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🧭 On Today’s issue of NWI Explored🧭

Everything Happening in NWI in April

A Recap of Local and State News

Today’s Headlines

Weather Forecast for NWI

The Call to Explore:

Welcome, Explorers, to your Thursday edition of NWI Explored. We hope everyone is enjoying the brief peeks we’ve had of warmer weather, punctuated by some flashes of classic NWI springtime. We’re entering officially our seventh month of making NWI Explored and it has been an absolute whirlwind! So much support from the community and people all over NWI has made the process of getting the newsletter off the ground such a breeze. It’s heartening to see how many of you are enjoying what we’re trying to build, so a huge thank you to all the Explorers. There are even better and brighter things to come from us in the near future!

In other NWI related thoughts, the polls that we’ve started doing each week seem to have been a huge hit with y’all! We’ve had so many responses for places that we’d never heard of or have meant to try but can’t quite get to, so we really appreciate all of the input the Explorers have given us. We’re going to provide recaps of the results on occasion, but we want to gather a few results at a time before including it here. Thanks again for all the continued input! Now, onto the newsletter!

We Want to Hear From You!

Every week, we will be cycling in a new poll for the Explorers to answer about NWI. Favorite spots, underrated meals, hidden gems and a whole bunch else will be covered. These polls will help us to build the definitive NWI Explored guide to the Northwest Indiana, completely based on input from all of you! So, make your voices heard and answer our weekly poll!

Polls will switch out on each week’s Thursday edition, so you’ve got a full week to respond!

Your Weekend Forecast for 4/30/26

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If you’d like to inquire about partnership or advertisement opportunities with NWI Explored and discuss potential work further, click here to fill out an inquiry.

🏘The Lowdown 🏘

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

After powerful wind storms whipped through NWI on Monday afternoon, thousands were left without power, bereft with debris and damage done to roads, homes and power lines.

  • In estimates provided by NIPSCO, around 5,000 customers were still left without power as of early yesterday - down from the initial reported outage of ~59,000 homes affected. NIPSCO aims to have a good chunk of the remaining affected customers restored with service today, but some households will be waiting even longer for restoration of power. Wind gusts reached up to 70 mph in Monday afternoon’s storms, downing trees and power lines across the Region - from Michigan City to St. John. The most outwardly affected communities, as reported by NIPSCO, were: St. John, Portage, Michigan City, Merrillville, La Porte, Crown Point, and Hobart. Find images of some of the damage sustained across NWI below.

    Downed power lines in Crown Point that impeded traffic after Monday afternoon’s wind storm.

    A fully uprooted tree in a Chesterton neighborhood, where 70 mph wind gusts caused a lot of damage to trees and power lines.

Congregants of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Dyer are planning a series of rosary rallies to urge the Diocese of Gary to save their historic church - a local parish that was founded in 1867 and is among the oldest in the Region.

  • The congregation has planned out three rosary rallies to make their voices heard and to get the attention of Bishop of Gary Robert McClory in order to spare their church from closure. The three rallies - all taking place at 3 pm - are detailed below

    • Friday, May 1st @ St. Joseph Catholic Church in Dyer (440 Joliet St.)

    • Wednesday, May 13th at the Diocese of Gary Office (9292 Broadway, Merrillville)

    • Memorial Day @ St. Joseph Catholic Church

The Indiana Attorney General’s Office just launched a web portal that will provide real-time updates to statewide gas prices, mapping out prices for over 4,000 gas stations across the state.

  • In light of sharply rising fuel costs across the whole of Indiana, Attorney General Todd Rokita and his office have launched this tool that provides live statewide updates about gas prices - with color coded indicators for sharp spikes and drops in pricing. This portal is an effort to deliver clear and accessible information to Indiana residents about how the fuel market is and what they’re going to be paying at the pump in response. You can make use of this tool by going to infuelwatch.com or clicking right here.

BP, in the same quarter that it initiated a workers lockout with union laborers and breaking step with other major oil companies in agreements with USW union locals, has reported their profits doubled during that time.

  • BP reported a profit of $3.2 billion in their first quarter of 2026, over double their reported profit of $1.4 billion last quarter. The cite a rise in oil trading profits and lower effective tax rates as the core reason they were so profitable versus last quarter. They brought in $2.9 billion in cash flow in this first quarter, ending the quarter with $25.3 billion in debt - which they aim to reduce by the end of next year alongside reinvestments in capital projects totaling $13.5 billion within the same timeframe. It’s very interesting to see a company report huge profits at the same time that it’s penny pinching on labor contracts with long-standing laborers and union workers. It makes you wonder how much will be enough for these mega-corporations who can lay off hundreds in the same quarter that they hit record profits. I simply wish USW local laborers who are still locked out from their jobs at the BP Whiting Refinery all the best and that they manage to get everything they need out of their contract negotiations.

