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IN's Biggest Pork Festival Coming in September
From a historic theatre to state championships and some of the best small-town eats in Indiana, Tipton has it all.
Austin Sellers & Nate Spangle
August 02, 2026
Tipton
Small Town Breakdown
Whether you’re in town for the annual Tipton County Pork Festival, catching a flick at the historic Diana Theatre, or biting into a tenderloin from Jim Dandy Restaurant, Tipton is worth the visit.
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Fast Facts
📍LOCATION: Central Indiana
Tipton is near the center of Tipton County and located in the south-central portion of the county.
State Road 28 runs east-west, connecting Tipton to Frankfort to the west and Elwood to the east.
State Road 19 runs north-south through the center of town, leading south to Atlanta, Millersburg, Arcadia, and Noblesville.
U.S. Route 31 runs just west of Tipton and connects Indianapolis to Kokomo.
55 minutes north of downtown Indianapolis
Just over one hour east of Lafayette
One hour and 35 minutes southwest of Fort Wayne
👥 POPULATION & RANKING
5,280 residents (as of February 2026)
Ranks as Indiana’s 127th-largest incorporated town/city
Largest incorporated town/city in Tipton County
📏 LAND AREA
2.63 square miles
📅 FOUNDED
Tipton County was established in January 1844.
It was named in honor of veteran and U.S. senator John Tipton.
Commissioner John Smith proposed the name of the town Canton after Canton, Ohio in 1845.
It was eventually renamed to Tipton in 1847, also in honor of John Tipton.
The Tipton area was originally a swampy and muddy settlement that grew through agriculture, utilities, and architecture. It spans 260 acres of mostly farmland.
Tipton became incorporated in 1884.
🏥 MAIN INDUSTRIES: Agriculture, Manufacturing
International Paper operates as Midwest Sheets, a corrugated packaging sheet feeder plant.
Indiana’s largest celebration of pork happens every September in downtown Tipton during the Tipton County Pork Festival, pulling in 85,000 attendees annually. It started in 1969 and features famous one-inch pork chops, a parade, carnival rides, and live entertainment. The 2026 edition runs Sept. 10–12.
Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
For breakfast or brunch, check out The Love Bug Food Truck & Cafe. The menu includes cronuts and meatball flatbread, and they’ve racked up 4.9 stars on Google. East Street Provisions is another hot spot for brunch, with paninis, brick oven pizza, and homemade donuts.
If you’re looking to put down Indiana’s signature sandwich, head to Jim Dandy Restaurant. Jim Dandy has been open since 1964, and “Good Food, Good Friends, Good Times” is its slogan. If you get their pork tenderloin, you’re checking off good food and good times in one bite. Jim Dandy is open daily, serves breakfast all day long, and also serves delicious broasted chicken.
The Shack has over 1,200 Google reviews and 4.3 stars thanks to its pizza buffet and salad bar.
For a nightcap, The Mad Tap is a self-pour taproom with nearly two dozen options and live music.
Historic Theater and Park
Tipton is home to the historic Diana Theatre, which turns 100 years old in 2026.
Tipton City Park has been around since 1914 and features walking trails, a footbridge, sports courts, and a swimming pool.
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Tipton Blue Devils
Tipton High School’s athletic teams are known as the Blue Devils, and they have won two IHSAA state titles in school history.
Softball claimed the first state championship in 1990, defeating Pike Central 10-8 in the finals. Softball was a single class sport during that time, and the 1990 season was just the sixth year of sanctioned softball in Indiana.
Boys golf brought home the 1994 state championship, beating second-place Floyd Central by 21 strokes, the sixth-largest margin of victory between the champion and runner-up in IHSAA boys golf state finals history. The Blue Devils have made 13 appearances as a team at the boys golf state finals, also placing 8th and 10th in addition to their ‘94 state title.