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Hoosier High Five: It's Festival Szn in Indiana 🍖♨️🍻
Five festivals statewide you need to have on your calendar for July!
Get IN, Austin Sellers & Nate Spangle
July 01, 2025
Hoosier High Five
Here at Get Indiana, we hype up all the happenings in the Hoosier State. Small business success stories, nonprofits making an impact, hidden gems, places to visit and more.
The Hoosier High Five is dedicated to sharing information about five events you should have on your bucket list for this July. Help us spread the news by forwarding this email to five friends.
Let’s. Get. IN!
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🖐️ Five Indiana Festivals to Experience in July 🖐️
Wednesday-Sunday, July 2-6: Lights Over Morse Lake Festival 🎆
📍Cicero
The 26th Annual Lights Over Morse Lake Festival is hosted by the nonprofit Lights Over Morse Lake. While the celebration is in Cicero, Indiana, it isn’t the city covering expenses — instead, the festival lives off donations from local businesses and the general public. Every day features something new for attendees:
July 2: The five-day festival kicks off at 6:30 p.m. with the crowning of the Miss Lights Over Morse Lake Queen and Little Miss Princess at the Cicero Library Outdoor Pavilion. The Queen receives a scholarship and advances to the 2025 Indiana Festival Pageant.
July 3: This is the first of three consecutive days with carnival rides and games in Cicero Community Park. At the Hamilton North Public Library Pavilion, get your groove on with live musical performances by Aela and The Flying Toasters from 6:30-10 p.m.
July 4: The annual parade begins at 11 a.m. before live music takes center stage from noon-6 p.m. in Cicero Community Park. Independence Day concludes with fireworks over the lake. If you don’t have access to one of the lake properties, head to the intersection of Main St. and Buckeye St. for the best viewing experience. The fireworks show begins at 10 p.m. from Jackson St. Bridge.
July 5: The annual 5K Run/Walk at Cicero Christian Church supports Selah’s Grace, a local pregnancy loss nonprofit. After the race, competitive spirit still carries the day with a 3v3 basketball tournament and pickleball tournament in Cicero Community Park.
July 6: If you’ve got a special talent or two, enter the “Cicero’s Got Talent” Show at 4 p.m. at the Hamilton North Public Library Pavilion.
On top of everything already mentioned, festival-goers can participate in a golf cart poker run and scavenger hunt, car show, music bingo, cornhole tournament and more while celebrating the Red, White and Blue.
Friday-Saturday, July 11-12: Balloons Aloft 🎈
📍Angola
Out with the fireworks, in with the hot air balloons. Indiana’s biggest hot air balloon competition takes place in the evening of July 11 and morning and evening of July 12 in Angola. It includes more than 30 balloons plus night illuminations with featured balloons Chris P. Bacon, Boo, Finley the Fish, Yellow Bird and Puddy Cat.
The event is complete with a kids fun zone, food vendors and a car show from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on July 12, too.
Saturday, July 19: Indiana Brewers Guild Summerfest 🍻
📍Indianapolis
Head to Victory Field in downtown Indy on July 19 for the Indiana Brewers Guild’s 28th Annual Summerfest (previously Indiana Microbrewers Fest), an event packed with great beer, good people and all the summer vibes. It’s one of the best beer festivals in the state — and it’s all about celebrating local.
Sample over 100 craft beers, ciders, cocktails and alt beverages, all made in Indiana. Breweries like Four Day Ray, Moontown Brewing, Cedar Creek Brewing, Goshen Brewing and Sun King will be there pouring some of their best stuff.
You can also enjoy DJ Cruze Control spinning all day, yard games on the concourse and a “Snack Attack” outfit contest, because why not?
VIP Barrel Suite tickets, early entry (2-7 p.m.) and general admission (3-7 p.m.) tickets can be purchased here (use code NATESFEST25 for $10 off tickets!), with the first option granting early entry plus access to Victory Field’s air conditioned Elements Financial Club behind home plate complete with private bathrooms, whiskey tastings and exclusive pours.
Proceeds support the Indiana Brewers Guild and Little Red Door Cancer Agency, so you’re doing some good while having a good time.
We’ll see you there!
Friday-Saturday, July 25-26: Hot Dog Festival 🌭
📍Frankfort
Dog lovers, unite! This year marks the 30th Annual Frankfort Hot Dog Festival, and it’s set to be bigger and better than the previous 29. There are BMX stunt shows, a family fun zone, a popular hot dog eating contest with a large cash prize, and — back up the meat wagon — a HOT DOG TRAIL where you devour delicious dogs created by Frankfort foodies.
One more wiener of this two-day event? The Doxie Dash dog race and competitions for the Longest Wiener Dog, Shortest Wiener Dog and Best Dressed Wiener Dog. We’re here for it.
Saturday, July 26: Hard Truth Bourbon & BBQ Fest 🍖
📍Nashville
We’ve been hyping the Hard Truth Bourbon & BBQ Festival for months, but seriously, it is the real deal. We’re heading south to Brown County to experience it ourselves on July 26. Nestled in Nashville, Indiana, this smoky, savory and spirited day of bourbon and BBQ includes live performances by Arianna & The Bourbon Britches, Eric Hamblen Band, Nick Dittmeier & the Sawdusters, and Justin Wells in Hard Truth’s outdoor amphitheater.
The day begins at noon and continues until 9 p.m., with a BBQ competition and people’s choice tasting taking place from 2-6 p.m. Here are some other things you can expect when you wind into Nashville:
Bourbon & BBQ tastings and pairings
Bourbon & BBQ marketplace
Bourbon blending & cocktail crafting classes
VIP bourbon & cigar lounge
Bourbon barrel roll races
BBQ toss & cornhole tournament ($10 entry, $300 prize)
Meet & greet sessions with celebrity chef James “BBQ” Grubs from Season 1 of Netflix’s The Great American BBQ, pitmasters, competitive food eaters and Master Distiller Bryan Smith
Axe throwing
Get your tickets here, and we’ll see you later this month!
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