Welcome back all to your Thursday edition of NWI Explored. It’s still a slow roll into the new year on a lot of fronts, but we’re glad you’ve continued to make us a part of your weekly routine. We’ve really enjoyed your continued feedback and would encourage anyone with thoughts to please share them with us at [email protected]. This is as much your newsletter as it is ours. We only want to make it better as time goes on, so keep those emails coming!

The Lowdown on the NWI News You Need to Know About

All the January Events in NWI

Today in NWI

Well, that break from the winter extremities was short lived, huh? At the time of writing, we got smacked in the face with a snow squall early on this Wednesday morning, with an ensuing winter storm that made a mess out of everything. It really was like a flip of a switch from Tuesday into Wednesday, but isn’t that what makes living in this area such a joy? It’s like a slot machine. Each pull of the lever comes with all the possibilities in the world. Some days you hit a jackpot, and other days you’re resigned to your home because a snow squall tears through your neighborhood. We’ll cover some of the related happenings with the inclement weather in The Lowdown, but it was certainly an interesting development for the week.

For the moment, here is your weekend forecast for NWI.

Every issue of NWI Explored comes with The Lowdown: a roundup of the most important news and happenings around the Region.

Thanks to sudden inclement weather, households across NWI experienced power outages and traffic disruptions during the wee commuting hours of Wednesday morning.

Porter and LaPorte Counties might be added to a specialized state task force centered around combatting violent crime by tracing firearms used in crimes.

The Cedar Lake Stracks has sold a winning Powerball ticket to a NWI resident, totally $50,000 - the third highest prize available in the game.

The Indiana Senate has voted in favor of a provision to make the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich the official state sandwich.

The Winfield Town Council has stated their opposition to a pending State bill that would allow a developer to transfer 5% of the town’s total acreage to the jurisdiction of Crown Point, it’s neighbor.

Every issue of NWI Explored, we give you the best events and spots to check out during the month of January

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.

The Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education is hosting an Artist-in-Residence art display this month. The Artist-in-Residence program gives professional artists the opportunity to live in the Dunes Park for two weeks in exchange for a piece of art reflecting support for the national lakeshore. These pieces are all on display, completely free to view. Learn more about this really cool project here.

Miller Beach Arts and Creative District is hosting ten artists from this year’s community art show for a live discussion of their artistic process, as well as the unifying themes of their work on exhibition. Voices: Artists Talk is a free live conversation covering everything from how artists can use their creative output to reflect uncertain times to responsibility as a member of a local community. Find out more info right here.

Shady Creek Winery will be hosting a Bridgerton Trivia Night on January 15th. If you’re a big fan of the Netflix Original show, this seems like the perfect night out for you! Find more info right here.

Also on January 15th, Running Vines Winery in Chesterton will be hosting a Name That Tune Throwback Night. Test your knowledge of 80s, 90s, and 00s pop hits with special host Joe Christian, owner of Arrested Sounds. A percentage of profits from this event will be donated to the charity of Joe’s choice, as well. Grab a crew and go test your might against the other boy band obsessives populating the Region.

Wabash, IN native Michael Palascak will be hosting a comedy night at the Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster on January 16th. Palascak has been featured on “Last Comic Standing”, “The Tonight Show”, “Conan”, and “The Late Late Show”. Find more info about Palascak and the show, as well as tickets, right here.

January 16th will see the legendary R&B group Jodeci playing the Horseshoe Casino stage. The concert is a part of their tour celebrating the 30th-anniversary of their seminal album “The Show, The After Party, The Hotel”. Tickets can be found here, as well as further info about the show.

The Veterans of Comedy will be coming to the Hobart Art Theater on January 17th. See comics Alex Ortiz, Zako Ryan, Kirk Mchenry, and Robert Day, courtesy of Operation Charlie Bravo. Find tickets and further information right here.

The Indiana Dunes National Park Visitor Center will be hosting their European Winter Market on January 17th, from 10am to 3pm. 40 different local vendors will be bringing you food, treats, home decor, handcrafted gifts, and all the winter vibes you could ask for. Find out more at the link right here.

January 17th, those outdoorsy folks can participate in a Hike With Hawks at Gabis Arboretum in Valpo. Guided by Shellie Barron, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, this hike will be focused on spotting birds of prey along the trail, as well as songbirds, woodpeckers, and non-migratory waterfowl. Find more info right here.

Stoney Run County Park in Hebron is hosting a New Moon Hike on January 17th. This winter evening hike will take place under the dark New Moon sky and only costs $2 a person. Dress warm! Pre-register and find more info right here.

