The Taste of Carmel. It is the food fest fundraiser benefiting Orchard Park Elementary School that…read moreI try my best not to miss each year. It never disappoints; just makes me a little uncomfortable by the end of the night. Take a look at just a few of the dishes served up tonight. You'll also see that theI I was invited to attend the VIP First Taste - the hour prior to the start of the event that grants serious foodies early access to sample creations by some of Carmel's award-winning chefs. Never been to this extraordinary eating extravaganza?? You are missing out! Get there next year, support a very worthy cause, and make your stomach extremely happy. #TasteOfCarmel2020 #OrchardParkElementrySchool

Taste of Carmel is a foodie fundraising event that happens in Carmel the first week of March. All…read moreof the profits go toward Orchard Park Elementary School, to help pay for classroom materials, field trips, school programs and teacher support. I attended in 2018, and I have to say, it was really great. There were at least three dozen food and beverage vendors set up in one big, indoor room at the event center, and you can just walk around and take samples from each one. Multiple samples! As many samples as you want! There were particular tables that I kept going back to (hello, endless vodka shots and meatball sliders). I came to the event hungry, and I left full, buzzed and happy. The great thing about Taste of Carmel (besides the fact that it is a fundraiser that directly helps a local school) is that the vendors at the event are all local and from the Indianapolis / Carmel area, so you get to discover new restaurants and businesses during the event. There were a few local distilleries that I had no idea existed in the area, so I was happy to sample their beverages. Parking is abundant at 502 East Event Center, where the event is held. But this event is really popular, so there are busses that will take you to nearby parking lots where there is more parking. I'm looking forward to Taste of Carmel next year!

We went for the first time this year and were so glad we did! I've heard that it's many people's…read morefavorites, and so we were eager to visit. Here's what we loved: + Free entry (and $5 parking to park close but totally worth it) + Food area = they allow you to pick up all the food you want and then pay for it all together as you exit. Same with the dessert room. Super efficient! + Huge Greek salads and Greek fries = favorite savory foods + Dessert room in the church = favorite thrill of the event (yummmm) + Baklava cheesecake = favorite dessert we tried + Fun dancing = performances and they involve everyone later in the night + Seating = many shaded tents with chairs and tables + Kids area = puppet shows, coloring, and beading crafts + Church = beautiful building and they let you peek in too + Photo opps = fun and creative + Marketing = Lenie does the best job and is so on top of things! + Social media = so much great info posted clearly on their IG Things to note: + Dessert line = it's long but it moves quicker than you'd expect. I saw that they have a dessert pre-order option and a pick-up area that makes it much quicker but it was fun to see everything in person to choose! No regrets. + Dessert menus in line = there was a dessert menu listed outside of the church but as we were waiting in the line, it would've been helpful to have some menus posted along the line so people could think up their order while waiting. (Or we should've taken a photo of the outdoor sign!) + Entrance from parking lot = mostly everyone parks in the big field next to the church but then you walk up a little hill, between trees, through the parking lot, and past the emergency vehicles. It felt like maybe that wasn't the right entrance, so some signage or some type of entrance would be fun there. It's such a wonderful event and we'll definitely be back! Great work!

This was a good event. The food was amazing. The music was great. It was in a very pretty Orthodox…read moreChurch. There was a lot of parking, which is necessary since it's in Carmel. The line was extremely long. However it was worth it. Once you get to the food there's tons of options and you get out quick. Very good event. Check this out next year.

As someone who has a background in visual arts, I'm always excited to visit Newfields! Art in…read moreBloom, The Lume immersive experiences , Winterlights and of course Harvest Nights are some of the annual events I look forward to. Last night was the third time I attended Harvest Nights. This was the first time I arrived before it was dark so it was less spooky and a bit more wholesome in the daylight. We arrived at 7 and stayed until about 9 pm to experience everything lit up after dark. When you arrive, you're surrounded by stacks of pumpkins in every size, shape, color and type imaginable. Beautiful Fall arrangements are everywhere you look. The Fungi Forest was something new I haven't seen before. Very cool! I felt a bit like Alice in Wonderland encompassed by giant mushrooms towering above illuminated by strategically placed neon lights. One of the highlights of the event was the Cutwater Lounge--a 21+ space upstairs in the Lily House transformed into "Mischief Manor" only for Harvest Nights. The bartender told me this was the first year having this feature. We had a flight of the Cutwater alcoholic beverages that included a snack mix of tasty treats. The Mule and Espresso Martini were our favs with the margarita coming in 3rd. Cutwater's take on the Lemon Drop (which is a drink I typically enjoy) was strong yet tasted a bit watered down. The adult only experience wasn't very well marked (it's upstairs) and signage in general--starting at the parking lot entrance--needs improvement. I'm not sure we would have known about the adult area had it not been for the nice lady who sold us some yummy sweet potato fries with sage and bourbon maple dip. The Spider Stomp, Ghost Train and light show projected onto the Lily House all add to the overall experience. The seasonal food and drink options are great albeit a bit pricey. Passed on the $12 Bavarian pretzel but had to try Elysian Pumpkin Ale and wanted to try the cider but $14 was a little steep. It's not necessary to spend $20 for premium parking that they pressure you to purchase when you first pull into the lot. I recommend getting there early and wearing some of your best walking shoes. It's a cashless campus so good to keep that in mind. Love Newfields and can't wait for Winterlights in a couple months!

