LAFAYETTE, IN — With the advent of summer and early fall come those annual outdoor events we love to flock to. From music to art to 4H projects, festivals and celebrations abound in the Greater Lafayette area.
Below are dates, details and links to more information for this year’s festivals. Save this for reference, and we’ll add to it as we learn about more.
May 24: Round the Fountain Art Fair
Tippecanoe County Courthouse, downtown LafayetteOn the Saturday of every Memorial Day Weekend, this one-day art fair features up to 100 artists from around the nation, showcasing their talent and works in a variety of pieces and media. Proceeds from the fair support fine arts education in the five area public schools, after-hours arts programs, courthouse restoration projects, the restoration of the Marquis de Lafayette Fountain, outside lighting and seating, landscaping, and public art projects and installation. Since their humble beginnings in 1973, the Round the Fountain Art Fair has grown to become known as one of the premier juried fine art fairs in the Midwest.
June 21: TASTE of Tippecanoe
Downtown LafayetteFor more than 40 years, the TASTE has been downtown Lafayette’s largest, annual street festival. Enjoy live music, local food and live art experiences.
June 27, 28 and 29: Indiana Fiddlers’ Gathering
Tippecanoe Battlefield, 200 Battleground Ave., Battle Ground, INThe Indiana Fiddlers’ Gathering is an acoustic music festival featuring the best in old-time, bluegrass, swing, jazz, fiddle, string band, Celtic and ethnic music on one stage.
July 4: Stars and Stripes Celebration
Riehle Plaza, downtown Lafayette
Lafayette Citizens Band performs a patriotic concert, followed by a robust firework display at dusk (usually around 10 p.m.). For the most up-to-date info about this event visit facebook.com/LafayetteIN.
July 12: Wabash Riverfest
Tapawingo Park, West LafayetteRiehle Plaza, LafayetteRiverfest is a family-friendly event that brings people to the shores of the Wabash to celebrate one of the area’s greatest natural resources. Enjoy live music, educational opportunities, a 5K run/walk and watch voyageur canoe race team battle it out on the Wabash River.
July 18 to July 26: Tippecanoe County 4-H Fair
Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds1406 Teal Road, LafayetteFun family entertainment since 1930. Great entertainment, quality music, buildings of crafts and fine handiworks, all phases of agriculture, a variety of youth activities, carnival rides and games and, of course, mouth-watering fair food.
July 19: Downtown Blues & Jazz Festival
downtownlafayette.net/jazzblues5th and Main streetsDowntown LafayetteDowntown Blues & Jazz Festival is a sort of Uptown Jazz & Blues 2.0, which itself was a sort of evolution from the Riverfront Jazz & Blues Fest started in 1996. Downtown Blues & Jazz will host local stalwarts from the Lafayette jazz and blues scene.
Aug. 16: OUTfest
5th & Main streetsDowntown LafayetteOUTfest, Lafayette’s annual pride festival hosted by Pride Lafayette, aims to increase public awareness of the LGBTI+ community in Lafayette and beyond, bring attention to LGBTI+ issues, provide resources and celebrate diversity. Live entertainment, great food and beer gardens, drag show, vendors and family activities can be enjoyed.
Aug. 23: Beers Across the Wabash
John T. Myers Pedestrian Bridge, 200 N. 2nd St., LafayetteBeers Across the Wabash is a craft beer tasting experience featuring beers and representatives from small breweries throughout Indiana, held in a most unique location: the John T. Meyers Pedestrian Bridge over the Wabash River. You can buy a Beers Across the Wabash ticket, which includes admission into the event, a collectible sample cup and beer samples from 25 to 30 Indiana craft breweries featuring more than 100 different beers.
Sept. 6: Germanfest
St. Boniface Church, 318 N. 9th St., LafayetteAuthentic German food, beer and wine tents, live Polka music, casino and carnival rides and games for children.
Sept. 20: Global Fest
Sonya L. Margerum City Hall & West Lafayette Public Library, 222 N. Chauncey Ave., West LafayetteHosted by the city of West Lafayette, International Center of West Lafayette and Purdue Convocations, Global Fest features cultural entertainment, food, and art from Africa, the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. This one-day Global Fest celebrates world cultures through music, dance, crafts, displays, and international food. Continuous stage entertainment, cultural displays, and children’s activities are among the free activities. Admission is free.
Sept. 28: Art on the Wabash
Tapawingo Park, 100 Tapawingo Drive, West Lafayette
West Lafayette’s Tapawingo Park will be transformed into an open-air art gallery featuring regional artists, with live music, food trucks, beverages and children’s activities. Visitors will be able to cast their ballots for the People’s Choice Award. Thanks to our sponsors, admission and parking is free.
This event is organized by the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette. Residents and visitors are welcome to enjoy West Lafayette’s beautiful Wabash riverfront park, listen to live music and appreciate fine art. An independent juror has selected artists from our region to fill booths with their creative works for sale in a variety of mediums including ceramics, glass, wood, jewelry, metal, fiber, photography, pastel, acrylic, oil, watercolor and mixed media. Cash awards will also be presented to Best of Show, second and third places.
Do you have a festival or another outdoor event in the area this summer to include in this list? Please email us the details and contact information to jcnews@jconline.com.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Festivals, other summer events abound in Greater Lafayette area
Reporting by Staff report / Lafayette Journal & Courier
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