The idled grain elevator located at the Port of Indiana- Burns Harbor has been reopened after $18 million was invested to get it operational again. The Louis Dreyfus Company spent that money to get the grain terminal back up and running, with it now processing soybeans, corn and wheat from local farms before it gets shipped out of the port.

A solidarity rally for the still locked-out USW laborers at the BP Whiting Refinery is planned to be held this upcoming Saturday, October 10th. Organized by The Hammond Teachers’ Federation, Indivisible NWI, Unite the Region for Justice and Socialist Horizon NWI, the Solidarity rally will be taking place at the Highway of Flags Memorial in Highland, starting at 2pm. Speakers from the different organizing groups will be present and speaking and donations of food and/or money will be collected for the families of workers who have been without a paycheck for over 6 months now.

Jack in the Box will be opening its first NWI location soon. Hammond will be the lucky recipient of the first nearby location outside of Chicagoland for the California-based fast food chain.

Yet another 7 Brew Coffee Stand will be opening in Hammond, nearby to the Cabela’s in Hammond. Dutch Bros. is also eyeing a location nearby to open soon.

Speaking of Dutch Bros., another location will be opening in the Region - this time at the St. John in the Shops 96 development along 96th Place in St. John.

The intersection of Broadway and 113th Avenue in Crown Point, which has been closed for renovations and construction since mid-April, is planning to be reopened sometime around October 17th. The major thoroughfare was shut down for the entire summer and created large traffic disruptions in the area the whole while.

Hard Rock Cafe & Council Oak Bar Schedule (Free performances at Hard Rock Casino)

Hard Rock Casino Upcoming Performances

Horseshoe Casino Upcoming Performances

Hobart Art Theater Upcoming Performances

Midwest Big Band Concert @ Theatre at the Center (October 11th)

The Press, a coffee shop/bookstore in downtown Valpo, hosts multiple monthly book clubs. Take a peep at their calendar to find a club that suits your literary interests!

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.

Anderson’s Winery in Valpo hosts weekly live music each and every weekend. Find a schedule of upcoming performances at the link right 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.

Off Square Brewing in Crown Point hosts a weekly Bingo Night on Thursdays, running from 7-9 pm each and every week. One lucky number can make you the big winner of the night! Find further info here. They also host a weekly Trivia Night on Wednesdays from 7pm.

Up Your Alley in Schererville has regular specials all week, perfect for families and groups of friends. Monday is a bowling special, Tuesday is Laser Tag, Wednesday is Dark Rides, and Thursday is the Arcade. Find more info and the specific deals available each week right here.

Every Monday, from 7-9 pm, Journeyman Distillery in Valpo hosts a Trivia Night. Three rounds of trivia keep the night alive, with teams of up to six people fight to win the grand prize every week. Find more info right here.

The Golden Leaf in Chesterton hosts a recurrent, one-of-a-kind experience that shows you the art of cigar making from start to finish. “The Cigar Maker Experience at The Golden Leaf” is a walk through cigar history that puts you into the tradition and culture of a long-standing trade. They host this event often, but dates tend to sell out ahead of time!

Lighthouse Restaurant in Cedar Lake has a weekly wine special running through dinner service. Happy hour specials and heavily discounted bottles every single Wednesday!

Every second Saturday each month, Beale Pottery in Westville hosts a “Make Cool Stuff Club”. This is a group that meets to, well, make cool stuff in the form of pottery! Find more info about the spot and their events right here.

On the last Tuesday of every month, Downtown Highland hosts a restaurant crawl. This community event always features a bunch of the local spots offering specials and deals, so its a great way to spend an evening hopping from meal to meal. Find more info right here.

Tiny’s Coffee Bar in Miller Beach has recurrent events every single week. Check out their page to find the full slate of events.

Marina Shores Yacht Club in Portage has Live Music Thursdays every 3rd Thursday of the Month! Find more info right here about lineups and performances.

Sip Coffee House in Highland has a Wednesday Game Night every single week from 6-9pm. In partnership with the Northwest Indiana Board Game Association.

Valparaiso Pathways Committee holds Free community rides once a month during the warmer months. Click here to look at their schedule of group rides across the city.

Conway Observatory in Lowell hosts open houses once a month for all ages to come in and take a look into the deep stretches of space. Totally free and with different focuses at each open house, you can learn about a host of cool space topics across the year. Find their schedule at the link right here.

Getting into photography or a seasoned vet looking to get out there and shoot more? Lake County Parks Photo Club has regular meetings every 2nd Wednesday at Turkey Creek Golf Course, with regular field trips out in the NWI expanse. Find more info and the full schedule at the link right here.

Gibson Woods Nature Preserve in Hammond holds a weekly Hike through nature every Wednesday. Find their full schedule right here. Pre-registration is required.

Miller Beach Arts and Creative District holds a free community yoga session every Sunday, beginning at 10am at the District building. Find info and other event listings here.

For all the fellow writers out there, Tiny’s Coffee Bar in Miller Beach holds a weekly writing group each and every Saturday, starting at 10:15am. Sometimes all it takes to spark inspiration is being around fellow creatives. Find more info about the group right here