Top 10 Best Indianapolis Fall Festivals 2013

Easing from the blistering summer into a colorful autumn creates a longing for festivals in the Midwest. Indiana fall festivals are plentiful in quantity and diversity.
And in the Indianapolis area there are many to help keep your festival needs satisfied with pumpkins, music and cultural celebrations.

Who is in, who moved up or down, and who is out? Check out last year's list by clicking here. Here are my Top 10 Best Indianapolis Fall Festivals 2013.

1) Riley Days
What: The annual event highlights Indiana's poet James Whitcomb Riley. Actibites include children's parade of flowers, ceremonies, parade, more than 450 vendors, midway, pageant, music and more.
When: Oct. 3-6
Where: Greenfield
Website: RileyFestival.com

2) Penrod Arts Fair
What: 47th annual holding of more than 300 artists, 6 entertainment stages, 50 arts-related, non profit groups, extensive children's area, Indiana Craft Beer Garden  NOTE: New this year An Evening with Penrod on Fri., Sept. 7.
When: Sept. 7-8
Where: Indianapolis Museum of Art grounds
Website: PenrodArtsFair.org

3) Indianapolis Scottish Highland Games & Festival
What: 4th annual celebration of Scottish heritage with reenactments, ceremonies, 50 world-class amateur-athletes participating in Celtic games including haggis toss, sheath and hammer throw, Scotch tasting, authentic food, beer, scotch, pipe bands, bagpipers, roving entertainers and children's activities.
2013 Time period: 1540s under King James V
When: Oct. 12
Where: German Park, Indianapolis
Website: IndyScotGamesandFest.com

4) Irvington Halloween Festival
What: Historic neighborhood street festival celebrating the charming community with more than 120 vendors, entertainment, fun, children's activities and a costume parade. Street festival is on 26th.
When: Oct. 19-26
Where: Historic Irvington neighborhood, Indianapolis
Website: IrvingtonHalloween.com

5) Feast of the Hunter's Moon
What: 46th annual recreation of the annual fall gathering of the French and Native Americans at a fur trading outpost in the mid 1700s.
When: Oct. 5-6
Where: Historic Fort Ouiatenon Park, West Lafayette, IN
Website: Tcha.mus.in.us

6) Heartland Film Festival
What: 21st annual event honoring uplifting independent, international films and film-related activities bringing together film professionals and enthusiasts for viewing of films, workshops and award ceremony.
When: Oct. 17-26
Where: Various locations throughout Indianapolis
Website: HeartlandFilmFestival.com

7) Fishers Renaissance Faire
What: 9th annual event showcasing the era of Queen Elizabeth I with more than 250 costumed characters, armed combat, jousting, period music and dancing, Shakespeare vignettes, knighting ceremonies, more than 70 artisans and merchants, food vendors, beer and mead.
2013 Theme: 20th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth I's coronation Time period: 1579
When: Oct. 5-6
Where: Fishers, IN
Website: FishersRenFaire.com

8) Covered Bridge Festival
What: 55th annual largest state festival showcases covered bridges, entertainment, and locally crafted items and food.
When: Oct. 12-21
Where: Various locations throughout Parke County; headquartered in Rockville, IN
Website: CoveredBridges.com

9) Versailles Pumpkin Show
What: 111th annual event celebrating America's favorite gourd ~ the pumpkin ~ with parades, food eating contests, music and pumpkins.
When: Sept. 25-26
Where: Versailles, IN
Website: VersaillesPumpkinShow.com

10) Cambridge Canal Days Festival
What: The 41st annual heritage event includes tractor show, kids race, haunt and historic tours, golf tournament, street vendors, ice cream social and pies, food vendors, beer garden and more.
When: Sept. 7-8
Where: Cambridge City
Website: VisitRichmond.org

Images: Izzy Evans and furnished
Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated fine-living, travel columnist, freelance writer, and performing arts and restaurant critic. Read Infused, at GottaGo.us and FoodandDrinkDigital.com and catch her as Indy’s Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC. Gotta Go is published on Gottago.us, BroadwayWorld.com, in M and Retired Living magazines and several Indianapolis area newspapers. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated fine-living, travel columnist, freelance writer and photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic for Gotta Go. Read Infused, her spirits, wine & beer lifestyle column, at www.GottaGo.us and www.FoodDigital.com and catch her as Indy’s Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC. Gotta Go is published on www.Gottago.us, www.BroadwayWorld.com, and in print. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

10 Best Indianapolis Festivals Autumn 2012 You Don't Want to Miss

Easing from the blistering summer into a colorful autumn creates a longing for festivals in the Midwest. And Indiana fall festivals are plentiful in quantity and diversity.

In the Indianapolis area there are many to help keep your festival needs satisfied with pumpkins, music and cultural celebrations. Here are my 10 Indianapolis Festivals You Don't Want to Miss Autumn 2012.

