Summer Festivals

     Spend your Summer Weekends celebrating in Northwest Indiana. We guarantee there’s a Festival EVERY WEEKEND WITH TONS OF FAMILY FUN!  From Car Shows, beer gardens to live music, food trucks, carnival rides and parades, these events will have you enjoying your summer weekend ! Every Day is a Good Day In NWI. Let us not forget tons of Fireworks,  Art and Craft Fairs AND CRAFT BEER !

     Folks might also like the live Concerts and full fledged Festivals honoring our Nation’s Birthday on July 4th or our Nation’s Workers on Labor Day that have four full days held in Lowell Indiana, Hesston Steam Museum, and Michigan City Indiana. We even have lots of HISTORICAL EVENTS TOO!
     • You’ll find RIDES like the Zipper, Gravitron, Flying saucer, Merry Go Round, Bumper Cars, Swinger, Tilt A Whirl, Mega Shot, Mighty Mac and more.
     • You’ll find FOOD like Lebanese Foods, Elephant Ears, Pizza, Egg rolls, Cotton Candy, Corn Dogs, Funnel Cakes, roast beef, steakburgers, walking tacos, Chili Dogs, Ice Cream, Fried rice, pork sticks, roasted lamb, shish-ka-bob, Grecian chicken, Gyros and more.
     • And ENTERTAINMENT like  Middle of the Road;  Dr. Feel Good and the 80’s Babies;  Karoake with DJ;  High Noon Country Band, AND Keenan Baxter, Grammy Contender Jazz Composer.

HERE’S A LIST OF SUMMER’S FESTIVALS AND EVENTS:

 2026 Dates are in Red 2025 Dates are in Blue

• Shipshewana On The Road: May 2-3, 2026, Crown Point

MEMORIAL WEEKEND:
• Michigan City Annual Food Truck Festival, May 23rd and 24th, 2026 Click here
• Hesston Steam Museum Train Rides, 2026 Open 3 days Click here
•  11am – 4pm Spring Vendor Fair and Free Concerts, May 23rd 2026, Click here
 FIRST WEEKEND IN JUNE: 
^{• Hobart Lakefront Festival, June 4th – 7th 2026 Click here
• Crown Point Corn Roast, May 30th – 31st, 2026 Click here}
• Bacon Beer & Bourbon Fest, June 6th, 2026, Crown Point Click here

SECOND WEEKEND IN JUNE: 

•  DYER INDIANA:  Summerfest: June 11th – June 14th, 2026 over 800 acts, 1,000 performances, 12 stages, food, interactive activities, festival! Bike Parade: Wednesday June 1ST, 2026 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm, part of Dyer Summerfest! 219-865-2505. FIREWORKS on Sunday!  CLICK HERE
• Celebrate Schererville, June 10th – June 14th 2026 Click here (Beer Garden, parade, Bingo, Live Music Shows)
• Live in the Ville, June 12th and 13th, 2026  Hammond, Indiana (Hessville – Kennedy Ave)Click here.
• North Judson Mint Festival – June 12th – 14th 2026 Click Here (For Full Schedule)
• Broad Street Blues & BBQ, July 12th & 14th, 2026, Griffith, Click Here.
•  St. Demetrios Greek Food Fest, – June 13th – 14th, 2026 11am – 8pm,Click here.

 THIRD WEEKEND IN JUNE
FATHER’S DAY WEEKEND
• Naturepalooza, Valparaiso, June 21, TBD Rogers Lakewood Park. Click here for more
• Vet Fest – Lake Station, June 20 2026 click here
•  St. James Parish Fest, June 20 – 21, 2026 CLICK HERE!
• Civil War Railroad Days, June 27th, June 28th 2026, LaPorte, (Hesston Steam Museum) click here.
• Michigan City Kiddie Parade, June 27, 2026 Click here

• St. Thomas More Food and Music Festival, Munster, CANCELLED IN 2025  click here.

  LAST WEEKEND IN JUNE:
• Michigan City’s Big PATRIOTIC Parade, June 27th, 2026 Click Here 
• Red, Wine and Brew Festival, June 26th – June 28th  2026, LaPorte, Indiana Click here for more.
• Schererville Fireworks Festival at Rohrman Park, June 27th 2026 Click here
• Rumely Antique Tractor Show, June 26 – 18, 2026 Click here
•  Sand + Steel Art Fest, June 26-28th, 2026 Click here
•   Red Wine & Brew Festival, June 25 – 28th, 2026 Click here

•   Greater Gary Music Fest, – US Steel Yard, June 27th, 2026 Click here for more info
•  St John Freedom Fest, July 2nd, 2026, 3pm – 10pm,  Click here

Click Here For List Of July 4th Fireworks! 

