Backyard Adventures
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/513699
BACKYARD ADVENTURES 2015 Pike Publishing 3 Welcome to Backyard Adventures 2015! This extensive collection of local attractions and activities has been the premier guide to southwestern Indiana's festivals, tourist spots, and everything there is to do in summer since 2011. This is our fifth year of Backyard Adventures, and it's the biggest yet. Look inside for all the vacation information and outing ideas you've come to expect from Backyard Adventures, plus our new golf guide on page 40. Backyard Adventures focuses on the local wonders of southwest- ern Indiana, especially in Pike and Gibson counties. Almost every small town is full of hidden gems, and Backyard Adventures gives you the information you need to pick out your favorites. Whether you're trying out something new in your hometown, or you just happen to be in the area and want to experi- ence some true local flavor, you'll more than likely be pleasantly surprised at how much there is to do around here. While our guide is centered around Pike and Gibson counties, we've got the scoop on summer fun anywhere from French Lick to Mt. Carmel, Ill., to Hender- son, Ky. Small-town festivals and attrac- tions are not just a unique slice of life, they're often a vertebra in the backbone of the local economy. That means while you're having fun in the sun—eating bratwurst and homemade ice cream, watch- ing the glow-in-the-dark parade, or shopping at the flea market—your fistful of dollars is making our community a better place, whether that's through a scholarship for a student, a new bench at the park, or any other number of civic en- deavors. So, wherever you may travel this summer, take some time on your way out of town to stop and smell what's cooking just around the corner. There are plenty of adven- tures in your own backyard, and Backyard Adventures will give you a head start in your own summer journeying. Look for this year's special feature stories on covered bridges, the Historic Heartland Trail, the Monastery Immaculate Concep- tion, Old Jasper, Prides Creek, Kiefer Splash Park, and hiking. We promise you'll find something fun—maybe even something unfor- gettable—within the pages of the 2015 Backyard Adventures. There's a quilt trail to follow, plenty of hidden retreats to find your quiet place, and more fairs and fests than you can shake a walking stick at this summer—and they're closer than you might think. Happy trails! insiDe What's around: 4 Gibson County Overview 5 Pike County Overview 6 Surrounding Area Overview 8 Tri-State Map 11 2015 Event Calendar 35 Tri-State Camping 37 Online Resources 40 Tri-State Golf Guide Festivals: 11 Fort Branch Community Fest 13 Haubstadt Sommerfest 14 Otwell Ruritan 4th of July 14 Owensville Watermelon Fest 21 Gibson County 4-H Fair 21 Pike County 4-H Fair 22 Oakland City Sweet Corn Fest 22 Zoar Mosquito Festival 27 Labor Day Celebration 28 Golden Heritage Days 28 Winslow Festival Feature stories: 10 Prides Creek Park 17 Covered Bridges 19 Iron Bridge 23 Kiefer Splash Park 24 Spirit of Vincennes Rendezvous 27 Old Jasper 33 Hit the Trail 43 Monastery Immaculate Conception 44 The Log Inn 45 Historic Baseball Trail 46 West Baden Springs Hotel l e t t h e a d v e n t u r e b e g i n