Cleveland-Cliffs, a huge employer in the Region, has announced a three-year partnership deal with Palantir Technologies -- aiming to utilize AI tools in their manufacturing facilities.

  • Cleveland-Cliffs’ Region mills in Burns Harbor, Indiana Harbor and New Carlisle are included in these talks and will, in some manner, utilize technologies from Palantir to better integrate data and coordinate activities across all their facilities in real time. Palantir Technologies is a data integration and analytics company who works largely with federal agencies, state and local governments, international companies and private conglomerates, using their surveillance and intelligence tools to do…well, a lot of things. Their operating systems are used by the US Department of Defense and many police departments for mass surveillance purposes, while they also work with Morgan Stanley, Merck, Airbus, Fiat Chrysler and PG&E on data integration grounds. A lot of their data and information is acquired through surveillance and artificial intelligence, of which there are many concerns.

The FBI and IRS were seen raiding the home and businesses tied to Schererville resident James Gerodemos, conducting a currently unknown investigation. Gerodemos is the owner and operator of local restaurants Paragon Restaurant and Gino’s Steakhouse.

  • Agents from both the FBI and IRS were seen at Gerodemos’ home conducting a raid on Wednesday morning, with neighbors reporting around 15 cars pulled up to the home around 6 am and demanded entry. Around 7 am, ten or so agents were seen at Paragon Restaurant in Hobart and large groups who were going to the spot for breakfast were turned away by authorities. Later in the morning, a dozen or so law enforcement were seen at Gino’s Steakhouse in Merrillville pulling boxes and crates out of a storage unit stored on site. The full scope of their investigation is currently unknown at this time, but the IRS and FBI’s joint efforts leads many to speculate that crimes of tax evasion, money laundering or other white collar crimes are the most likely scenarios that would necessitate this level of law enforcement presence. James Gerodemos was previously sentenced in 2015 in federal court, receiving six months in prison, a $50,000 fine, and one year of supervised release after a guilty plea to dealing explosives without a license. Gerodemos was found to be in possession of over 16,000 pounds of commercial and illegal explosives that he intended to sell, but its not clear yet if this prior case has any tether to this new FBI activity.

    Law enforcement searching through crates at Gino’s Steakhouse on Wednesday

    FBI and IRS presence outside of Geredemos’ home

    FBI presence outside of Paragon Restaurant, Hobart

Leader of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus is condemning the Supreme Court’s decision yesterday to eliminate majority-minority congressional districts across the country. Read Rep. Earl Harris Jr.’s full opinion and further details about the court’s decision right here.

Barker Mansion’s plans to unveil a historic Haskell & Barker Car Company boxcar next month have been detailed, a move that aims to honor the legacy of the Region’s history and the legacy of John H. Barker. Read more about it right here.

Northwest Indiana has earned an “F” grade for air quality in the American Lung Association’s annual “State of the Air” report. We’re all familiar with how polluted the air is, especially in the northern parts of Lake County, but it is a stark reminder of that fact. Read more about in Jerry Davich’s op-ed for the NWI Times here (apologies if it’s paywalled. That’s out of my control 🙃)

Republican Governor Mike Braun is promoting the adoption of artificial intelligence by workers at both large and small companies across the state, launching the “IN AI” initiative this week to help Indiana businesses grow alongside the practical applications of AI. If you want to read more about the initiative and Gov. Braun’s position on AI, you can click right here.

“Michael”, the musical biopic focusing on the early career of Michael Jackson, lit up the box office last weekend with $97 million at the US box office. Region natives know Michael’s roots in NWI well and it seems they all showed up to celebrate his life and legacy as well. As someone who frequents the movie theater every weekend, I can vouch that almost every theater local to me had sold out screenings of “Michael” all weekend.

The 156-year old Julius House in Crown Point is nearing completion on a years long restoration, courtesy of Indiana Landmarks. The nonprofit preservation group wants to put the house on the market to sell to a preservation-minded buyer once the renovations are done.

Historical preservationist Mikayla Tucker will be holding a talk on Saturday, May 2nd at 127 N. Main St., Hebron, to discuss her efforts to get the Stagecoach Inn - a iconic building in NWI - listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Learn more about her efforts here.