For All July 4th Events, Click here!
ALL ON ONE PAGE!!

FIRST WEEKEND IN JULY:
• Highland 4th of July Festival, Highland, July 1 –  July 5th, 2026 Click here
• Highland Kiddie Parade, TBD Click Here
• Cedar Lake Summerfest Parade, July 5th 2026 (Boat Parade is July 6th)
• Cedar Lake Summerfest , July2nd – July 5th, 2026 (Fireworks).
• Fireworks at Washington Park,  July 4th, 2026 Michigan City, Indiana. Click here
• Highland Twilight Parade, Friday, July 3rd, 2026 Click Here
• July 4th Festivals,   Click Here for More.

NEXT WEEKEND IN JULY:
• Vintage Tractor and Farm Festival – Crown Point, July 10th – 12th, 2026 Click here
• Touch a Truck Munster, July 10 2026, Click here
• LaPorte County Fair, July 11th – 18th, 2026 Click here
• St. John Festival, July 9 – 12, 2026 click here . 
• Sand Sculpting Contest, Indiana Dunes, July 11th, 2026 Click here
• Six Strings Music Fest, Valparaiso, July 11th, 2026 Click here

• Touch A Truck, Sunset Hill County park, July 18th, 2026 Click Here
• Venetian Nights, July 11th 2026 Hammond Marina, Click here.

• Nativity Fest, Portage, Indiana, July 9th – 12th in 2026 Click here.

NEXT WEEKEND IN JULY:

• Singing Sands Sand Sculpting Fest, JuLY 17TH – 19TH 2026 Michigan City, NEW in 2026 Schedule, Professional Competitions, Amateur Competitions, Games, Activities, MORE in 2026 click here 2026
• St George Greek Festival – July 16th – 19th, 2026 Schererville Click Here
• Taste of Crown Point, July 17th and 18th 2026 Click here
• Park Full of Art, Griffith, Indiana, July 18 2026 Click here
• Valparaiso Food and Wine Festival, July 18, 2026   Click Here
   Advance Tickets ONLY, Not Open to the Public.  
• Festival of the Lakes @ Wolf Lake, Hammond, July 15th – 19th 2026 Click here.

 LAST WEEKEND IN JULY:
• Pierogi Fest in Whiting, Indiana, July 24th – 26th, 2026 Click Here For More!
Click here for Exclusive PIEROGI FEST Video
• St. Sava Serb Fest – Serb Fest,  Merrillville, JULY 31ST- 2ND 2026,  click here
•  Lakefest 3 Day Festival Featuring Uncle Kracker July 24th – July 26th  2026 Click here
• New Carlisle Hometown Days, July 24th – 26th, 2026 click here.
• Fiesta Italiana, Schererville, July 24th – 26th, 2026, Click here
•  Front Porch Music Festival – SUNDAY, July 26th, 2026 Valpo, Click Here Click here (for map).

FIRST WEEKEND IN AUGUST:
• Kiwanis Corn Roast, Valparaiso, Saturday, August 8, 2026  Click HERE
• Chesterton Art Fair, Chesterton, August 1st & 2nd, 2026, CLICK HERE .
• Leprechaun Hunt, LaPorte, Sunday, Aug 2 , 2026 Click Here.
• Turkeypalooza at Central Parkin Valparaiso, Fri. July 31st, 2026 CLICK HERE

SECOND WEEKEND IN AUGUST:

• Lake County Fair,  Crown Point, Aug 7th – 16th, 2026 CLICK HERE
• Touch of Dutch in Demotte, Indiana,  August 8,  2026 CLICK HERE
• Hanna Fest, August 8th – 9th,  2026 Hanna Indiana, Click here.

 THIRD WEEKEND IN AUGUST:
• Western Days, Griffith, Now Carnival Rides Aug 6th – 9th, 2026,  CLICK HERE
• Lubeznik Art & Artisan Festival, Michigan City, Aug 15 – 16, 2026 ^{Click here}

FOURTH AND LAST WEEKEND IN AUGUST:
^{•  Vino al Fresco, Changed the Name in 2026, August 22, 2026  Chesterton CLICK HERE
• Rockopelli Music Fest, Griffith, Aug. 22 2026 Click here
• Pints in the Park –  Highland, Aug 22, 2026} Click here
• Annual Kouts Pork Fest, Aug. 21 – 22, 2026  Click Here for more!
^{• Greek Fest, St. Constantine & Helen –  Merrillville, August 21, 22, & 23th 2026 Click here. 
• Gary Air Show, Aug. Cancelled in 2026 Click here for Full Description} 

• Mill Pond Festival, Union Mills, AUG 22nd & 23th, 2026 Click Here for MORE
^{•  Country – A – Fair, August 29th, 2026 CLICK HERE
•  Valpo Car Show, Sunday, Aug 30th, 2026 Click here}

