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It’s a Thursday once again and this is your expected issue of NWI Explored, for January 29th, 2026. We’re finally saying goodbye to the month of January for now, and I for one could not be more excited. I don’t mind regular winter cold so much, but the dourness of the post-holiday stretch and our recent inclement weather has been a real struggle. Let’s all look on to better and brighter things — even if its still going to be 15 degrees outside. Here’s your Thursday newsletter from NWI Explored.
🧭 On Today’s issue of NWI Explored🧭
The Last Few January Events in NWI
A Snapshot of February’s Events
The Lowdown on NWI News
Today in NWI
We’re almost on the other side of the brutal winter weather, but have to endure a few more days until we finally see temperatures above 15 degrees. Hopefully, the rest of NWI winter can manage to be a little bit less caustic and more temperate. Either way, here’s your forecast for the weekend of January 30th, 2026.
What kind of content do you want to see from NWI Explored?
🏘The Lowdown 🏘
Every issue of NWI Explored comes with The Lowdown: a roundup of the most important news and happenings around the Region.
Former East Chicago Superintendent Javier Abrego has sued the School City of East Chicago over his sudden termination in 2023, citing the board’s improper conduction of his firing and denial of due process.
Senate Bill 76 has passed the State Senate chamber, with bold support from the Senate Republicans.
This bill would compel Indiana community members and local law enforcement to support federal immigration enforcement efforts, despite their aggressive and violent tactics - such as those employed recently in Minneapolis. Attorney General Todd Rokita will be able to seek court orders for Gov. Mike Braun to withhold state or local funds for up to one year if cooperation (under discretion from Rokita) is not seen in accordance with DHS or ICE agents. This proposal would also mandate unquestioned jail and court compliance will all requests to detain suspected illegal immigrants.
In a Town Council meeting on January 27th, Merrillville Town Council unanimously voted to approve a resolution in opposition to the creation of a federal immigrant holding facility initially planned for the town.
Merrillville Town Council said that they stood in unequivocal opposition to the conversion of existing warehouses for the creation of an ICE processing facility, nor any other facility that disregards Town land use and regulatory ordinances. The six present members of the Council also later stated that they would oppose the construction of ANY ICE facility within the town. Councilwoman Keesha Hardway was cited as saying, “ICE facilities do not belong anywhere, especially in the town of Merrillville.”
State Reps. Mike Andrade and Matt Pierce are planning to host a Town Hall in Munster this February in order to hear from residents about the soaring NIPSCO utility bills - which have become a primary concern of most NWI residents.
The town hall will be hosted at Laborers Local 41 Union Hall, 550 Superior Ave in Munster, on February 7th from 1-3pm. Rising utility bills are the main issue that this meeting will be covering, so Explorers: go out and make your voices heard!
Senate Bill 232 - a proposal that would allow the City of Gary to more easily sell off the approximately 7,000 vacant and abandoned properties owned by the city - has passed in the Indiana Senate Chamber.
The bill allows Gary to hire a single appraiser to calculate the value of 10 residential and 10 commercial properties each year, located all throughout the town. The average value of each type of property will then be used to set a minimum offering price for all the properties the city wants to sell without incurring the cost of additional proposals for each parcel of land in question.
The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District announced on Monday they have appointed a new president of the company, former executive director of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority David Dech.
The School City of East Chicago has been recommended by a hired contractor to raze and rebuild two school buildings in the district instead of costly regular maintenance work.
The two buildings in question are Carrie Gosch Early Learning Center and Joseph Block Middle School. Both buildings have exceeded what the city would call regular repairs in terms of the cost they would draw. Wightman Engineering has been brought on to propose reconstruction for these school buildings and a 10-year capital plan.
What’s Going On in NWI?
Every issue of NWI Explored, we give you the best events and spots to check out during any given month.
Tuesday is Trivia day at White Rhino in Dyer. Find out more about this weekly event at the link here. Wednesday at White Rhino is Bingo night, starting at 6:30pm.
18th Street Brewery has its weekly Music Trivia and Karaoke night every Wednesday. Doors open at 4pm, with trivia starting at 6pm. Find out more here. On Thursday nights, they also host a weekly Line Dancing night with host Mizz Coco. Find out more here.
Shady Creek Winery hosts a weekly live music event each and every Sunday. Find a schedule of upcoming artists at the link here.
Find out info about the classes and everything the Chesterton Art Center has going on here. The Center constantly has events for beginners, young artists, and apprentices alike, so anyone looking to build their skills and learn new ones should keep tabs on what the Chesterton Art Center has going on.
Byway Brewery in Hammond is hosting another entry in their Byway Comedy Series on January 29th at 6:30pm. This comedy night is headlined by Ruben Ramirez, with featured performers being Mike Maxwell, Noah Wolf, Sonal Aggarwal, and Cecilia Conzalez. Find tickets and more info right here.
Running Vines Winery is hosting a Disney-themed “Name That Tune!” night on January 29th, with special hosts Kyla and Kim from the Burns Harbor Park Foundation. A percentage of profits from this night will be donated to them directly, supporting their amazing community work. Find out more info right here.