The School City of Whiting has made progress on their issuance of up to $24 milion in debt to make utility repairs to their schools, getting no pushback from the public in two public hearings that were held last week and this past Monday. Their process to getting these repairs done should be able to move ahead without much impedance. Read the agenda and minutes of those meetings here.

West Side boys Basketball player Damien Maldonado and LaPorte girls basketball trainer Wyatt Wilczynski were honored on Tuesday with scholarships from the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. Congrats!

Congrats to Munster High School library volunteer Lois McClaurghy on her 45 years of service to the school! The school held a plaque ceremony for her this week to honor her many years of dedicated service and endless support.

➡️What’s In, What’s Out? ➡️

A quick summary of the businesses around NWI that have come and those that have gone

  • Opportunity Enterprises has opened a new cafe inside of the Valpo YMCA. OE is a nonprofit that helps to empower people with disabilities and their new venture is this cafe that will be serving smoothies, tea, iced coffee, snacks and OE’s own Do Goodies products. I love the work that Opportunity Enterprises does and believe them to be a beacon in my hometown, so I love to share all the great work they’re doing.

  • Bob Evans in Merrillville has shuttered its doors after over 40 years of operation in the location. Locations in the Region remain in Valpo and Chesterton.

  • Root & Bone, the upscale Southern-inspired restaurant opened by Top Chef contestants and chefs Janine Booth and Jeff McInnis, will be closing its doors after service on Sunday, May 3rd. They also confirmed that their Indianapolis location will be closing as well.

  • Smoketown Blues in downtown Valpo has served its last meal, as it was told to customers yesterday that it would be their last day of operation. At the time of writing, there hasn’t been an official notice from the owners of the establishment, so if we’ve received incorrect information please let us know! Smoketown Blues was open for ~4 years and served up smoked BBQ favorites and in-house bakery treats.

  • Ledger & Proof, a high-end cocktail-focused bar with a wide whiskey selection, has opened in downtown Lowell. The location at 405 E. Commercial Ave. will be offering 25 different cocktails at opening, with a selection of over 145 different bourbon releases as well. The bar boasts about its focus on classic cocktails presented in an intimate setting - no TVs adorning the walls and a special focus on doing classic things well and doing them simply.

  • Pizza Hut has reopened in Merrillville after around a year and a half of absence from the area. New management has taken on the pizza chain, with the new spot being located at 1501 W. 81st Ave.

  • Red Apple Buffet will soon be taking over the absent Taj Indian Cuisine spot in Michigan City, located at 5820 Franklin St.. Owner Jay Yang is aiming for a July or August opening for the MC location, with a Warsaw location coming soon as well. The buffet will be offering over 200 different foods, mostly Chinese, Japanese and other Asian favorites.

  • Tropical Smoothie Cafe opened a location at 879 Joliet St. in Dyer, next to the Jewel-Osco off of U.S. 30 and Calumet Ave. They offer a variety of smoothies and smoothie bowls in a wide swath of different flavors and focuses.

☑️Recurring Reminders for NWI Locals☑️

TODAY AND TOMORROW ARE YOUR LAST DAYS TO VOTE EARLY BEFORE THE PRIMARY ELECTION DAY ON MAY 5TH, NEXT TUESDAY

YOU CAN FIND YOUR POLLING LOCATION LOCAL TO YOU FOR ELECTION DAY AT

https://indianavoters.in.gov/

BELOW, YOU CAN FIND A LIST OF ALL THE EARLY VOTING SITES.

For the near future, I will be leaving this information about early voting sites in the newsletter each edition so that all Explorers know where they are able to vote early for Indiana’s primary coming up.

  • Lake County Early Voting Sites

    • All sites, other than Crown Point, will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays through May 1; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 25 and May 2; and 9 a.m. to noon May 4.

      • Lake County Government Center Admin Building, 2293 N. Main St, Crown Point

        • Open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays through May 1; 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 25 and May 2; and 8:30 a.m. to noon May 4.

      • Carrie Gosch Early Learning Center, 4001 Indianapolis Blvd, East Chicago

      • Gary Public Library, 220 W. 5th Avenue

      • Hammond County Courthouse, 232 Russell St.

      • Wicker Park Breezeway, 8554 Indianapolis Blvd, Highland

      • Police Communications Center, 705 E. 4th St., Hobart

      • Lowell Town Hall, 501 E. Main St

      • Munster Town Hall, 1005 Ridge Road

      • Schererville Town Hall, 10 E. Joliet St.