    LABOR DAY WEEKEND:

For Full Event List on Labor Day Weekend, Click HERE!
• Lowell Labor Day Festival, Sept 5th – 7th 2026,  See Complete Schedule of Events HERE!
• Rock ’N’ Rail Street Festival, Downtown Griffith, Indiana, Sept 3 – Sept. 6, 2026 Click here/.
• Hesston Steam & Power Show Labor Day Weekend, 2026 in LaPorte, click here.
• Oktoberfest – Michigan City, (NEW) Sept 4 – Sept. 7  2026 Click here

FIRST WEEKEND IN SEPTEMBER
• Lake Station Fall Festival, September 6-7th, 
^{•  Laporte Air Fair, Sun. Sept. 13th 2026 Click here}

SECOND WEEKEND IN SEPTEMBER:
•  Outdoor Festival – Indiana Dunes, Sept. 10th & 11th,  
•  Monarch Music Fest,  Michigan City,  
•  Whiting Empanada Fest, Sept. 12, 2026 Click here
• Door Village Harvest Festival, Sept 5th & 6th, 2026 Click Here
    (Watch Our Exclusive Video Here)
• Valparaiso Popcorn Festival, Sept 12th, 2026, 7am – 6:30 pm, Click here.
   Watch Our Exclusive Parade Video Here
^• World Cultural Fest, September 20th, 2026 Click here
 

PanoramaNOW Videos

Watch Our NEW and Exciting Youtube Videos:
The Birthing Barn at Porter County Fair,
Hesston Steam Museum,
Porter County Queen, 
Sherwood Paintball,
Hiking Indiana Dunes,
Railcats 2022 Baseball Team,
On The Go Sports Massage Therapy,
Barbara & Dean White Community Center, Banquet hall and Convention Center (Merrillville)
Jodi Schroeder Naturopathic Doctor,
Rani Light Hpynotist,
Save Money On Insurance, All You wanted to Know about Storage Units & Storage wars, 

David Reynolds For Sheriff,
Illiana Railway Garden Live Model Trains with Thomas the Train!,
Hesston Steam Museum Labor Day Weekend with Tractor Parade, 
Stone Lake and Pine Lake in LaPorte Indiana
  Patriotic Video “Tapestry of Freedom” With
Emotional Music by Local Composer, Keenan Baxter and Many, Many More.   

Continue Reading →

 NWI Fun Ball’s Website uses this Vercel Program, folks buying tickets at Oilmen Stadium in Whiting Indiana have or may be giving their financial data to the dark web, the concern here is if any NWI ticket buyers who buy their “nwi fun ball” tickets, they may be at risk.

Upcoming Fall Festivals:
For a Complete List of Fall Festivals, CLICK HERE!

^• Garwood Apple Fest,  Sept. 12th & 713th 2026 Click HERE
^• Ike Fest. Sept  9th – 11th, 2023
^• Popcorn Festival Sept. 6th, 2025 CLICK HERE
^• Monarch Music Fest, Sat. Sept 15th, 2024 Cancelled in 2025
<sup>• Door Village Fest, Sept. 6th & 7th, 2025

•</sup> Sunflower Festival, Sept.  20th, 2025 – Click here
^• Art Blitz, Sept. 20th,  2025
^• Vino al Fresco Sept 13th, 2025 (NEW) 
• Dyer Fall Festival, September 16th,  CLICK HERE
^• Scarecrow Fest, Wanatah, Sept 26th – 28th, 2025 CLICK HERE

^• Westville Pumpkin Fest, Oct. 4th 2025 Click here
^• Barktoberfest, Oct. 7th, 2023

________________________________________________________

SEE ALL JULY 4th Events on ONE PAGE CLICK HERE!

  Northwest Indiana is home to many Family Fun Amusement Parks and Family Entertainment Centers with lots of things to do with kids that make the perfect getaway for the weekend! Most of these venues have indoor arcades. You’ll want to visit Deep River Waterpark in the middle of Northwest Indiana, Inman’s Recreation Center in Valparaiso, Zao Island Amusement Center in Valparaiso, Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Fun Park (Schererville); Jaks Warehouse (Indoor Theme Park – Highland); Washington Park Zoo (Michigan City); Barker Mansion Museum (Michigan City) and the Indiana Dunes Lakeshore Parks!   Just to name a few! Every City has a Splash Pad or Public Pool too!
FUN FILLED BOUNCE HOUSES:
     If your kids like bounce house, you’ll find Five FunFlatealbes locations throughout Northwest Indiana that provide unique, year-round, soft inflatable playgrounds where the whole family can have continuous FUN Jumping, Bouncing, Climbing, Snaking.