Hard Rock Cafe will be hosting America Eats It’s Young, a tribute performance of the seminal funk album Mothership Connection, on January 31st. This is a free event that starts at 9pm, but it is 21+. Find out more info right here.
County Line Orchard will be hosting their annual Big Barn Beer Fest on January 31st, from 2-6pm. Over 40 different breweries will be in attendance and with unlimited samples, it’s sure to be a time to remember. All proceeds from the event will be going to support the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Northwest Indiana. Find more info right here.
Award-winning comedy legend Lewis Black will be taking the stage at Hard Rock Casino in Gary on January 31st. Show starts at 7pm. Find more info right here.
Love old arcade cabinets? Want to show off your gaming skills and compete for prizes? Haunted Hills Attractions in Merrillville will be hosting a Arcade High Score Tournament on January 31st. Compete for prizes and rack up points to get to the top of the leaderboard. $20 gets you entry. Find out more at the link right here.
The Porter County Master Gardeners Association will be hosting their 20th Annual Gardening Show at the Porter County Expo Center on January 31st. More than 100 exhibitor and vendor booths will be available, with children’s educational activities, presentations by local gardening speakers, workshops, and free seeds and bulbs from garden and commercial donors. To learn more, you can click here!
Rogers Lakewood Park in Valpo will be hosting an Ice Fishing Derby on January 31st. This is a family event, so everyone is welcome to head out and try their hand at ice fishing. The fishing contest will be supplemented by a raffle, prizes, and all the winter fun you can handle. Find all the info right here.
A Sneak Peek at February
Kick off February with some local goods and handmade treats from the Miller Beach Winter Farmers Market. These markets run once a month, from 12 to 2pm at the Marshall J Gardner Center for the Arts. Find out more right here.
February 1st will see the Stevie Wonder Experience coming to the Theatre at the Center. Celebrate the life and work of one of popular music’s most enduring voices. Find all the info right here.
On select Sundays, including February 1st, the Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster will be hosting a Sunday Brunch. Open to all, guests can partake in a two-meat carving station, signature entrees, complimentary beverage service, and a full breakfast menu. Prices vary between ages, info of which you learn more about here.
South Shore Roller Derby is looking for recruits! Swing by NEO New Vistas High School Sportsplex in Portage on February 3rd and 10th to find out what SSRD is all about. These are free informational nights, with an opportunity to watch a practice up close, ask league members about the culture of the sport, and find out how you can fit into the crew. Find out all the info right here.
Valparaiso University will be putting on a dance performance the whole weekend of February 6th. The dance ensemble takes the stage to put on a performance of Finding Free, directed by Salena Elish. Find tickets, more info, and everything else you need right here.
Hobart Art Theater will be hosting a tribute concert to Buddy Holly, titled The Day the Music Died, on February 6th. Celebrate the life and work of the one of the godfathers of modern rock and roll with this night of powerfully performed renditions of classic songs. Find more info right here.
February 7th will see the classic John Mellencamp tribute band, Small Town, take the Memorial Opera House stage. All the favorite tracks, played with high-level musicianship and energy. Also, check out Ashlyn - a 14 year old NWI based rising country artist, who will be opening for Small Town. Find out more info right here.
Memorial Opera House in Valpo will be hosting Red Revolution: The Taylor Swift Experience for the second year in a row. This is the ultimate Swiftie celebration, with powerhouse vocalist Tiffany Lidster taking the stage to belt out all the Taylor favorites. High energy doesn’t even begin to describe what this night has in store, so click here to find out more.
February 7th will see Bombers BBQ in Crown Point host an Office- themed trivia night. How much do you know about Dunder Mifflin? Prove your wits and win some prizes, alongside some great food and brews. Find out more info right here.
Hobart Art Theater will be hosting a Chicagoland Stand Up Comedy Show on February 7th. Join them for a night of endless laughs with some of the hottest local comedians, hosted by comedian Susana Rodriguez and headlined by Nick Cobb. Find out more information about the night and the full lineup right here.
Multi-platinum recording artist Keith Sweat will be taking the Horseshoe Casino stage on February 7th. Who does it better than him? Nobody! Find out more right here.
On the weekend of February 7th, Journeyman Distillery will be hosting a Winter Artisan Market at their Valpo location. More than 130 talented makers and craftspeople will be selling their wares and presenting their art, with everything from jewelry to home decor to self-care items to food. Drinks and food will be available on-site from Journeyman as well. Find out more information right here.
Off-Square Brewing in Crown Point will be hosting a Galentine’s Day Brunch - DJ’d by DJ Nasty Boy Noel. Guests will be greeted with a welcome glass of champagne and rose, and that’s where the event only begins. A special menu and drink specials round out what is sure to be a great time! Find out more info right here.
NWI Comic-Con is February 7th! A full-day of family friendly, affordable geek culture and comic book fun is right around the corner and you won’t want to miss it! Visit the Lake County Fairgrounds to take part in vendor booths, VIP guests, Artist Alley, Cosplay Contests, and even more. Find out more info right here.