      • St. John Township Assessor, 9157 Wicker Ave.

      • Winfield Government Complex, 10645 Randolph St.

  • Porter County Early Voting Sites

    • All Porter County sites will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays through May 1; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays; 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on April 25 and May 2; and 8:30 a.m. to noon May 4.

      • Chesterton Town Hall, 790 Broadway

      • Hebron Community Center, 611 N. Main St.

      • Portage

        • NIRPC Building, 6100 Southport Rd.

        • North County Complex, 3560 Willowcreek Rd.

      • Valpo

        • Porter County Admin Building, 155 Indiana Ave.

        • Union Township Fire Station #2, 267 N. 600 W

        • Valparaiso Fire Training Center, 355 Evans Ave

  • LaPorte County Early Voting Sites

    • Michigan City - 8th and Wabash, 302 W. 8th St.

      • April 7th to May 4th

        • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 8am -4pm

        • Wednesday: 10am - 6pm

    • LaPorte County Fairgrounds, 2581 W. State Rd 2

      • April 13th - May 4th

        • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 8am - 4pm

        • Wednesday: 10am - 6pm

    • Rolling Prairie - Wills Township Community Center, 6981 E. 350 N

      • April 21st - May 4th

        • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 8am - 4pm

        • Wednesday: 10am - 6pm

    • Wanatah Town Hall

      • April 21 - May 4th

        • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 8am - 4pm

        • Wednesday: 10am - 6pm

  • Starke County Early Voting Sites

    • Starke County Courthouse, 2nd Floor

      • April 7th -30th

        • Weekdays from 8am to 4pm

        • Saturday, April 25th from 8am to 3pm

        • Saturday, May 2nd from 8am to 3pm

        • Monday, May 4th from 8am to noon

    • North Judson-Wayne Township Fire Department

      • April 23rd and 24th from 11am to 5pm

      • April 25th from 9am to 2pm

    • Koontz Lake Sewer District Building

      • April 30th and May 1st from 11am to 5pm

      • May 2nd from 9am to 2pm

  • Jasper County Early Voting Sites

    • Jasper County Courthouse

      • April 7th to May 1st - 8am to 4pm

      • April 25th and May 2nd (Saturdays)

        • 8am to 4pm

    • American Reformed Church

      • April 7th to April 30th

        • 9am to 6pm

      • April 25th and May 2nd (Saturdays)

        • 9am to 4pm

🌽Farmer’s Market Rundown🌽

A look at the local farmer’s markets and the like that will be running imminently

  • Crown Point Farmer’s Market

    • 183 S. West St. (Bulldog Park)

      • Every Saturday from 8am to 1pm, starting May 23rd

  • Cedar Lake Farmer’s Market

    • 7408 Constitution Ave

      • Every Wednesday from 3-8pm starting May 13th, some Saturdays starting May 23rd

  • Miller Beach Farmers Market

    • 667 S. Lake St

      • Every Sunday from 11am to 1pm, starting June 4th

  • The Sunday Vibe Market

    • 4405 N Calumet Ave, Valpo

      • Every Sunday from 10am to 4pm, starting May 17th

  • Coffee Creek Farmers Market

    • 2300 Village Point, Chesterton

      • Every Wednesday from 3-7pm, started on April 8th

  • Farmed and Forged Market

    • 435 Sibley St., Hammond

      • Every Thursday, from 3:30 - 7pm, starting May 28th

    • 800 Washington St, Michigan City

      • Every Saturday, from 8am to 12pm, starting May 23rd

    • Corner of Monroe and Lincolnway, LaPorte

      • Every Sunday from 10am to 1pm, starting May 24th

  • Chesterton European Market

    • Downtown Chesterton

      • Every Saturday, from 8am to 2pm, starting May 2nd

  • Valparaiso Farmers Market

    • Downtown Valpo

      • Every Tuesday & Saturday, from 9am to 1pm, starting June 2nd

💲Local Garage Sale Rundown💲

An overview of NWI community garage sales, collected in one place for your convenience. Relevant links will be provided if possible.

🎟️What’s Going On in NWI?🎟️

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

Recurrent Events:

Here we will try to aggregate all of the weekly specials available to Explorers around the Region. If you own a local business and want people to be aware of your weekly specials or events, let us know by sending an email to [email protected]!

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.

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.

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

Coffee Creek Farmers Market will be running every single Wednesday from April 8th to October 28th, 3-7pm at the Coffee Creek Pavilion Parking Lot. Find full info about the market right here.

The Dig the Dunes Beer Run & Wine Walk will be starting up on April 23rd, running once a month through the summer and early fall. A new spot in the Dunes area will be selected each month, with a 2-3 mile walk/run taking place before the group kicks back to enjoy a drink along the lakeshore. Find full information at the link right here and find the schedule right below.

Starting on April 25th, and running every Saturday through August, Indiana Dunes National Park’s 1966 Hiking Challenge begins! 19 hikes that cover 66 miles of the Dunes Park trails, celebrating the foundation of the park in 1966. Every Saturday at 8:00 am, hokes will take place in different areas of the park ranging from 1-7 miles. Complete them all and you earn a free 1966 Hiking Challenge sticker to show off to the world. For more details and specifics, click here.

Local Theatre

A Rundown of all the local theatre companies and their upcoming productions.

Chicago Street Theatre, Valparaiso - info here

Memorial Opera House, Valparaiso - info here

La Porte Little Theatre, LaPorte - Info Here

4th Street Theater, Chesterton - Info Here

  • Hamlet; running from June 5th to 21st

Beatniks on Conkey, Hammond - Info Here

Footlight Players, Inc, Michigan City - Info Here

Indiana Ballet Theatre Company - Info Here

  • Swan Lake - April 18th (two performances - 1pm and 7pm)

Marian Theatre Guild, Whiting - Info Here

Towle Theater, Hammond - Info Here

  • Doublewide Texas; running from May 1st to 17th

Valpo University Theatre- Info Here

Ticket information and the full schedule can be found right here.

May’s Events Begin!

Free Events are highlighted in green
Mother’s Day events are highlighted in pink

The Marshall J. Gardner Center for the Arts will be opening their new exhibition - A Shared Territory in Imagination: Three Artists in Abstract - on May 1st. It will be running through June 6th and feature works from mixed-media artist Matthew Kowalski, wax and oil artist Patty Roberts, and acrylic-on-wood artist Wes Thorn. Find more information about the exhibition right here.

Celebrate Cinco De Mayo at the Hammond Civic Center with their Cinco De Mayo Fiesta on May 1st, starting at 5pm. With performances by Ballet Folklorico Yolotzin and food provided by El Gran Taco Mexican Grill, it’s sure to be night of fun and celebration. Find tickets and information at the link right here.

The 28th Annual Munster Car Show is right around the corner and it will be taking place at Community Park in Munster on May 2nd - starting at 9am and running until 3pm. Automotive excellence and stunning feats of engineering will be on display for all to see, so if you’re a gearhead you won’t want to miss out. Find more info at the link right here.

City of Valpo’s Chocolate Walk will be taking place on May 2nd, running from noon to 4:30 pm. Take a stroll through Downtown Valpo and indulge in luxurious chocolate treats from a host of local businesses. Find the full list of participating businesses and find more information at the link right here.

Byway Brewing is hosting a Derby de Mayo party on May 2nd, running from 11am to close. Celebrate both of early May’s biggest traditions in one over-sized celebration - full of festive flavors, themed cocktails, various hats and a whole host of other fun. Find more information right here.

Three locations along the Dunes Lakeshore will be taking part in the Mom’s Day Shop & Hop on the weekend of May 2nd and 3rd. Beale Pottery (Westville), The Goblin Duneside Bar & Eatery (Beverly Shores), and Blue Moon Vintage Market (Westville) are the participating spots, offering beautiful shopping experiences and a relaxed spring day of shopping for mothers all around NWI. Find all the info right here.

Bombers BBQ in Crown Point is hosting a Star Wars Themed Trivia Night on May 2nd. Test your might against your fellow Sith and Jedi and have some incredible barbeque in the process. Find details right here.

Gabis Arboretum’s Railway Garden will be opening on May 2nd. This two-acre attraction tells the story of the American railroad through large displays and miniatures, providing a great day out for the family. Find more information about the spot and their hours at the link right here.

Hobart Art Theater is hosting a unique Mother’s Day event in the form of a Listen to Your Mother show on May 3rd. This is a live, local storytelling show celebrating mothers in all of their forms with a collection of diverse stories from local writers and performers. Sounds like a really interesting and singular way to celebrate the most important people in all of our lives: our moms! Find tickets and further information at the link right here.

Shipshewana on the Road will be coming to Crown Point at the Lake County Fairgrounds on the weekend of May 2nd and 3rd. This gift, food and craft show makes its way all around NWI across the year and it’s Crown Point’s turn. Find unique trinkets, handmade goods and a certainly unique day of shopping on this weekend. Find more information at the link right here.