INDOOR FUN:
     Zao Island, Inmans’ Recreation Center, Jaks Warehouse, Sky Zone, and Crown Point Fun Center, and Zig E’s Funland. All of these centers have arcade games, family games, fun food, Click here for MORE Info!

SPLASH PADS:
     Wolf Lake Aquatic Play Center, Wicker Park Memorial Splash Pad, Oasis Splash Pad, Central Park Plaza Splash Pad, Heron Lake Splash Pad, Hub Municipal Pool, Founders Square Splash Pad, Splash Pad at Jeorse Park, just to name a few. CLICK HERE FOR MORE!
NORTHWEST INDIANA BEACHES:
     A local quiet but majestic attraction is Mount Baldy, just off U.S. 12 in Michigan City, named for the lack of plant life on its dunes. For you history buffs, just east of Mount Baldy is the former site of the famed Hoosier Slide, the once 194-foot sand dune and tourist attraction whose sand was used for the making of glass and steel by local industries CONTINUE READING . . . . 

PAINTBALL: Blast Camp Paintball, (Hobart) Sherwood Forest Paintball (LaPorte), and Team Combat Paintball (Merrivillville) (ages 13 up).  
MINIATURE GOLF: Inman’s Recreation, Zao Island, Zig E’s,  Cedar Creek Family Golf Center and more! ( Click HERE) for more

LaPorte County Fair,  July 10th; – 17th; St George Greek Festival –  July 15th; – 18th; Fiesta Italiana, July 15 -17; Park Full of Art, – (Griffith;) July 17th; & 18^th;Festival of th;e Lakes – July 14th; – 18^th; Beyond th;e Beach – July 17^th;Serbfest – July 17th; – 18^th;,Pierogi Festival- July 23-25^th; Rock th;e Park – July 24th;, LaPorte; Grape Escape – July 24,  Schererville Corn Roast – Friday, July 30th;,   LaPorte Lakefest – July 30 – Aug 1^st; St John Corn Roast – Aug. 7^th;Kiwanis Corn Roast – Aug. 7^th; Old Car Show – July 17th;, Laporte; Sand Sculpture Contest – July 17^th; Porter County Fair – July 22nd – July 31^st; New Carlisle Hometown Days – July 23 – 25; Trojan Fest – July 31; Turkeypalooza, – Friday, August 6^th; Valpo Corn Roast – Saturday, August 7^th; Taste of Michigan City – August 6th; and 7^th; Hanna Fest – August 6th;, 7th; and 8^th;Chesterton Art Fair- August 7th; & 8th; St. Michael Fun Fest – Raffle Only Online Aug 7^th; Leprechaun Hunt – Cancelled Aug 1st; Touch of Dutch – Aug. 13th; – 14^th; Rockopelli Music Fest – August 14th; – 15th; Hobart Lakefront Festival – Aug. 19 – 22; Western Days (Carnival ONLY) – Griffith; – Aug 19 -22; Lake Central Food Truck Festival, Aug. 21^st; Lubeznik Art Festival – Aug. 21st – 22^nd; Kouts Porkfest – Aug. 28^th; Valparaiso Car Show & Swap Meet – Aug. 29th; Mill Pond Festival – Cancelled; Rock N Rail Fest – Sept. 2 – 5th; Hesston Steam Show – Sept 3 – 6th; Lowell Labor Day Fest – Sept 4 – 6th; Crown Beer Fest – Sept. 4th; Ike Fest – Sept. 11th; Popcorn Fest – Sept 11th; Monarch Music Fest – Sept. 11^th; Garwood Apple Fest – Sept 11^th; & 12^th; Family Fun Fest – Cedar Lake – Sept 12^th; Door Village – Cancelled; Sunflower Fest – Sept. 18th; Country A Fair – Schererville, Sept 18^th; Hooked on Art, Chesterton, Sept 18^th; Art Blizt, Art Barn, Sept 18th; St. John Oktoberfest – Sept. 24 – 26^th; Scarecrow Festival, Wanatah -Sept. 24 – 26th; Valpo Brewfest – SOLD OUT – Sept. 25^th;Harvest Fest, Portage Oct. 2^nd; Barktoberfest, Lowell – Oct. 2^nd; Pumpkin Festival, Westville – Oct. 2^nd

Sue Baxter

Susie Young Baxter, CEO, has published PanoramaNOW Magazine for 31 years. Her hobbies are Camping, Boating, Hiking, Nature, Gardening and Outdoor Activities. She is an Artist, Graphic Designer, an Avid Seamstress, Dabbles in Homemade Crafts and Landscaping. Since her Father was a Health Teacher, she also likes homeopathic Health Solutions. Since blogging started over 10 years ago, PanoramaNow has been added to Newsbreak – a national news affiliate.