Backyard Adventures

BACKYARD ADVENTURES 2016 PIKE PUBLISHING 43 HALLOWEEN WEEKENDS AT LAKE RUDOLPH October 29-30 Santa Claus, Spencer County Seven weekends of Halloween fun during September and October! Enjoy costume con- tests, bonfire ghost stories, trick-or-treating, site decorating, and more. It's fun for the en- tire family. For more information, visit the Lake Rudolph Campground & RV Resort- website, or call 877-478 -3657. HAPPY HALLOWEEN WEEKENDS AT HOLIDAY WORLD October 29-30 Santa Claus, Spencer County Saturdays: 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Sundays: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. This family-friendly special event in- cludes many of the rides you love at Holiday World, plus lots of fun seasonal activities. Ex- perience 12 acres of corn mazes, help Holi- dog find his candy in Holidog's 3D adventure, chat with the talking pumpkin, Gourdon, join the ghostly barker as he invites you into Car- nival Chaos, and watch as popular songs are spookified on stage in Graveyard Smash. TRUNK OR TREAT ON THE SQUARE AND 5K COLOR RUN/WALK October 30 Princeton, Gibson County Trunk or Treat with Southern Indiana Car Club Cruise-In GHOSTLY STROLL WALKING PARADE October 31 Newburgh, Warrick County Old Newburgh presents Ghostly Stroll Walk- ing Parade. Kids of all ages are encouraged to attend. NOVEMBER 2016 ANNUAL ART HOP GALLERY SHOW AND SALE November 4 Henderson, Henderson County, Ky. Multiple local artists that can be found in dif- ferent locations in Downtown Henderson. Pa- trons can stroll, view and purchase artwork. GASTHOF HOLIDAY BAZAAR November 4-5 Montgomery, Daviess County Variety of vendors, crafts and gifts. MUSTER ON THE WABASH November 5-6 Vincennes, Knox County At 'Muster on the Wabash,' visitors witness the commemoration of William Henry Har- rison's mustering of troops to the Prophet- stown campaign and Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. Held at Fort Knox II, 3090 N. Old Ft. Knox Road, Vincennes. HUNTINGBURG CHRISTMAS STROLL November 9-12 Huntingburg, Dubois County Experience the joys of a Victorian Christmas in the heart of Huntingburg's Downtown His- toric District. CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSES November 11-12 Henderson, Henderson County, Ky. Various Businesses, Downtown-Henderson. Businesses open to display merchandise for the holiday season. Door prizes, refresh- ments and special discounts available at many businesses. VETERANS DAY 2016 November 11 Lincoln City, Spencer County Free admission to the Lincoln Boyhood Na- tional Memorial. REITZ HOME VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS November 15-December 31 Evansville, Vanderburgh County Fully-restored home museum is extra special at Christmas. 50 DAYS OF LIGHTS November 18-January 7 French Lick, Orange County Experience two magical villages sitting next to each other, filled with sparkling lights and wondrous displays, larger-than-life holiday trees, music of the season filling the air and holiday treats to tempt every taste bud. CHRISTMAS STROLL ON MAIN STREET November 18 Washington, Daviess County Downtown Washington TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY November 18 French Lick, Orange County Join in the celebration as French Lick Springs Hotel lights the beautifully decorated hotel, grounds and Christmas tree. BICENTENNIAL CONCERT SERIES November 19 Washington, Daviess County Washington High School Auditorium FERDINAND CHRISTKINDLMARKT November 19-20 Ferdinand, Dubois County Every year, thousands of people pour into Ferdi- nand to visit the unique Christkindlmarkt Heri- tage Markets, voted as one of the Top 100 Events in North America by the American Bus Associa- tion. Held at various locations around Ferdinand. TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY November 19 West Baden, Orange County Join in the celebration as West Baden Springs Hotel lights the beautifully decorated Christ- mas tree inside the Atrium. ANNUAL GOODWILL TURKEY DAY 5K November 24 Evansville, Vanderburgh County Annual race through downtown Evansville. HADI SHRINER CIRCUS November 24-27 Evansville, Vanderburgh County Annual Thanksgiving Tradition. RITZY'S FANTASY OF LIGHTS November 24-January 1 Evansville, Vanderburgh County As the holiday season arrives, Garvin Park transforms into a winter wonderland of lights and holiday scenes. Admission charged. DECEMBER 2016 CHRISTMAS STROLL AND PARADE OF LIGHTS December 2-3 Vincennes, Knox County Enjoy the delights of 'Christmas Time in Olde Vincennes' when the 'Christmas Stroll' and 'Parade of Lights' kick off the Holiday Season! CONTINUED FROM PAGE 30 CONTINUED ON PAGE 44 fun TRACTORS homegrown They're a two-tractor lovin' family: Darlene Cromer favors Allis Chalmers, while her husband, Ron, is John Deere all the way. As members of the Gibson County Antique Machinery Associ- ation, they want folks to discover all the beautiful, old machines and opportunities to enjoy them here in their own backyard. Darlene's involvement started as a bit of a lark. She would often film her husband and his brother driving their antique tractors. Then one summer at the Gibson County Fair, there was a Powder Puff Pull for the ladies. Can you see where this is going? Darlene was invited to take a spin and "they practically had to pull me off of it, I was shaking so bad," she said. But Darlene was hooked. "I had a ball," she said. That was 19 years ago. And now, as secretary of the GCA- MA, she helps plan the group's events and participation at others. There are plenty and they're popular, too — drawing people from across the country to enter their 1980 or older trac- tor into various competitions, or just to take a look, she said. For example, members of the group use their own tractors to pull Gibson County fairgoers around the midway. During the fair itself this year, the GCAMA will host an Antique Tractor Pull on Sunday, July 10 at 7 p.m. at the grand- stands, with registration starting at 5 p.m. Chugging along at three to four miles an hour, different size tractors will pull from 4,000 to 6,500 pounds as they vie for cash payouts. At the fair, there's a lot of interest and "kids are fascinated by them," she said. The group will take part in a Trucks for Kids event Sep- tember 9 to 11, called the Gibson County Antique Machinery Show Flea Market and Toy Show. Gates open at 8 a.m. and ad- mission is just $1 per person. There will be music, free wagon, buggy and shuttle bus rides, as well as food vendors — and, of course, antique tractors. In October, members will participate in a harvest time event at Lyles Station Historic School and Museum in Princeton, where they will likely do some plowing, and offer rides and other activities, said Cromer. Another group is sponsoring the USAP Antique Tractor OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2016 ■ EVENT CALENDAR mean STORY BY BRIAN PAUL KAUFMAN PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED TRACTORS Antique homegrown fun Pull November 25 -27 at the Gibson County Fairgrounds. And then, in February, the GCAMA hosts their annual, three-day NATPA Antique Tractor Pull in the Pavilion at the fairgrounds. The GCAMA also hopes to host a tractor ride through the county sometime this year, but a date has not been set. In the past, the Gibson County Sheriff's Office has provided an escort, and similar rides in Warrick and Pike Counties are great fun, she said. With a 1953 Allis Chalmers of her own, Darlene said she and her husband, Ron, have 25 antique tractors and he just finished rebuilding a Ford. The group is so eager to share their love of the machines that they've been known to let people unfamiliar with them take them for a ride, just like Darlene herself did 19 years ago. But be careful: you might get hooked.

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