Hard Rock Casino in Gary will be hosting a Elvis Tribute Spectacular on January 18th. This is an era-by-era tribute concert celebrating the wide-spanning career of the King himself, from the rockabilly days to the Vegas residency twilight. Multiple tribute artists will be in attendance and performing, which will make this the perfect night out for any Elvis diehard.

Looking for new skills in 2026? Participate in this Photography Basics Workshop on January 18th at Gibson Woods Nature Preserve in Hammond. Long time local photo club members will guide you through the ins and outs of using an SLR camera. You must bring your own camera and no cell phones. Learn more info right here.

Miller Garden Club Film Festival is presenting a screening the documentary of Farming While Black. Co-founder of the Soul Fire Farm, Leah Penniman, is at the center of this doc all about the plight of Black farmers in the United States. Doors open at 12:30pm, tickets can be found here for the January 18th screening.

Prohibition + Prosecco Brunch, presented by Running Vines Winery, will be hosted on January 18th. Step back into the Roaring 20s and enjoy a handcrafted menu from 10 am to 3 pm. Grab reservations right here.

Hobart Art Theater is hosting Austin, Texas native and country rising star George Birge on January 22nd. Birge began his career in the country duo Waterloo Revival before launching his solo career in 2021. He has collaborated with artists like Nelly, Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt, and even toured with them. Doors are at 6pm and tickets can be found here.

Over at the Memorial Opera House in Valpo, January 22nd will see the Bad Momz of Comedy take the historic stage. Seen on the Kelly Clarkson Show and selling out shows nationwide, the Bad Momz of Comedy is a showcase of hilarious comics from all over, with over 80 female comedians in their roster. This is sure to be a fun night, so grab your tickets now. Find more info right here.

For those with a taste for the finer things, Lighthouse Restaurant in Cedar Lake will be hosting a Cask Masters Scotch Dinner. This three-hour, multi course guided dinner will take you through a hand-crafted menu, paired with some of the finest single-malt scotches. Guests will be guided through the dinner with a Scotch specialist who will take diners through the heritage of each pour, taking the dinner from simple to elegant through exceptional craft and knowledge. Find reservations and a full menu right here.

January 22nd will also see the Harlem Wizards coming in to the Hammond Civic Center for a night of spectacular basketball theatrics. It’s much more than just a basketball game, so even non-sports fans will find a lot to enjoy with this show. Find tickets and further information right here.

Horseshoe Casino in Hammond will be hosting an iconic slate of 90s artists as they welcome the I Love the 90s Tour to their stage on January 23rd. Artists like Vanilla Ice, Rob Base, Tone Loc, and Young MC will grace the Venue stage to bring the audience back to the days of Coogi sweaters and MTV. Find out more info and grab tickets here.

Miller Beach Arts & Creative District is hosting a screening of comedian and disruptor Lizz Winstead’s documentary feature “No One Asked You”: an exploration of Winstead’s journey across America to support abortion clinic staff and bust stigmas. Iconic figures and comedy legends pop up all across this road trip movie centered around the conversations surrounding abortion. The screening is happening January 23rd, for $10 a ticket. Find more information right here.

Martin Lawrence, comedy legend and acting superstar, will be gracing the Hard Rock stage on January 24th on his “Y’all Know What It Is!” tour. This is an all-new stand up set that Lawrence is performing: his first national tour since 2016. Find out more info and grab tickets here.

ZZ Top tribute band Eliminator will be gracing the stage at the Theatre at the Center in Munster on January 24th. This Chicago-based ensemble has been playing the raw, blues-tinged sound of ZZ Top since 1992, so this is sure to be a fun show. Tickets and more info available right here.

America’s Antique Mall in Highland will be hosting a Dry January themed Mocktail Pub Crawl on January 24th. Shop the halls of vintage and modern barware and antiques with over 25 vendors offering a wide variety of mocktails to sip while you browse. This is the perfect Saturday activity for those abiding by Dry January. Find out more info right here.

Porter County Card Expo will be taking place on January 25th, from 9am to 3pm. Over 150 tables of sports, Pokemon, Memorabilia, and Collectibles will be available across the halls of the Porter County Fairgrounds this day. This is a family friendly event and is completely free to attend. Find out more here.

At the Memorial Opera House in Valpo, Megabeatles! will be returning to the historical stage for their 11th year in a row. This tribute band is made up members from the Crawpuppies and Chris & Lou and always puts on a great show. Beloved hits, deep cuts, and all the nostalgia you can handle are all on the menu. Find tickets and further info right here.

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.

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!