1) Indianapolis Greek Fest
What: 39th annual event celebrating Greek heritage and culture with authentic food, wine, beer and entertainment, including dance and music.
When: Sept. 7-8, 2012
Where: Carmel, IN
Website: IndyGreekFest.org

2) Indianapolis Scottish Highland Games & Festival
What: 3rd annual celebration of Scottish heritage with clans ceremonial presentation to Mary, Queen of Scots, 50 world-class amateur-athletes participating in Celtic games including haggis toss, sheath and hammer throw, Scotch tasting, authentic food, beer, scotch, historic re-enactors, pipe bands, bagpipers, roving entertainers and children's activities.
2012 Theme: The return of Mary, Queen of Scots, to her beloved Scotland. Time period: 1560s
When: Oct. 13, 2012
Where: German Park, Indianapolis
Website: IndyScotGamesandFest.com

3) Irvington Halloween Festival
What: Historic neighborhood festival celebrating the charming community with more than 120 vendors, entertainment, fun, children's activities and a costume parade
When: Oct. 27, 2012
Where: Historic Irvington neighborhood, Indianapolis
Website: IrvingtonHalloween.com

4) Fishers Renaissance Faire
What: 8th annual event showcasing the era of Queen Elizabeth I with more than 250 costumed characters, armed combat, jousting, period music and dancing, Shakespeare vignettes, knighting ceremonies, more than 70 artisans and merchants, food vendors, beer and mead.
2012 Theme: 20th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth I's coronation Time period: 1579
When: Oct. 6-7, 2012
Where: Fishers, IN
Website: FishersRenFaire.com

5) Penrod Arts Fair
What: 46th annual holding of more than 300 artists, 6 entertainment stages, 50 arts-related, non profit groups, extensive children's area, Indiana Craft Beer Garden
When: Sept. 8, 2012
Where: Indianapolis Museum of Art grounds
Website: PenrodArtsFair.org

Irish Fest                 Image/EJMusgrave

6) Heartland Film Festival
What: 21st annual event honoring uplifting independent, international films and film-related activities bringing together film professionals and enthusiasts for viewing of films, workshops and award ceremony.
When: Oct. 18-27, 2012
Where: Various locations throughout Indianapolis
Website: HeartlandFilmFestival.com

7) Indy Jazz Fest
What: 14th annual event highlighting top quality international, regional and local jazz musicians and singers covers week-long schedule of events including various locations throughout Indianapolis and a diversity of jazz styles.
When: Sept. 10-16, 2012
Where: Various locations, including Indiana Landmarks Center, The Cabaret at The Columbia Club, The Jazz Club, Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center at the University of Indianapolis, with the two-day outdoor grand finale at Opti Park at the Indianapolis Art Center in Broad Ripple.
Website: IndyJazzFest.net

8) Feast of the Hunter's Moon
What: 45th annual recreation of the annual fall gathering of the French and Native Americans at a fur trading outpost in the mid 1700s.
When: Sept. 22-23, 2012
Where: Historic Fort Ouiatenon Park, West Lafayette, IN
Website: Tcha.mus.in.us

9) Covered Bridge Festival
What: 55th annual largest state festival showcases covered bridges, entertainment, and locally crafted items and food.
When: Oct. 12-21, 2012
Where: Various locations throughout Parke County; headquartered in Rockville, IN
Website: CoveredBridges.com

10) Indy Irish Fest
What: 17th annual celebration of Irish heritage and culture, including kilted mile run, hurling, Celtic music, entertainment, food, beer, Celtic dogs activities, children's activities and sheep herding.
When: Sept. 13-16, 2012
Where: Military Park, Indianapolis
Website: IndyIrishFest.com

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated fine-living, travel columnist, freelance writer, and performing arts and restaurant critic. Read Infused, at GottaGo.us and FoodandDrinkDigital.com and catch her as Indy’s Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC. Gotta Go is published on Gottago.us, BroadwayWorld.com, in M and Retired Living magazines and several Indianapolis area newspapers. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Indiana's Covered Bridge Loop

Experience Indiana’s Covered Bridge Loop in Southern Indiana

Six Counties. Nine Bridges. One Great Trail.

The Indiana Covered Bridge Loop is an approximately 216 mile route featuring nine historic covered bridges scattered over waterways in Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson, Jennings and Lawrence counties.

Click here for downloadable map and directions.

The Loop features single, double and triple span bridges, and the only remaining double tunnel bridge in Indiana all built by well-known master craftsmen. Four of the bridges are featured on the National Register of Historic Places. See the oldest covered bridge in Indiana built in 1838, now residing at the Brown County State Park, and the longest three span covered bridge in the United States just outside of Medora, Indiana. Visitors can experience driving through six of the covered bridges.

Visitors tour two significant covered bridges on the Loop through Jackson County both built by master builder Joseph J. Daniels.  The restored triple-span Medora Covered Bridge, built in 1875, is an example of Daniels’ use of Multiple King Post Truss construction with Double Burr Arch design.


The Shieldstown Covered Bridge, built one year later, was the last covered bridge constructed in Jackson County. Built at a cost of $13,600, the two-span bridge is 355 feet long and spans the East Fork of the White River.

The Indiana Covered Bridge Loop brochure serves as an information guide and is complete with a map, GPS coordinates and a brief description accompanied by bridge photos. Loop brochures are available at the Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson, Jennings, and Lawrence County Visitors Centers and online.

For information call the Jackson County Visitor Center at 888-524-1914 or visit jacksoncountyin.com

Photos submitted by Jackson County Visitor Center.

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated columnist, travel writer, performing arts and restaurant critic. Catch her as Indy’s Arts & Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC, and follow her on Twitter @ejmusgrave1 and Facebook. Gotta Go is published in the following newspapers: South Sider Voice, Indiana Weekender, New Palestine Reporter, Pendleton Times Reporter and Fortville-McCordsville Reporter.