We went at 7:30 which was the perfect time since it was just starting to get dark. The line was…read morelong but move pretty quickly. We loved all the lights and decorations. There were tons of decorated pumpkins throughout Newfields. There is a food/drink garden area in the middle with benches to take a break if you want. We ordered the Marsh & Mallow Spooky Campfire Cocoa (spiked hot cocoa) and we all liked it and was comforting on this chilly night. The Lily house had a long line but we enjoyed going in and seeing all the spooky details inside.

We had a great time as a vendor at the Oktoberfest. The people are exceptionally friendly. The…read morepastor walking around meeting and greeting people was really nice. I thought the crowd was a little light for the vendors but that can never be estimated.

Local festival in Fishers with several vendors, mostly jewelry, housewares, and cooking supplies -…read morenothing really 'German'. One booth was selling beer but only 2 choices and $7 for an 8oz plastic cup. One food vendor had brats and polish sausage but the rest of the food was chicken tenders, tenderloins, elephant ears - not exactly what I think of when it comes to Oktoberfest. It was a gorgeous day and fun to walk around outside but for those seeking authentic German food, music, decor, or memorabilia this event would sadly disappoint.

What a cute pumpkin patch! The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. The layout was…read moreorganized, not too crowded or over priced. My family and I had a great time!

I love any farm that lets you explore all their activities for one flat entrance fee. Russell Farms…read moredoes this so we'll definitely be back! Activities we participated in included: Tractor ride Animal farm Playground area Pumpkin field Farm life activity role play There is also a shop to purchase food and beverages. Great place for field trips too!

The French Market hosted by ST. Joan of Arc is always a fun place to go. They have lots of vendors…read moreranging from food, art, jewelry and so much more.

Ooo la la! What a great festival! St. Joan of Arc puts this festival on every year. It has so many…read moregreat foods that you can't normally get locally. Tarte Flambé, beef bourgeon, fresh Cafe Du Mont beignets, ratatouille, and so much more! They have live music and lots of local venders as well as a bake sale. They have lots of volunteers from the church and school that do a great job of putting this event on. They offer tours of the gorgeous Roman Catholic Church during the event. They offer mass in French also. This is a great festival that if you haven't been you should put on a beret and head over to it.

Add this event to your fall festival bucket list! One of the best in the central Indiana area. I…read morewent both days to wander around for 2+ hours and explore, as admission is free. The festival features more than 130 juried artists who are each exceptional at their work. This is not a craft fair or flea market; rather, these are high end pieces ranging from paintings to photographs to jewelry and ceramics and beyond. Some of the price tags are high (meaning you could drop $3,000 if you wanted to) but many offer affordable prints of their paintings at a lower cost, for example. I was mesmerized to see the diversity and quality of artwork. Even though there are thousands of attendees, the festival is set up well and flows easily. There are food vendors on-site (would love to see more international cuisine), dance demonstrations and more. My only suggestion is to give it more "international" flair as I'm not really sure why it's called the international arts festival. Perhaps a number of the artists travel from abroad? I'm not entirely sure.

This was our first visit to the Carmel Arts District and we enjoyed ourselves when we visited the…read moreInternational Art Fair. It was a nice time for the family. The children really enjoyed seeing all different types of art displayed there. They even got to participate in one of the art exhibits. Carmel High school had a display where the children could choose a number and color that number on a giant Mona Lisa painting. After all the colors were finished, the painting would be displayed at the high school. Do they really enjoy being a part of that. We'll have to get back up there to see how the finished work turned out. There were food vendors out, live music, dance lessons taking place. So a few things to see. It was nice. I enjoyed the fried veggie truck. I can't remember the name but it was good. I will say it would have been nice to see other representation of other cultures here, as it called itself the "International" fair. But definitely a nice event to go do to get some fresh air and see some local art talent.

This festival is always so great - from the fall / Halloween theme to the intimate setting it's…read morejust a great day. It's a smaller festival than Indiana Microbrewer's Festival or Winterfest in that there are ~1,000 attendees but it's still an amazing value since your ticket comes with unlimited pours from over 40 Indiana breweries - mead and cider are available, too. Several will bring special brews to the event and almost everyone has multiple options and something for everyone to enjoy. Food is available for purchase & other vendors are on-site. I had a great time bowling for charity with Joy's House. Even better is that part of each festival's proceeds help a local charity. Costume contents, a DJ, and other activities - like the keg toss - are also an annual occurrence.

Broad Ripple Beer Fest is like a smaller version of Winterfest and Microbrewers Festival…read more(Summerfest), albeit much less hectic than the two larger festivals. There is still plenty of beer to go around with 50+ breweries, and the ratio of attendees to beer is much more manageable. Some of the more popular beer fest features are still in place, such as specialty beers at HopCat tent and cask selections. Most breweries have seasonal beers to choose from as well. An added bonus of Broad Ripple Beer Fest is the festive atmosphere. Since it's close to Halloween, many folks came out in costumes and the people-watching was quite fun. The beer fest can be a pre-game to other Halloween parties or the party itself. Being an outdoor festival in the fall, weather can be a factor and it can be tricky. You just have to be committed before attending. If you enjoy beer festivals but don't like the crowds, Broad Ripple Beer Fest offers a more chill (literally and figuratively) experience. It's a good alternative to the bigger festivals and also a nice halfway point as well.