The Town of St. John is putting on a Mother’s Day Crochet Workshop on May 7th, providing a unique hands-on way to celebrate Mother’s Day. Find tickets and further information at the link right here.

The Museum at Lassen’s Resort on Cedar Lake will be holding their Season Opener on May 7th, starting at 6pm. The night will feature awards presentations, ribbon cutting of new exhibit experiences, a cash bar with beer and wine and other celebrations of yet another summer season for the resort. Find more information and RSVP right here.

The Brewery Lodge & Supper Club in Michigan City will be hosting its 6th Annual Tequila Convention on May 9th, running from 5pm to 10pm. Fine tequilas will be available to sample, with experts on hand to teach about the technique and history behind this beloved spirit. Get tickets and find the full lowdown at their site right here.

May 9th will be the date for Girls on the Run Festival and 5k at Fair Oaks Farms, capping off their season with a celebration and a moment of joy. Learn more about the program and this event at their site right here.

Celebrate Mother’s Day at Wild Wood’s in Hobart with their Mother’s Day Tea on May 9th, starting at 11am. The incredible women in our lives deserve to be appreciated, so treat them to a elegant and charming afternoon tea surrounded by soft spring flowers and a curated brunch and tea assortment. Find tickets and information right here.

The legendary and historic 49er Drive-In Theatre will be opening for the season the weekend of May 9th. Stay tuned to their socials and website for what films will be playing for their opening weekend.

Yet another option for those looking to celebrate the mothers in their lives, The Barker Mansion’s Mother’s Day Tea is the perfect option. Taking place on May 9th from 1pm to 4pm, celebrate mom with a Gilded Age afternoon tea service, capped of with a guided tour of the Barker Mansion. Find tickets and information right here.

Antiques on Main in Crown Point will be holding a special Shop with Mom Sales Event on May 9th, from 10am to 5pm. Bring mom out to shop all Antiques on Main has to offer, with sips and snacks on site to make the day even more special. Info can be found here.

On May 10th, a whole host of local restaurants and venues will have Mother’s Day brunch events available to celebrate the most important person in your life. Below, you can find a list of those restaurants as well as the links to what each brunch event entails.

Yet another way to celebrate Mother’s Day comes courtesy of The Barker Mansion in Michigan City, with their Mothers and Music Celebration Concert, on May 10th. Pianist Marissa Kerbel will be presenting music by female composers to create a refined and relaxed atmosphere to celebrate the mothers and daughters in our lives. Find more information about the concert right here.

Courtesy of Lake County Parks, Sunflower Sunday will be a fun way to celebrate Mother’s Day: by planting sunflowers at Deep River County Park and enjoying a tall Sarsaparilla float while enjoying the fresh spring Northwest Indiana air. This event is completely FREE and further info can be found right here.

Take in an extraordinary wildlife experience this Mother’s Day with Sandy Oak Ranch’s Wild About Mom! event on May 10th. Cruise through the park and keep your eyes peeled for all the magnificent wildlife along the trail and then park so you can enjoy the walk-through adventure featuring smaller animals that can be pet and fed. Full details can be found at the link right here.

Valpo Parks’ Tour De Parks Bike Ride will be taking place on May 11th, starting at 5:30pm. This all ages bike ride will be starting at Glenrose South Park and is completely FREE! Find more info about the ride and all the Valpo Parks’ bike rides right here.

Shady Creek Winery will be holding a Charm Bracelet Workshop on May 11th, where attendees can choose charms for a customized gold or silver bracelet in a class led by instructor Rebecca Sircher. Perfect evening for a night out or for a late Mother’s Day gift. Find info and tickets at the link right here.

City of Hobart’s Roller Skate Night at the Hobart Police Court Complex Building will be taking place on May 15th, starting at 6pm. DJ Donnie will be keeping the party going on the decks and Kristy’s Krisp Fizzy’s will be providing drinks for this all-ages event. Find full info in the image below.

Live Music in May!

May Events will continue popping up in the newsletter on each upcoming edition of NWI Explored.

That’ll do it for this Thursday Edition of NWI Explored.

Happy Exploring,

Eric & Luke, The NWI Explored Team

❝

“My hometown... was always there, at all times, unchanging. What I think... is not that we go back to our hometowns, but that someday our hometowns come back into each of our hearts.”

Jiro Tanaguchi

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