Central Indiana Things to Do - Hoosier Summers
Flight and flowers in Frankfort
The Anderson Flower Farm and the Hoosier Kitefliers Society unite to bring you the best of two worlds at their annual fun fly. On June 25, the flower farm opens their fields to kite enthusiasts from around the state from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bring your own kite or buy one at the flower farm for $5. “It’s quite an extraordinary sight to look up at the sky and see all those kites,” says owner Lois Anderson. During the summer months, the farm is a family destination where kids and adults can learn, cut their own bouquets, or simply walk the beds and take in nature’s beauty. “When I’m out working in the beds, that’s my time to talk to the man upstairs,” Anderson says. On June 18, florist Lyndsay Ploehn leads a make-and-take workshop where you can learn the principles of good design and perfect your own bouquets. For $50, workshop participants get a tour of the farm and all the supplies needed.
Anderson Flower Farm, 2284 West County Road 300 South, Frankfort
www.andersonflowerfarm.com
www.hoosierkite.org
Music on the Battlefield
Eclectic music lovers, find your niche at the Indiana Fiddlers’ Gathering, where musicians play a range of old-time, bluegrass, folk, swing jazz, string band, Celtic and Mexican folk music. The two-day event offers live performances plus free workshops for all levels of fiddle, banjo, ukulele and/or guitar musicians. Roam the grounds of Tippecanoe Battle Field Park and join all-day jam sessions, or see concerts on the main stage. Tickets for the event are on sale now.
Tippecanoe Battlefield Park, Battle Ground
www.indianafiddlersgathering.org
Take your fiber art to new heights.
Expand your skills in fiber arts at the Hoosier Hills Fiber Festival in Franklin, June 3-4. The two-day festival has a vendor marketplace of supplies and finished goods for shoppers. Fiber artists and those who want to learn can participate in workshops about weaving, knitting, crochet, dyeing and other crafts, all led by experienced fiber artists.
Johnson County Fairgrounds, Franklin
www.hoosierhillsfiberfestival.com/festival-information
A Juneteenth celebration remembers a Black chef who cooked for Indiana’s only president
When the 23rd president of the United States took office, he gave marching orders to Madame Petronard, the French chef who worked in the White House. President Benjamin Harrison replaced French cuisine with all-American food prepared by Black caterer and chef Dolly Johnson. On Friday, June 17 from 4-8 p.m., the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site hosts the Juneteenth Foodways Festival, where you can learn about Black cultural, social, and economic practices regarding food. Inspired by Dolly Johnson, the festival highlights contributions to American culture by Johnson and Black Hoosier contemporaries between the 1860s and 1890s. Come for the Juneteenth experience, stay for a taste of the city’s diverse cuisine, prepared by Indianapolis’ Black restaurants. Purchase tickets ahead.
Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site, 1230 North Delaware St., Indianapolis
www.bhpsite.org/events/juneteenth-foodways-festival
Edinburgh was Johnson County’s first settlement, and its borders touch two more counties, Bartholomew and Shelby. If small-town gatherings are your thing, then help the town mark its 200th anniversary on June 10-11. The celebration includes hot air balloon rides, food trucks, beer gardens, a petting zoo, vendors, fireworks, games and live music.
Edinburgh Bicentennial Bash, Edinburgh
www.edinburgh.in.us