David Pendleton, ventriloquist extraordinaire, will be hosting two shows on Valentines Day at the Hobart Art Theater. 7pm and 9pm will the start times for the two shows, so you can’t miss your shot for some lovey-dovey laughs this Valentines Day. Find out all the info you need here.
Valentine’s Dinners and events will be hosted at the following NWI restaurants and spots:
The Theatre at the Center will be putting on the Midwest premiere of Kristyn Estes’ new comedy “The Swingset” on February 14th. This play follows retired couple Jake and Abby as they face the new challenges and surprises that come from the final stage of life. Find tickets and further info right here.
Over at the Valpo University Center for the Arts, take a Valentines Day trip through the Kaliedoscope - a modern-contemporary dance concert put on by IBT Artistic Director Amanda Tuohy. This is their annual dance concert and is always a compelling collection of movements and styles, applying the creativity and revelatory power of dance to this inspiring experience. Find out all the info you wanna know right here.
Hard Rock Casino will be hosting a Night with Musiq Soulchild on February 15th, with special guest Ro James. 13 time Grammy nominee and multi-platinum recording artist Musiq Soulchild will be taking the stage at Hard Rock in Gary to bring his particular brand of R&B excellence to NWI. Find tickets and all the info right here.
Maestro Kirk Muspratt will be returning to NWI for his 25th Anniversary Season, sharing a lifetime of stories at the Theatre at the Center on February 15th. There will also be a meet and greet with the Maestro following the concert. Find out more right here.
February 16th is Jazz Night at Shoreline Brewery. Enjoy live jazz music, endless pours of beer, and great food - with performances by Bill Romer and Friends. Find out more right here.
Horseshoe Casino in Hammond will be welcoming Brit Floyd - the preeminent Pink Floyd tribute experience group - to their stage, as they embark on a world tour. The Moon, The Wall and Beyond is the new production from the group and serves as a wide-spanning tribute to not only the music, but the visuals and scale of Pink Floyd. Find out more right here.
Hard Rock Casino is hosting a Elite Fight Night 29: Havoc at Hard Rock on February 20th. This MMA event is part of the EAFL, a nationally competitive team vs team, state vs state MMA organization. This is one of the preeminent amateur MMA productions and is sure to be a way to watch some of the best amateur talent in the country. Find more info right here.
Also on February 20th, Hobart Art Theater will have Anthem’s Grand Illusion: A Styx Tribute in the house. ANTHEM is a live musical experience covering a lot of the classic rock sphere - from Styx to Bon Jovi to Alice in Chains. This night is sure to be a great one, so grab your tickets asap at the link right here.
From February 20th to 22nd, the Jean Shepherd Center in Hammond will be hosting PICKLEMANIA: the Horseshoe Hammond February Challenge. 12 professionally surfaced pickleball courts will be in use as a round robin tournament takes place over all three days, with a full bar and lounge right inside the facility. This is sure to be one you athletes don’t want to miss. Find out more right here.
Join Mayor of Hammond Thomas M. McDermott, Jr. and the 219 Day Committee for the 10th annual 219 Day Celebration! This years celebration will return to the Hammond Civic Center, taking place on February 21st, from 6-11pm and admission is free. Find out more at the link right here.
February 21st will see international AC/DC tribute band BONFIRE return to the Hobart Art Theater for the 7th consecutive year. This will be the band’s 26th anniversary, so the show is sure to be an absolute barn burner. Find tickets and more information at the link right here.
Courtesy of Michigan City’s Uptown Arts District, Shelf Ice Brewfest, on February 22nd, is hoping to bring some light to the doldrums of February. Tents full of Indiana’s best craft breweries, wineries, cideries and distilleries, live music, market tents, and fire pits will make this a day sure to excite. Food trucks will line the street, with winter activities, ice sculptures and all the fun you can stomach. Find tickets and more info at the link right here.
Exhorder, New Orleans-based heavy metal band, will be taking the Hobart Art Theater stage on February 22nd. Since reforming in 2017, they’ve taken their groove-laden thrash sound even further and refined into a well-oiled machine of thrash. Find tickets and even more information right here.
February 27th will see Wu-Tang Clan legends Method Man and Redman take to the Hard Rock Casino stage in Gary. These are two of the most celebrated and worthy rappers of their generation, so its sure to be a night worth the price of admission. Find tickets and further info right here.
That’s all we’ve got for this week on NWI Explored. We will see you all on Monday for your next entry of NWIE. Thanks for checking us out! Give us a shout to all your local family and friends. We’re just getting started and want to reach as many of our wonderful neighbors as possible. Drop us a line at [email protected] if you have any questions, comments, or concerns. We love hearing from our Explorers. Otherwise, see you on Monday and…
Happy Exploring,
Eric & Luke
The NWI Explored Team
I used to dream about escaping my ordinary life, but my life was never ordinary. I had simply failed to notice how extraordinary it was. Likewise, I never imagined that home might be something I would miss.
-Ransom Riggs
