Start your engines everyone because May is here and in Indy that is HUGE news! It is race month and there are so many activities and events to take advantage of:

• All month long – Hall of Fame Museum. With extended hours in May, it is the perfect time to get a refresher on your IMS history!
• Saturday, May 4 – OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon! This will be the 37th year the race has taken place and downtown will be hopping all day with runners, entertainment and people! I’m happy to say that out of my three sisters, I’m the only one who HASN’T run the mini. I think I may stake claim to that for … well, ever. Not sure I have it in me.
• Saturday, May 11 – Kids’ Day. Located in the heart of downtown, this is the state’s largest outdoor, FREE festival for kids. Some of the highlights include prizes from vendors, mini-car racing, race-themed arts and crafts, face painting, clowns, food. You won’t want to miss it!
• Wednesday, May 22 – Community Day. One of the highlights of this day is the opportunity to drive YOUR own car around the track. You can also get tours of pit lane and the official timing and scoring area and of course autographs from your favorite drivers. Cost is $8 in advance; $10 at the gate and 6 and under are free!
• Saturday, May 25 – 500 Festival Parade. The parade is the only 500 Festival event that has taken place every year, beginning in 1957. Indy will see more than 300,000 spectators take their place along streets of downtown to get a look at the parade. If you want a really good spot … purchase tickets and be in the middle of the action!

If visiting the track is your priority, then check out IMS’s full list of events at the track here. Or check out listings for a free downtown concert, the Snakepit Ball and more on the 500 Festival’s event page.

Or … go to the race itself. We have gone several times. Quite an experience and one you’ll never forget. Purchase tickets ahead of time or even find some the day of! We were able to score one ticket right across from the yard of bricks!And the other tickets we had gave us a great view of pit road!So get out there and enjoy the history, tradition and fun of May in Indianapolis!

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The post Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Month of May! was written by Carrie Lambert for the Indiana Insider Blog and can be found at The Indiana Insider Blog. If you read this post somewhere other than the link above, please contact us and let us know: http://www.in.gov/visitindiana/contactUs.aspx

The HandleBAR PeddlePub of Indianapolis is a pedal-powered, 4 wheeled bicycle that can hold 16 passengers and a “driver.” Think of the state fair trolley with pedals for riders and a bike at the front instead of a tractor.

Patrons pedal their way around Indianapolis and drink the beer they bring, while stopping at areas of interest along the way.

According to Brian Lindsay, one of the brother pair that brought the pedal bar to Indy, the group’s mission is to provide a safe, fun, environmentally friendly way for groups of 8-16 adults “to get some fresh air while exploring interesting parts of downtown Indianapolis.”

And to drink beer.

Image courtesy the HandleBAR Pedal Pub

At $300 for a two hour tour Sunday – Thursday, and $400 for a 2-hour tour Friday and Saturday, you might think it’s pricy for a traveling suds-bucket, but with a full bike it evens out to $10 per rider. Lindsay says they often have people ask about longer tours, and pricing is pro-rated beyond the 2-hr mark.

There is perhaps no other bar stool in the city that will allow you to maximize your people watching like the stools on The HandleBar.  Why tailgate in a lawn chair when you can swing by every single tailgate spot outside the stadium!

And according to Lindsay, the best reason may just be “why not?”

To book a beer-quest, visit the website or call (317) 620-1448.

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The post HandleBAR Pedal-Pub: a Brew Way to Tour Indianapolis was written by Mike Magan for the Indiana Insider Blog and can be found at The Indiana Insider Blog. If you read this post somewhere other than the link above, please contact us and let us know: http://www.in.gov/visitindiana/contactUs.aspx

Switzerland County’s The Ridge Winery will present a Bicentennial wine tasting at the Switzerland County Visitors Center in Vevay. The event will take place on First Friday, May 3, from 6-9 p.m. The center is located at 128 West Main Street.

Vevay-Switzerland County is having a 200th birthday and they’re popping the cork on a special edition wine to celebrate!

The Switzerland County Visitors Center in Vevay will host the county’s award-winning winemakers Tom and Mary Jane Damaree of The Ridge Winery for a Bicentennial wine tasting. The event takes place on May 3, from 6-9 p.m. during Vevay Main Street’s First Friday. The Visitors Center is located at 128 West Main Street.

