Amish Country Blog

Goshen’s 3rd Annual Ice Carving and Chili Competition kicks off the New Year, on January 1 and 2. The popular First Fridays event, Fire and Ice Festival, will give revelers one last holiday fling!

Members of the Michiana Ice Carvers Association (MICA) will carve 700-pound blocks of ice in front of downtown stores on Friday from 5 – 9 p.m. Watch these sculptures take form while you shop downtown businesses offering holiday specials.

The Friday ice sculpture carving is sponsored by area businesses

Then the celebration continues on Saturday, January 2, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

To keep everyone warm and fed, the Chili Fire Competition will also be going on Saturday. Free tastings are available, but tickets required – only 500 will be available. Pick tickets up at the Fire & Ice Festival Headquarters located in the lobby of the Goshen Theater, 216 South Main Street. Tasters can vote for their favorite soup at the Headquarters. The winner will be announced on West Washington Street on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Chili competition coordinator, Darin Short said competitors in this annual tradition invite everyone to taste their special brand of chili. Participating restaurants:

Constant Spring (219 South Main Street)
El Duranguenze (113 West Washington Street)
Electric Brew (136 South Main Street)
Kelly Jae’s Cafe (133 South Main Street)
Maple City Market (314 South Main Street)
Mattern’s Butcher Shop & Corner Deli (201 South Main Street)
Olympia Candy Kitchen (136 North Main Street)
The Window (233 South Main Street)
Tony’s Famous Grill (103 North Fifth Street)

Ice Sculpture Competition on Washington and Main Streets

Contestants test their skills with elaborate competition pieces. With more time to sculpt, and larger blocks of ice, the artists have time to make truly amazing sculptures. