By Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI)
Summer will be gone before we know it, so take advantage of this perfect time to explore the Indiana Uplands. Enjoy summer fun whether you’re underground, on the water, or at a drive-in movie theater. The Uplands offers plenty of activities while the temperatures are warm and the sun is shining!
To help you plan your summer adventures, we’ve created a uniquely Uplands bucket list! Here are some of our favorite spots to visit and enjoy during the summer. We hope you love them as much as we do!
1. Marengo Caves
Feeling hot, hot, hot? Cool off underground in the Uplands at the most visited natural attraction in Indiana: Marengo Caves in Crawford County! This natural gem is perfect for a visit in the summer when the weather is hot as it maintains a year-round temperature of 52 degrees. You can explore the cave all year! How cool is that? In addition to the Crystal Palace and Dripstone Trail cave tours, there are some amazing activities above ground including go-karts and putt-putt golf.
2. Wilstem Wildlife Park
Experience the ultimate thrill when you get up close and personal with majestic wildlife – and ride a zipline or two – at Wilstem Wildlife Park in Orange County! Elephants, sloths, giraffes, and otters – oh my! At Wilstem, you can visit with all these adorable animals and more! Go on a drive-thru safari in your own vehicle or catch a ride on Wilstem’s wagon to see the wildlife out in the open. Ready to go prehistoric? The recently added Dinosaur Safari features animated dinosaurs you can enjoy from your vehicle, too! Looking for more thrills? Ride a zipline or go horseback riding while you’re there! You can plan to spend an entire summer day at Wilstem alone! And maybe walk a way with a one-of-a-kind profile picture, too! Wilstem was recently nominated as one of the best animal encounters in the country by Newsweek. Cast your vote for them by July 31. The top animal encounter will be announced in August!
3. Patoka Lake Wine Cruise
Sipping a glass of wine as you soak in the sunset on a beautiful lake feels like a dream, but in the Indiana Uplands, it is a reality! Patoka Lake Wine Cruises happen all summer long on the Patoka Voyager cruise boat. Sunsets are paired with Indiana wines, d’oeuvres, and desserts. Taste delicious wines and forget about your worries for a while – only in the Uplands! Better hurry and book your spot for the last two cruises set to sail in August. While you’re there check out Patoka Lake Winery and the new Old Homestead Distilling Co. featuring a tasting room, gift shop, spirit slushies, craft cocktails, and distillery tours! There is also a new saloon, brewery, and a 28-room hotel, in case you feel like extending the Patoka Lake fun into the night!
4. Go putt-putting
Ready for a little friendly competition? Grab your crew and head to Hoosier Putt Hole in Monroe County or Freedom Fairway Miniature Golf in Lawrence County for a chance to get a hole-in-one with a side of FUN! These courses are packed with creatively designed obstacles that add an extra layer of excitement to every game. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a first-time player, you’ll find something to enjoy. Perfect for all ages, a trip around these putt-putt courses promises laughter, fun, and memorable moments with family and friends. So, gather your group and embark on an adventure that blends challenge and amusement, creating unforgettable experiences for everyone!
5. Drive-in movie
Spend a warm summer night watching a movie under the stars in the Uplands! Did you know there are less than 300 drive-in theaters in the United States? Of those theaters, less than 20 are in Indiana! We are lucky in the Uplands to have THREE drive-in movie theaters hosting blockbuster nights under the stars all summer. Embrace nostalgia and enjoy the magic of movies from the comfort of your car by visiting Starlite Drive-In Theater in Monroe County, Holiday Drive-In in Lawrence County, and Cinema 67 Drive-In Theater in Owen County. Don’t forget the popcorn!
By Jerry Curry, Staff Writer
I recently had the opportunity to interview an author from Salem. Her name is Tanya Coats Konerman, and she graduated from Salem High School in 1985.
Konerman lived in Salem until she went to college at Indiana University and stayed there. She has a double major in Journalism and Psychology, with a focus on childhood development. Her home now is in Bloomington where she lives with her husband, who is an electrical engineer for Crane Naval Base. The couple have three daughters.
She specializes in children’s books and has written several. In July she had a book signing at Morgenstern’s Bookstore and Café. This is the largest independent bookstore in Indiana, located in Bloomington.
The book was “Haunted States of America”. It is a collection of ghost stories, published by Macmillan’s Laura Godwin Books. Several authors sent in stories geared for middle school students, and it is an anthology of ghost stories.
Konerman's contribution to the collection was “Danger at the Dune.” It a tale about a young woman, Dian from Chicago, who moved to the dunes in the 1900’s. She married a petty thief who was a suspect in the killing of a female found in the dunes. Well, the husband goes to the sheriff, who has no respect for him, to prove he didn’t do it. The sheriff shoots him in the foot. In the altercation he hits Diana in the head with the butt of his rifle. She dies later, and her ghost is now roaming the dunes. Today she is known as Diana of the Dunes. She now has a headstone.
Konerman's ghost story was chosen to represent Indiana in the anthology for middle school students. Her new book is “Mud to the Rescue.” It is a lyrical nonfiction look at the ingenious ways animals use mud to survive. This will be released in the spring of 2025.
Konerman's agent is Mona Kanin at Great Dog Literary.
Konerman is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and she publishes their Indiana edition newsletter.
She is 55 years old and is a very creative person and winner of several awards. She has over twenty years experience writing for magazines, newspaper, and websites, as well as a background in advertising and public relations.
July 15, 1921 The legislature created the Indiana Motor Vehicle Police, the first agency to have statewide jurisdiction to enforce state laws. The organization evolved into today's Indiana State Police.
July 16, 1921 Orville Redenbacher was born in Brazil, Indiana. He attended Purdue University and served as a Farm Bureau extension agent before becoming famous for developing his brand-name hybrid popcorn.
July 17, 1997 Space Shuttle Columbia landed at Kennedy Space Center. On board was Astronaut Janice E. Voss from South Bend. In five missions, she logged 18.8 million miles in space, circling the earth 779 times.
July 18, 1913 Comedian Red Skelton was born in Vincennes. Starting as a circus clown, he became famous in vaudeville, movies, radio, and television.
Our Where in Indiana? from last week was taken at Turkey Run State Park in Marshall, IN.
Where in Indiana?
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Indiana Statehouse Tour Office
Indiana Department of Administration
Guided Tours of the Indiana Statehouse are offered Monday through Saturday. For more information, contact us.
(317) 233-5293
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Indiana Quick Quiz
1. Which Indiana county is on the eastern border of Indianapolis?
2. Name the rock musician who grew up in Seymour, Indiana.
3. The Hot Dog Festival held in July is in what Indiana city?
4. The movie "Hoosiers" recalls the 1954 basketball championship game between what two Indiana teams?
Answers Below
For more activities
in IN
Answers
1. Hancock
2. John Mellencamp
3. Frankfort
4. Milan and Muncie Central
– Celebrating Hoosier Educator’s Laudable Commitment to Educating Hoosier Youth to Lead and Tackle Challenges Today and Tomorrow
You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.
Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States who lived in Indiana 1816-1830
Did you know Bee Balm is a native Indiana plant?
The Indiana State Fair unveiled the second wave of its 2024
list of scheduled concerts as a part of the Hoosier Lottery Free Stage schedule, August 2-18 (Fair is
closed on Mondays).
The Hoosier Lottery Free Stage has become a summertime staple for concert
goers and music lovers. The lineup each year consists of some of music’s most legendary and diverse
acts and this year is no exception. All shows at the Hoosier Lottery Free Stage are free with paid fair
admission and seating is first-come, first-served. All shows start at 7:30 p.m., unless noted otherwise.
Discount tickets can be purchased for the 2024 Indiana State Fair today at IndianaStateFair.com
The 2024 lineup, so far, for the Hoosier Lottery Free Stage at the Indiana State Fair include:
● Three Dog Night - Friday, August 2 (opening day)
● Gladys Knight - Sunday, August 4
● Dogstar (guitarist/vocalist Bret Domrose, drummer Robert Mailhouse and bassist
Keanu Reeves) - Thursday, August 8
● Bell Biv DeVoe - Friday, August 9
● *Fearless: The Taylor Swift Tribute - Saturday, August 10
● *Newsboys (evening) and Blessing Offor (afternoon) - Sunday, August 11
● *Happy Together Tour featuring The Turtles, Jay & The Americans, The Association, Badfinger
ft. Joey Molland, The Vogues and The Cowsills - Wednesday, August 14
● *Sublime with Rome - Thursday, August 15
● Gary Allan - Friday, August 16
● *Gospel Music Festival featuring Yolanda Adams - Sunday, August 18
*Just Added
As title sponsor of the Free Stage, the Hoosier Lottery is inviting fairgoers 18 or older to enter the
free myLOTTERY All-Inclusive Indiana State Fair Prize Package promotion. Six Grand Prize winners will
receive State Fair tickets, parking, Fair Bucks, the opportunity to take in a concert at the Hoosier
Lottery Free Stage, and a Hoosier Lottery Prize Pack. Enter by signing up to become a myLOTTERY
member or confirming your existing account at HoosierLottery.com/StateFair by July 8, 2024.
Promotional odds are dependent upon the number of entries received.
There will be a limited amount of reserved viewing area tickets available for these concerts made
available in July.
The 2024 Indiana State Fair is scheduled to open on Friday, August 2 and runs
through August 18, when you can enjoy The Greatest 15 Days of Summer at this iconic Hoosier
tradition. For more information, please visit www.indianastatefair.com or follow the Indiana State
Fair on Facebook, Instagram and X. The Indiana State Fair will be highlighted by its 2024 theme The
Art & Nature of Fun presented by Newfields.
2024 Artist Bios:
Three Dog Night
This legendary pop-rock band dominated the charts between 1969 and 1974, with no other group
having more top 10 hits. Three Dog Night has maintained and grown their audience, adapting to new
music technology and continuing to tour yearly, giving fans new and old the chance to experience
their dynamic performances of their classic hits as well as several new songs. Marking nearly 50 years
on the road, Three Dog Night continues to captivate audiences with boundary breaking sounds and
nostalgic music from their beginning.
Gladys Knight
As both a solo singer and a group musician, Gladys Knight has solidified herself as an icon of the music
industry. Known as the “Empress of Soul” Knight has received numerous awards and accolades for
her contributions to the R&B and Soul genres. She has also made appearances in numerous films and
television shows. She has recorded more than 38 albums during her career, four of which are solo
albums.
Dogstar feat. Robert Mailhouse, Bret Domrose & Keanu Reeves
Dogstar is an American Alternative rock band that was formed in Los Angeles in 1991. Its current
members are guitarist/vocalist Bret Domrose, drummer Robert Mailhouse and bassist Keanu Reeves.
The band saw its greatest success in the mid-1990s to the early 2000s, gathering significant attention
from the media due to the presence of Keanu. The band started back up again in 2020, announcing
their reunion in 2022. Their latest album was released on October 6, 2023.
Bell Biv DeVoe
Formed in 1989, Bell Biv DeVoe is an American music group hailing from Boston, Massachusetts. Their
music aims to combine elements of soul, R&B and hip hop, with their multi-platinum album Poison
having a song reaching number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1990. Their last album Three Stripes was
released on January 27, 2017, and despite only having four albums of original material the group has
continuously toured and performed live. The group formed as a spinoff of a R&B group called New
Edition, and has participated in several of their reunion tours.
Fearless: The Taylor Swift Tribute
Calling all SWIFTIES! We are FEARLESS!! The ULTIMATE Taylor Tribute! We celebrate all things
TAYLOR - from all the chart topping HITS to her ICONIC style! Composed of some of the top musicians
in CHICAGO, Fearless brings the magic of TAYLOR's music to life with passion, energy and STYLE! Get
ready to sing, dance and make your WILDEST DREAMS come true! See ya at the show!
Newsboys
Newsboys is a Christian rock band that was formed in Queensland, Australia in 1985. Their debut
album He’s Coming Back was recorded and released in 1987, and is the first of two albums recorded
in Australia, before moving to Nashville, Tennessee. Their fourth album Not Ashamed, released in
1992, was their first commercially successful album. In 2001 their fifth album was recognized by CCM
magazine as one of the “100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music.” One of their singles “Shine” was
included at No. 9 on CCM Magazine’s “100 Greatest Songs of Christian Music.” Their thirteenth studio
album In the Hands of God, released on May 5, 2009 debuted at No. 1 on the CCM charts. Their
newest album is 2024’s Worldwide Revival.
Blessing Offor
Born in Nigeria and raised in Connecticut, Blessing Offor combines Soul, R&B, pop and music from his
African roots. Blessing describes this combination as “the genre of humanity.” Having suffered from
vision loss at a young age, Offor learned to train his ears for musical talent. His 2023 debut album,
written and recorded in Nashville combines all the elements of his upbringing. Through a combination
of personal lyrics and a soundscape rooted in Motown spirit and an “afro-inspired undercurrent,”
Offor works to combine his dynamic background. To honor his African heritage, Offor included three
unique recordings of a call with his uncle to translate a Nigerian tune called “Akwa Uwa,” which
means “Tears for the World.”
Happy Together Tour 2024
The Happy Together Tour 2024 consists of six acts: The Turtles, Jay & The Americans, The Association,
Badfinger ft. Joey Molland, The Vogues and The Cowsills. These artists had their biggest hits in the
60’s and 70’s and brought timeless sounds and songs like “Happy Together” by the Turtles, one of
the most recognizable songs of that time period. These bands combined have multiple No. 1 hits with
this tour starting in 1984. Since then the band has consistently knocked out 50 shows a year, making
this tour an iconic homage to an era of music that has influenced many of today’s artists. The tour
has consisted of several different bands and artists throughout the nearly 40 years it has been
running, with the only constant band being The Turtles.
Sublime with Rome
Formed in California in 2010 by former members of the band Sublime and singer and guitarist Rome
Ramirez, Sublime with Rome is a ska alternative rock group. The group’s debut album Yours Truly was
released on July 12, 2011, and broke the top ten of the Billboard 200. After releasing their third album
Blessings, the band went on a major tour. In 2023 they collaborated with Slightly Stoopid on “Cool &
Collected,” which was their first new release in several years. To celebrate the release, the group
went on a massive summer tour to 27 different cities. Their latest album recorded at Sonic Ranch, is
a celebration of their fifteen year run, and is a thank you note to their many fans.
Gary Allan
Gary Allan is a Nashville based country music singer. He got his start in 1996 after signing to Decca
Records. His debut single “Her Man” was released in 1996, was the lead-off to his gold certified debut
album, titled Used Heart for Sale. He has had three certified platinum albums, and three certified
gold albums. Two albums reached the top two spots on the U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums. His
newest album titled Ruthless tells the story of the Nashville country from the 1990s to the present.
Gospel Music Festival featuring: Yolanda Adams
Yolanda Adams is an American gospel singer, and host of her own syndicated gospel show. Adams
got her start singing gospel music in the early 1980s as part of Houston’s Southeast Inspirational
Choir, which was affiliated with the Church of God in Christ. She was a featured vocalist on the Choir’s
single “For my Liberty. In 1987, Adams signed a contract with The Sound of Gospel, and released her
first album titled Just As I Am. In 1990 she was discovered by producer Ben Tankard, and after signing
to his independent label she released another album titled Through the Storm. In 2009 she was
named the number 1 gospel artist of the decade by Billboard. In 2016, President Barack Obama gave
her the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding volunteer service, and in 2017
she was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Adams has five number one albums on
Billboard’s Top Gospel Album list. In 2022 she was inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment
Walk of Fame.
ABOUT THE INDIANA STATE FAIR:
The Indiana State Fair, known as the state's premier multi-day event, is a vibrant celebration of the
Hoosier spirit and agricultural legacy. Over 15 exciting days, it unites communities across Indiana to
honor the state's unique identity and welcomes visitors from far and wide. Renowned for its top-
notch entertainment, spotlight on 4-H youth, engaging agricultural education programs, modern
facilities, and an array of delicious fare, the Indiana State Fair has been a treasured tradition for
Hoosiers for over a century. The 2024 Indiana State Fair takes place from August 2nd to August 18th
(closed Mondays). For comprehensive event information, ticket details, and attractions, be sure to
visit our official website at www.indianastatefair.com.
ABOUT THE HOOSIER LOTTERY:
For over 30 years, Hoosier Lottery distributions have benefited every county throughout Indiana. The
Hoosier Lottery has contributed more than $7 billion to good causes, including $30 million to local
police and firefighters’ pensions and $30 million to the Teachers’ Retirement Fund annually.
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