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- 🎄Christmas Light Shows You Can't Miss This December
🎄Christmas Light Shows You Can't Miss This December
Plus - Indiana football seeks its first outright Big Ten title since 1945 on Saturday!
Get IN, Austin Sellers & Nate Spangle
December 04, 2025
Thursday, December 4th
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📜 This Week in Indiana History 📜
Ryan White is Born (1971)
Indiana has many stories of perseverance, but few resonated more than Ryan White’s on a global level. Born this week in 1971 in Kokomo and raised in Cicero, White became a symbol of the ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemic and the understanding of what causes the disease.
Born with hemophilia, White contracted the disease during blood transfusion via dirty needles. Originally sick with pneumonia, he eventually felt better to return to school, but school officials told him he could not. This caused a massive stir that lasted for several months as his mother fought it.
White then enrolled at Hamilton Heights High School, where he was welcomed with open arms after the faculty and students were properly educated on the disease. Ryan was able to live life as a normal teenager and became a symbol of understanding for the virus around the world. Sadly, he passed away in 1990 at the age of 18 years old. Over 1,500 people attended his funeral, and Elton John even performed the song “Skyline Pigeon” during the service. More than three decades later, Indiana proudly remembers White as not just a symbol, but as a Hoosier whose bravery changed hearts and left a legacy of hope.
Ten Can’t-Miss Christmas Light Shows in IN
There’s nothing quite like a sparkling light display to kick off the holiday season in Indiana. From Elkhart to Danville and Indianapolis, we’ve found 10 Christmas light shows across the state that are must-visits before Santa’s annual arrival.
Big Ten Championship Game Preview and Key Matchups
The 2025 Big Ten Championship Game is Saturday, Dec. 6, at Lucas Oil Stadium, and the nation’s top teams will clash with the No. 1 seed in the 12-team College Football Playoff on the line — No. 2 Indiana vs. No. 1 Ohio State. Coverage on FOX starts at 8 p.m. EST, and kickoff is at 8:17 p.m.
Last year, the No. 2 Buckeyes handed the No. 5 Hoosiers their first loss of the season after IU started 10-0, rolling to a 38-15 triumph. Indiana then bowed out of the first round of the CFP, losing at Notre Dame, while Ohio State reeled off playoff wins over Tennessee, Oregon, Texas, and Notre Dame en route to the national championship.
However, this year’s rematch feels different. Sure, the Hoosiers haven’t beaten the Buckeyes since a 41-7 thrashing in 1988, and they’re just 12-81-5 against Ohio State all time. But what do you think IU head coach Curt Cignetti is telling his team this week? The Buckeyes haven’t played this year’s Hoosiers.
On top of the No. 1 playoff seed, IU is chasing history. The Hoosiers’ last share of a Big Ten title came in 1967, but since no tie is in play with today’s rules, a victory would give Indiana its second outright Big Ten football championship — the other coming in 1945.
Get Indiana has you covered with a game preview and five matchups that will decide the game.
Get Your Get Indiana Snapback Before Christmas
Rock the coolest snapback over the holidays, one your friends and family won’t find in the mall or their favorite retail store. Are you from the 317, or do you call the 219, 260, 574, 765, or 812 home?
Beyond bragging rights, a sweet $1,000 donation in holiday gifts will be made to kids in the winning region through the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program.
The 317 is currently in the lead, but the race is far from over. Get yours here.
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Billie Creek Village
DePauw president Lori S. White joined Get IN. with Nate Spangle before the 131st edition of the Monon Bell Game, one in which the Tigers ran away as 41-20 victors over Wabash. If you’re counting at home, that’s four straight dubs for DePauw. Plus, the Tigers are still alive in the NCAA Division III Football Championship following a 26-23 second-round win in snowy conditions at Wisconsin-Whitewater. They host Wheaton (Ill.) in the third round on Saturday.
Now, more on Lori’s hidden gem. Watch below to hear what she said about Billie Creek Village. It has a Rockville address and is home to three historic covered bridges, over 30 preserved buildings including a general store, rustic log cabins, and Victorian homes, and seasonal events.
Buttermilk Biscuit Company & Coffee Shop
Located in Delphi, Buttermilk Biscuit Company & Coffee Shop is a cozy breakfast spot that serves up comfort foods with a Southern twist. It opened in 2024 and features homemade buttermilk biscuits, hearty omelets, and specialty waffles, plus espressos, lattes, and more.
Check out our full breakdown on one of Carroll County’s best-kept secrets.
What’s your Hidden Gem? Submit here to have it featured!
👏 6 Big wINs 👏
The IHSAA football state finals were played on Black Friday and Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium, and all six games provided memories that will stick with players, coaches, and supporters from those communities forever.
In Class 1A, South Putnam defeated Pioneer 55-29 for the program’s second football state title and first since claiming the 1A championship in 1986. Fun fact: The father of Get Indiana podcast editor Robert Porter was on that ‘86 squad. Fly Eagles fly.
In Class 2A, Andrean scored a touchdown with five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to top Brownstown Central, 7-0. The football championship was the fourth in program history and first since the Fighting 59ers’ 2A title in 2021.
In Class 3A, Cascade raced out to a 19-0 lead after one quarter of play and held off Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, 29-14, for the program’s first state championship. The win cemented a perfect 15-0 season for the Cadets.
(Photo credit: Double Edge Media | @demllc)
In Class 4A, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger outlasted Roncalli 36-29 in a game that featured seven lead changes. The game-winning score was a 37-yard touchdown pass on a fake field goal early in the fourth quarter. The Royals beat the Saints 3-0 in Week 1, but the Saints won when it mattered most. They now have six football state championships in school history.
In Class 5A, New Palestine won its second straight state title and fifth overall, defeating Merrillville 38-17 behind 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. The Dragons completed a perfect 14-0 campaign after doing the same in 2024 en route to the 4A championship.
In Class 6A, undefeated Brownsburg secured its second consecutive state championship and fourth overall (also: 1984, 3A; 1985, 4A) with a 38-31 win over Westfield. The Bulldogs also beat the Shamrocks in last year’s 6A final, 22-17.
🎙 On today's show I sat down with Chuck Surack, the founder and chairman of Sweetwater, the largest online retailer of musical instruments and pro audio equipment in the US.
From starting his career as a musician with a VW bus filled with recording equipment to building a billion-dollar enterprise in Fort Wayne, Ind., Chuck shares the key milestones and lessons learned along his journey.
Our discussion covers the unique culture at Sweetwater, the impact of relocating talent to northeast Indiana, and Chuck's ongoing contributions through the Surack Family Foundation and Surack Enterprises.
If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast.
You are going to learn about:
- Chuck's Journey from Musician to Building a Billion-Dollar Enterprise
- The Importance of Culture at Sweetwater
- Community Impact by the Surack Family Foundation
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💎 Know any hidden gems we should cover? Submit yours here!