendship” traveling exhibit, now displayed at the Indianapolis Executive Airport – Friday, September 11 – Saturday, September 12.

3. It’s not too late to participate in the “Tour De Carmel” cycling event! Saturday registrants are welcome to join in on this exciting 10 or 20-mile ride – Saturday, September 12.

4.  Stroll through beautiful Noblesville residences during the “23rd Annual Tour of Historic Homes” – Saturday, September 12.

5.  Study Indiana rocks and fossils during “Science Saturday” at Conner Prairie in Fishers – Saturday, September 12.

6.  Ride the Tipton Pork Festival Train to Tipton, where you can depart and continue on with your adventure at the Pork Festival – Saturday, September 12.

7.  Gather in the Carmel Arts & Design District for Artomobilia and check out an outdoor gallery of seminal designs from automotive history – Saturday, September 12.

8.  Enjoy the music from great live bands during “Sunday Music On The Patio” at Fionn MacCool’s in Fishers- Sunday, September 13.

*Visit us online at 8GreatTowns.com for more details on the activities above and other weekend fun ideas!

I found out from the Going Local blog that it is ”Going Local Week,” which is a time to celebrate and enjoy Indiana’s wide array of fresh, locally grown foods, spices and treats.  Sounds good to me!

Here are a few ways to “Go Local” in Hamilton County:

-Visit one of the four great Farmers Markets (click for details)

-Stop by the Apple Store at Conner Prairie for fresh Indiana apples

-Quench your thirst with fresh artesian water at The Flowing Well Park

-Sip wine at Ferrin’s Fruit Winery or Grape Inspirations, both in Carmel

-Satisfy your sweet tooth with a pie from Lisa’s Pie Shop or candy from Uncle Henry’s Candies

-Visit a Hamilton County Farm or U-Pick: Gatewood Vegetable Farm or Spencer’s You-Pick in Noblesville, Wilson Farm Market in Arcadia, or Sheridan’s Stuckey Farm

For more Indiana food ideas, restaurants and recipes go to the Indiana Foodways Alliance website: IndianaFoodways.com

Pumpkins from the Stonycreek Farm Pumpkin Festival

Fall in Hamilton County, Indiana is ushered in with the leaves changing to bright colors, crisp air and weekends filled with train rides, haunted hayrides, tasty treats and of course festivals and fairs.  Below is a guide to some of the festivals this season, pick just one or come to them all – you surely won’t be disappointed!

Enjoy your 8 Great Towns weekend escape…

The Apple Store at Conner Prairie September 1- November 1 - Conner Prairie’s 18th annual Apple Store is filled with fresh, hand-dipped caramel covered apples, cider slushies, apple butter, candy and seasonal home decorations.  Take the treat with you or if you can’t wait relax outside on one of the picnic tables – I can’t think of a better way to enjoy a fall afternoon…

23rd Annual Tour of Historic Homes September 12 Enjoy a September stroll through the storied structures & residences of Noblesville.

Art in the Park September 19 - Visit the Municipal Center of Fishers where musicians, dancers and other performers will entertain you while you browse and shop through the one of a kind jewelry, pottery, paintings and more on display.

Art in the Park - Photo from FishersArtCouncil.org

Country Fair September 19-20 - Country Fair is all about celebrating Indiana’s Farm Heritage!  The 1886 Agricultural Fair has been re-created so that visitors can see a bearded lady, have their fortune read and play a historic game of base ball.

Stonycreek Farm Pumpkin Harvest Festival September 26-October 31 It is a local tradition to kick off fall at Stonycreek Farm!  Hayrides, a pumpkin patch, farm animals and beautiful fall colors will greet you when you arrive at the Pumpkin Harvest.

Carmel International Arts Festival September 26-27 – This free event offers artists exhibiting in watercolor, oil, 2D, 3D, jewelry, photography, wood, sculpture, pottery and more.  The art is then coupled with tempting food vendors, outstanding restaurants and local shops within the Arts and Design District.

Carmel International Arts Festival

Atlanta New Earth Festival (take the Earthfest train!) September 26-27 Visit the small town of Atlanta for the 36th Annual New Earth Festival.  Over 80,000 people come for the fine arts, food and crafts.  Start the day at Forest Park in Noblesville, where you can hop aboard the Earthfest train to make the journey to Atlanta.

10th Annual Potter’s Bridge Festival October 3 More than 40 arts & crafts booths plus a climbing wall, food, live music and kid’s activities will be featured at this free, fun annual event!

