Autumn on Butler University’s campus. Photo from Flickr.
CARISSA MARQUARDT | OPINION EDITOR | cfmarqua@butler.edu
It may not feel like it, but it is official: fall has arrived.
This time last year I was becoming an icicle at a renaissance fair, red-nosed and numb-fingered thanks to a relentless sprinkle of frozen rain.
This time last year I could not seem to determine the correct number of layers necessary before going outside. But it was fall, and it was wonderful.
This year the weather has not yet gotten the memo.
Starbucks put their seasonal menu out a couple weeks ago. So, now that the calendar agrees, I refuse to let Indiana’s heat wave hold me back from enjoying my favorite time of year.
If you feel the same way, here are five ways to lift your autumnal spirits around Indy.
Who does not love festivals in general, let alone harvest festivals? For just $10 at Stuckey Farm, you have access to all things fall: wagon rides, corn mazes, farm animals and all the pumpkins and apple cider you could ever ask for.
Stuckeys added a new attraction this year. Get ready for pig races.
Speaking of apple cider, if you like to make your own or simply enjoy picking your own apples, Tuttle Orchards is a great place to do it. But they have lots of other fall-themed activities to enjoy as well.
In addition to a corn maze for you to complete while you pick your apples, you will find a pumpkin patch to explore, a narrated hayride, and Pumpkin Land – a gift shop filled with fall décor.
I do not know about you, but that sounds like a perfect autumn day.
Are you of German ancestry? Over 21? Because neither of those things matter here, as long as you are ready to celebrate German-style.
On Oct. 8, you will have to be 21 in order to enjoy the wine tasting, German Biegarten and Sun King Brewery, but age is just a number when it comes to the festival’s other attractions.
Face-painting, live music, hayrides and pumpkin patches are just four of all the fun things offered at Oktoberfest. If you like German food and everything mentioned above, this is the event of the season.
Hurry! Tickets at the gate are $15, but if you order them online by Oct. 2, you can get them for $10.
About 13 miles from Butler lies historic Irvington, home of a week-long Halloween celebration beginning Oct. 22. Fair warning: this is not your typical fall festival.
Hayrides and pumpkin patches might not be your thing, but what about masquerade balls? Spooky organ concerts? Ghost tours? Séances? A zombie bike ride?
If any of those things tickle your fancy, the Irvington Halloween Festival is definitely for you. Every day of the week there is something new, culminating with a huge street fair in downtown Irvington and a carnival afterwards on Oct. 29.
Believe me, this is not something I will be missing. Neither should you.
Although most horror films have prevented me from doing anything Halloween-related in an actual cemetery, this event sounds both safe and fun.
Pack a picnic, bring your own dinner – there will be food trucks if you forget – and stuff your favorite blanket under your arm, because one does not simply show up at Crown Hill Cemetery on Oct. 1 for scary stories without those things.
Beforehand, you can mingle with the storytellers and enjoy free beverages and snacks at the RIP Reception. Sounds like the perfect way to kick off the first full month of fall to me.
Hopefully Indiana will take an actual chill pill soon so I can break out my jeans and warm socks, but until then all of these festivals and farms are just as enjoyable in shorts and sandals.
I have been a fall enthusiast my entire life, and a little 90-degree weather is not about to put a damper on my spirit. As fellow bulldogs, I expect the same response from the rest of you.
Happy harvesting!
