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!

Apologies to all who may have responded to this week’s poll following the Thursday edition of NWI Explored. Unfortunately, we had some issues with the response catching, so responses were not collected. We’ve redone the poll, so please respond with your suggestions for NWI Explored! We will be running the poll an extra edition as a result. Thank you!

We here at NWI Explored are looking to partner with local/small businesses! Partner with NWIE today and see what our local reach can do for you across a variety of channels.

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.

Two tornadoes tore through different areas of the Region last Thursday evening - leaving behind a lot of damage to their respective paths, leaving thousands without power and displacing residents as well. An EF-3 tornado tore through Kouts, with winds between 136 and 165 mph, which is the third-highest rating on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. The tornado that came through Merrillville and its surrounding areas was graded as an EF-2 storm, with winds up to 135 mph. See images of the destruction left by these monster storms, as well as the tornadoes themselves, below.

Heavy flooding overnight on Interstate 80 - between state line and Cline Avenue in Hammond - has raised concerns among locals who are led to believe INDOT’s preparedness for inclement weather is quite lacking. Multiple crashes were reported in the wake of high water along the interstate, with flooding not dissipating even after crews were dispatched. Workers with the Hammond Sanitary District were actually called out to open up the locked pump station on 179th and Kennedy after INDOT workers were unable to access the building. Flooding on I-80 was such an issue that regular protocol for clearing out standing water into the Little Calumet River and its tributaries weren’t satisfactory. This whole ordeal has left Hammond locals with more questions than answers as to INDOT’s protocol for dealing with major storms and their affects.

Amazon Web Services, who are investing somewhere in the neighborhood of $26 billion into NWI data centers, have said that their plans for using local freshwater reserves for cooling within their data centers will not total the amount often cited by detractors. According to AWS, their current plans are to use water from the surrounding area for less than 2% of their cooling measures at the data centers planned for New Carlisle, Hobart and Wheatfield. Their aims are to be water positive by 2030 and are currently pursuing 50 different water projects that will aid them in this pursuit. It remains to be seen how true this ends up being in practice, but AWS is saying that water will only be used for cooling during hot days in the form of evaporative cooling.

INDOT will be hosting a public information meeting to introduce the Planning Environment Linkages study - a measure that examines the needs of Indiana 2 corridor between U.S. 20 and U.S. 31. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 16th at New Prairie High School Auditorium. The study will be conducted along a 13 mile stretch of Indiana 2, examining needs and safety improvement necessities in order to create a set of optimal improvements to be made in the near future.

8 projects brought in front of the House Appropriations Committee by Region Congressman Frank J. Mrvan have been approved for federal funding to complete them. These funding requests will now move ahead to the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, as well as signing from the President, in order to be distributed. A rundown of the projects Mrvan wishes to fund can be found below:

Local food truck Blue Collar Bros. has won a barbeque competition put on by Off Square Brewing during their annual Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Fest - a win that granted them a “golden Ticket” to compete at this year’s World Food Championships in Indianapolis this October. Blue Collar Bros operates seasonally all across the Region, offering up homemade, family recipes for classic barbeque fare, like ribs, pulled pork, hot links and brisket.

The food truck began as a tribute to the parents of owners Josh Verbish and Karrah and Kyle Metz, whose father, Butch, worked as an oil worker at the BP Whiting Refinery for over 30 years, and mother, Lucy, who was an East Chicago police officer. Utilizing Butch’s homegrown recipes and techniques, Blue Collar Bros. has been serving up to-die-for barbeque for three seasons now and will be testing their might against the world’s best come October. We here at NWI Explored want to give a huge congratulations to the BCB team and wish them luck for their competition in Indianapolis this fall. Make the Region proud!

Traffic Notices:

Those travelling between St. John and Cedar Lake who use Parrish Avenue should know that Lake County Council is expected to approve a measure by the county highway department to install all-way stop signs at Parrish and 117th Ave. This measure is to prevent crashes at this intersection, which have been on the uptick as of late.

Motorists beware: Ramps from both eastbound and westbound Interstate 80/94 to Southbound Cline Avenue are closing today and will be closed through mid-August. Seek alternate routes like southbound on Kennedy Avenue or Burr Street in order to avoid the construction. Also, an eight-day closure of Broadway from 20th Ave. to 21st Ave. will take place to improve the railroad crossing there. Allow for extra time to travel through these areas.

The City of Hammond is auctioning off 28 lots in Memorial Park to allow for the property to be used for residential development. The auction takes place on June 25th at Hammond City Hall (5:30 pm). The 28 parcels of land sit along the extensions of Noble Ave. and Ray Ave..

Here’s a rundown of the local city council meetings happening this week across the Region

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

Chicago Street Theatre, Valparaiso - info here

Memorial Opera House, Valparaiso - info here

Canterbury Theatre, Michigan City - Info Here

La Porte Little Theatre, LaPorte - Info Here

4th Street Theater, Chesterton - Info Here

Beatniks on Conkey, Hammond - Info Here

Footlight Players, Inc, Michigan City - Info Here

Indiana Ballet Theatre Company - Info Here

Marian Theatre Guild, Whiting - Info Here

Towle Theater, Hammond - Info Here

Valpo University Theatre- Info Here

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

Journeyman Distillery’s third annual Summer Music Series - a twice-a-week live music experience out on the lawn in front of the distillery. Grab a cocktail or a handcrafted meal and lay out under the string lights for a great night of courtyard music and vibes. Find the June schedule below.

June
June 17 — Keith Scott
June 19 — Jason Blake
June 24 — Andre Detti
June 26 — Peter Warren

Starting on June 6th and running the subsequent TWO weekends, it’s the return of Johnson’s Farms Strawberry Festival Weekends! Strawberry U-pick days for the whole family, activities for the kids, and a wide variety of strawberry treats will all be available on these three consecutive weekends.

Opening on June 6th, Whoazone - Floating Waterpark will be open for business at Whihala Beach in Whiting. One of the best kept secrets of NWI, Whihala Beach will be some of the best fun you can have on Lake Michigan this summer. Kids can jump, bounce, run, play and splash on the Whoazone floating waterpark - from June 6th until August 16th.

Below, you can find the June Schedule for the Gary Railcats and all the associated promos they’re running this month!

You can also find the schedule for the Lake County Corn Dogs Baseball team below! The Lake County Corn Dogs are a pre-professional, independent baseball team based out of Crown Point in the Northern League.

Byway Brewing will be holding a Walking Dead Trivia Night on June 16th. Test your knowledge of the ever-present, mega-successful horror franchise and grab a pint of something nice at the same time. This event is FREE to attend.

Four Corners Winery is hosting a Cocktails + Canvas Night on June 17th. Unwind, sip and paint your worries away during this fun social night event, where the drinks and the creativity are allowed to flow freely!

Hendricks Cocktail Creation Tasting Event will be taking place at Asparagus on June 17th. Enjoy cocktails made with three unique expressions from Hendricks, paired with a selected appetizer and all the good vibes you can handle. Tickets can be found at the link above.

Join the folks at Lighthouse Restaurant for a Caribbean Castaway Social Experience, featuring Planteray Rum, taking place on June 18th. A great experience to take your dad out to for Father’s Day, the event will be a high-energy night of connection and indulgence - courtesy of Planteray Brand Ambassador Victor Bouvier.

LaPorte County Historical Society Museum presents a special Juneteenth program: The Underground Railroad in Northwestern Indiana. This special program takes place on June 18th at the LCHS Museum, offering a broad overview of NWI’s history with the Underground Railroad and the enduring legacy of the brave abolitionist Charles Osborn.

Fun for the whole family is on the docket for Dino Day Party in the Park in Peter G Redar Memorial Park in Schererville on June 19th. Fun, food and all the dinosaurs you can handle will be available at this roaring good time.

Gary’s Juneteenth Celebration will be taking place on the holiday (June 19th) at 2201 W Harrrison St. FREE to attend, with music, food, activities and positive vibes. Celebrate the day with your families and friends in a communal way.

Hammond’s Annual Juneteenth Celebration will take place on the holiday (June 19th), at 1200 Highland St. The day of unity, freedom and empowerment will be topped off with a live DJ, local vendors, free activities for families, community engagement projects, and so much more! FREE to attend.

Rock out at ROXX Fest 2026 when it comes around on June 19th and 20th, at Portage Mall Outdoor Festival Area. Two days full of live music, great food, and community building will make sure this weekend is one for the ages. See the details down below.

Beach Mysteries Hike: Indiana Dunes State Park - June 20th

Burn Em’ Brewing’s Psychfest returns to Michigan City on June 20th, with a killer lineup, showing off the power of Doom, Metal and Psychedelic Rock into a day of great beer, great tunes and a whole lot of woozy fun. Check out the lineup below and click here to grab tickets.

Rhythm & Soul Fest - A Juneteenth Celebration takes place in East Chicago’s Washington Park on June 20th. Mayor Anthony Copeland will kick off a summer of fun with this celebration event. FREE TO ATTEND

Whiting Pride will take place on June 20th, starting at 6pm. DJ, Dancing, vendors, drag shows, food and a ton more will make this a great night - guaranteed.

June Events will be continually added as we move through the month!