Fishers Renaissance Faire October 3-4 Held on the grounds of historic Conner Prairie, the 5th Annual Fishers Renfaire offers visitors the opportunity to experience: jousting, archery, sword fighting, period music, Shakespeare vignettes, pirates, Queen Elizabeth’s court, demonstrations of period craftsman, falconry, parades, AND provides for a unique food and shopping experience. There is also a dedicated children’s game area and much, much more!

Fishers Renaissance Faire

Sheridan Harvest Moon Festival October 3-4 This weekend long event kicks off with a classic car show and is non stop entertainment of food, music, arts and a “Pumpkin Chuck” contest.

Autumnfest October 10 This free fall celebration is held in the quaint downtown of Arcadia.  Join in for a festival of arts, crafts, food, pumpkin decorating, antiques, collectibles and more!

Headless Horseman at Conner Prairie October 16-18, 21-25, 28-30 Hop on a haunted hayride tour of Conner Prairie, but be on the lookout for ghosts as they warn you about the Headless Horseman….  Stick around for ghost stories, campfires and music.

Headless Horseman

1.  Wrap up the 2009 season of Symphony on the Prairie at one of the 4 final shows – Thursday, September 3 – Sunday, September 6.

2.  Spend the first Friday evening of September at “First Friday’s – Upstairs Downtown” on the Historic Noblesville Square – Friday, September 4.

Cool Creek Park - Photo from myhamiltoncountyparks.com

3. While on the Square celebrating First Friday’s, visit Jazz Squared for an evening of great music – Friday, September 4.

4.  Take a hike at Cool Creek Park during one of their guided walks – either the “Saturday Morning Fall Migration Bird Hikes” or the “Woodland Fall Wildflower Hike.” – Saturday, September 5.

5.  Relax with a picnic and family at Veteran’s Park in Sheridan during the “Sunset Mandolin Serenade.” – Saturday, September 5.

6.  On Labor Day, hop aboard a caboose at the Indiana Transportation Museum in Forest Park for a quick train ride! – Monday, September 7.

7.  Enjoying your free Monday off of work?  Gather a group of friends and play a round of golf at one of our Indiana premier golf courses.

8.  Gobble up a caramel apple from the Apple Store at Conner Prairie – Open September 1-November 1, Tuesday – Sunday, 11 am – 5 pm.

*Visit us online at 8GreatTowns.com for more details on the activities above and other weekend fun ideas!

This fall tradition opened on September 1 and, lucky for me, I was excited to take my son for his 1st visit.  I arrived at Conner Prairie around 4 p.m. and met up with a friend and her son.  We loaded the boys into a wagon I brought from home and pulled them along right along with us.  It was the end of opening day, but the store was still filled with shoppers eager for their first caramel apple of the season.  By the time we sat down at the picnic table the boys were going crazy, so we gave them little nibbles of apple and BIG sips of the slushies.  They loved it!

The Apple Store is open September 1 – November 1, Tuesday – Sunday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.  This is a must do for visitors, residents and people simply driving through town!

Contact info: 13400 Allisonville Rd, Fishers. 800-966-1836. ConnerPrairie.org

Later in the afternoon we decided to walk over to the Hamilton 16 IMAX to catch a showing of “Time Traveler’s Wife.”  (Side note: As a self diagnosed movie lover, I have been to a LOT of movies and movie theaters – and this theater is one of my favorites.  It is big, clean, open and has the most comfortable chairs).  After the movie we slowly headed back to our cars before sadly parting ways!

On Sunday, we had family over for a visit.  Since it was such a beautiful day we wanted to get out and enjoy the perfect weather, so we drove to Forest Park, also in Noblesville.  Forest Park is a large park with tons of green grass, mature trees, pretty flowers – not to mention places to play, places to eat and paths to wander along.  We had our very own Indiana family adventure!  We started our visit by walking down one of the paths.  We walked by families celebrating birthday’s, friends playing volleyball, teenagers enjoying the skate park and small groups of people tee’ing off at the park golf course.  We stopped to let Christopher play on the playground equipment and to ride the carousel. Then we paused to watch a baseball game that was being played by a group of very dedicated high schoolers.

Alexander's on the Square, photo from DestinationNoblesville.com

After an afternoon filled with fun activities, we were famished!  We went to Noblesville Historic Square to look for a cool, local dining spot and decided on Alexander’s on the Square (as a warning, Sunday evenings are a little slow on the Square, not a lot of shops/restaurants are open).  When we walked in, we were pleasantly surprised to see the placed filled with families, teenagers and grandparents all happily eating their sweet ice cream treats.  My family sat in the booth by a window offering a great view of the Historic Square.  The food there is tenderloin & chicken fingers type of food, and while we really wanted to get a cone before we left, we were too full from dinner to manage another bite!

What a great way to spend a weekend….