We visited the fair the day it opened on Friday, July 29. A little-known secret, we were able to get into the fair “free” because we entered display items. Really, it costs money to enter your items, but you get “free” tickets. Still, a pretty good deal if you’re interested in going next year. Of course, while at the fair, you eat all kinds of food, you walk through the display areas, you eat food, you watch the 4-H kids showing their animals, you eat food, you take a ride on the tram (if you’re younger you take in the midway rides), you eat food, you go through the IDNR display, you eat more food, and then you watch the nightly free stage performer. We enjoyed a beautiful evening watching a childhood favorite – Kansas. This week is KC & the Sunshine Band, and the Happy Together Tour is next week.
As we left the free concert, we had the added treat of seeing the hot air balloon “glow”. They have a hot air balloon race on the first Saturday of the fair. The Friday prior, the participants air up their balloons, get the kinks out, and show off. Beautiful summer evening at dusk; seeing these beautiful and colorful balloons was such an unexpected treat. This event will be on the to-do list for next year! Hoosiers are so friendly. We stood in the lot watching these balloons air up and chatted with people from all over the state. A night I will always remember.
This year, the Duke Site Readiness communities are Avon, Greencastle, Kokomo, and Noblesville. Besides working with a great client in Duke, one of the great things about my job is visiting many communities and helping them plan for economic development. It is such a treat seeing these communities and seeing all the great things they are accomplishing. Another benefit is the restaurants we eat at. Thumbs up to Almost Home in Greencastle and the Cone Palace in Kokomo. I can’t wait to try out the next eateries at our final presentations in September.
Summer Fun Runs and Walks continue throughout Hendricks County. I visited Arbuckle Acres in Brownsburg, Sodalis Park & Talon Stream in Plainfield and Washington Township Park in Avon. There are more to come. Mooresville hosted Old Settlers Day in Pioneer Park, and the Morgan County YMCA still has monthly walks/runs throughout the county.