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The post Bicentennial wine tasting at Switzerland County Visitors Center was written by Kendal Miller for the Indiana Insider Blog and can be found at The Indiana Insider Blog. If you read this post somewhere other than the link above, please contact us and let us know: http://www.in.gov/visitindiana/contactUs.aspx

After perusing their selection of wines and choosing some perfect gifts,  we walked around the beautiful grounds. They offer an assortment of gourmet picnic foods and visitors are welcome to bring a friend and enjoy a lazy afternoon by their pond … with a bottle of your favorite wine of course! When you plan your visit to Oliver, here are a few notes to keep in mind:

• If you go on on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, they offer free tours of their production facility in the afternoons. I’m always fascinated by the science behind wine making and while we didn’t have the time to take the tour this time, I have been in the past and enjoyed learning more about the process. Certainly made me appreciate my bottle a bit more!
• Tunes on the Terrace – A great way to relax on a summer night. Four concerts are scheduled for this summer and ticket prices include complimentary wine tasting and one glass of wine. Food vendors are available as no outside food is allowed.
• Oliver University – interested in learning more about wine making? Here is your chance. Summer courses are open to register.
• Personal note: Creekbend Vineyard – Made exclusively with Oliver’s Indiana grown grapes. It is my favorite collection and if you don’t believe me, I have a few empty bottles to prove it!

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The post Oliver Winery was written by Carrie Lambert for the Indiana Insider Blog and can be found at The Indiana Insider Blog. If you read this post somewhere other than the link above, please contact us and let us know: http://www.in.gov/visitindiana/contactUs.aspx

But, I highly recommend making this an overnight visit. Tent camping … not for me so much. Maybe for you and that is fine. They offer tent sites, 213 electric camp sites, a state park inn with 79 rooms and my personal favorite – cabins! You get the feel of camping without sleeping on the hard ground!And if you are a history buff make sure and hike to the Colonel Richard Lieber Cabin,. It commemorates the contributions of the father of Indiana’s state park system.

What are you waiting for? Get out there and visit an Indiana State Park today!

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Fancy a day trip?

Join Yelp in celebrating one of southern Indiana’s best day trip/weekend getaway destinations May 4 at the Inn at Irwin Gardens. Before anything else this is a 21+ only event, all must RSVP & ALL food & hooch & entertainment is entirely complimentary!

What to expect:

With the help of Ashley Weddings & Events, Claudia’s Florabunda and Connie Duglin Specialty Linen the scene will be set for a an evening in the garden! Light eats will be provided by 240Sweet Artisan Candies (gourmet marshmallow s’more bar), Lemley’s Catering (candied bacon sticks), Flatrock Bread Company (oven roasted pizzas on-site),
Icing on The Cake (intense vanilla based cupcakes with notes of exotic cardamon spice/cream cheese icing), Zaharako’s Ice Cream Parlor and more!

We can slurp it all down with the help of Mallow Run Winery, Burton’s Maplewood Syrup (can you say “extra-special cocktail?”), Hawcreek Brewing Company, Powerhouse Brewing, Chateau de Pique Winery and many more! Be sure to stay tuned for entertainment details.

There will be no shortage of Kodak moments either, as Solar Flare Photography will provide a station for you to remember how insanely happy you looked. Stacy Abel Photography will also be roaming the crowd, so check your teeth for gourmet

marshmallows, bacon bits and cake!

So, how do you get in? Easy as 1-2-3! RSVP by clicking here!

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The post Yelp’s Great Getaway to Columbus, IN! was written by Brittany Smith for the Indiana Insider Blog and can be found at The Indiana Insider Blog. If you read this post somewhere other than the link above, please contact us and let us know: http://www.in.gov/visitindiana/contactUs.aspx

Author Marian Allen at That Book Place Author Fair Madison, Indiana

If you’ve been following along little Indiana or my contributions to this blog, you may have noticed the assortment of places to visit around Indiana.

But I fear I have withheld a very important piece of information from you here on the Indiana Insider: there are also plenty of events and festivals in these towns too!

That Book Place in Madison, Indiana

While I probably could have written about the incredible author fair at That Book Place in Madison, Indiana sooner, I admit I’ve had my nose in a book more often than not! But how can you blame me?

With more than fifty authors set up outside of this amazing haven for gently used books, there were a whole lot of things to see inside–and out!

My husband and I picked up a slew of books from Indiana authors and even got to meet them face to face. How amazing is that?

Author Fair at That Book Place

Author RJ Sullivan at That Book Place Author Fair in Madison, Indiana

Visiting the annual author fair gave us a chance to check out the extremely varied work churned out by Indiana authors. Science fiction and horror, fantasy and romance, there is something here for absolutely everyone!

I had a chance to meet some really phenomenal Indiana authors like Marian Allen, John F. Allen, Eric Garrison, R.J. Sullivan, and Red Tash.

I think that sometimes we get so caught up in things we just don’t remember that there are plenty of ways to support our own state and the people in it than by traveling alone. It’s a whole different way to “shop local!”

Go There

Author Red Tash at That Book Place Author Fair in Madison, Indiana

Plan ahead for this wonderful annual author fair and support our Indiana authors!

Better yet: try to sit in when they host panels with Q&A sessions that cover a variety of topics. I think you’ll enjoy it.

Small towns are more than places to go–they are also the site of some pretty big shin-digs. And what can be more Hoosier than that?

Small towns: destinations, not drive-thrus.

That Book Place
337 Clifty Drive
Madison, Indiana 47250
812.574.4113

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I mean think about it. EVERY SINGLE picture I’ve ever seen of them looks like they’re waiting for you to die SO THEY CAN EAT YOU. And when they do get a scrap of food, they get all survival-ly and go run, hide and don’t share with anybody.

Somehow Wolf Park in Tippecanoe County has forged a respectful co-existence, dare I say friendship, with a 16-member wolf pack. And this Saturday from 1-5 you can get as up and personal as nature allows as the park celebrates the pack’s birthday since all wolves are born this time of year. Park staff will even be feeding them a special birthday cake which sounds funny but tastes better than human, I’m told.

Yes that’s a real wolf (I think it’s named Howly) and that’s a real birthday cake it’s eating!

Wolf Park will also be open for walking tours that day and the animals will receive their cakes around 2 pm, or when the “daytime moon rises above the crooked pine” according to Wolf Time. Wild canids are all born in April or May due to the timing of their annual breeding season—hence all of their birthdays are celebrated together.

This is also an opportunity to support Wolf Park and its efforts for research, education, and conservation. Just a $25 donation gets donors a photo of your favorite animal enjoying their birthday treat. And who else do you know has an actual picture of a woldf eating cake that isn’t photoshopped?

Howl Night is offered every Saturday night year round at 7:30pm.  Friday Nights during the open season only at 7:30 pm.

General admission is $8 for adults, $6 for children 6 –13, children five and under and Wolf Park Members are always free.  For more information call 765-567-2265 weekdays.   General park information can be found on-line at www.wolfpark.org.

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The post Now You Can Join Your Own Wolf Pack, In a Manner of Speaking was written by Mike Magan for the Indiana Insider Blog and can be found at The Indiana Insider Blog. If you read this post somewhere other than the link above, please contact us and let us know: http://www.in.gov/visitindiana/contactUs.aspx

Here are the top 5 things that I was happy to hear about today:

1. The Pig Adventure at Fair Oaks Farms is set to open in July 2013. In addition to the tasty cheese and ice cream available at the cafe, you’ll also be able to get bacon and other pork products!

2. The Evansville Museum is undergoing renovations that should wrap up in January 2014. The new spaces will give the riverfront museum its first river views and will give visitors an amazing experience in the new Immersive Theatre that will host film screenings, lectures and remote astronomical observations.

3. Hillforest Victorian House Museum in Aurora, Indiana will host American Girl Day Camps the week of June 17-20, 2013.

4. Warm Glow Candle Company in Centerville, Indiana is doubling its size by adding The Watering Can Garden Center and Farmer’s Market. You can check out the progress when you visit Warm Glow’s Spring Open House May 3-5, 2013.

5. If you think “hot” when you hear the words Indiana State Fair, then you’ll be excited to learn that this year the Fair will feature the Rosstyn Ice Show, an outdoor ice skating spectacle on a 40-foot by 40-foot ice rink. How is that for cool?! The fair opens August 2, 2013.

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The post 5 Things to Look Forward to in Indiana Travel was written by Amy Magan for the Indiana Insider Blog and can be found at The Indiana Insider Blog. If you read this post somewhere other than the link above, please contact us and let us know: http://www.in.gov/visitindiana/contactUs.aspx

I knew a little bit about the theatre’s history – one of 12 remaining John Eberson atmospheric theatres in the US. In 1929 when it opened, it competed with SIX other theatres on the same street in Anderson. By 1989, the theatre was in a state of disrepair and scheduled to be demolished. But thanks to the help of a young local lawyer who decided to save the theatre, the Paramount Heritage Foundation was born and what followed was a huge community fundraising effort that restored Paramount to its original beauty.

What I didn’t know was how breathtaking it was going to be stepping inside.

It truly is like being transported to a different place and time. And these pictures just don’t do it justice.

Now for what you didn’t know. You can experience the Paramount too … and hear and see some great performances! Here is a sneak peek of what is coming up this year:

• Thursday, May 16, 2013 – Carolyn Martin’s Swing Band ($25)
• Ongoing – Slick Music Studio Open Jam: Performers of all ages and styles are invited to strut their stuff in front of family and friends on the stage of the historic Paramount Theatre. Show up, sign in and show off! More details on Paramount’s Event Calendar.
• Saturday, September 14, 2013 – Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline Tribute ($15) – this one is definitely on my calendar!

And, back to that wedding I mentioned … Paramount is available to rent out. They even have a ballroom where events can be held.

I’m so glad I was able to finally make this trip. And even better, I have a few ideas for upcoming events I’d like to attend!

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The post Paramount Theatre was written by Carrie Lambert for the Indiana Insider Blog and can be found at The Indiana Insider Blog. If you read this post somewhere other than the link above, please contact us and let us know: http://www.in.gov/visitindiana/contactUs.aspx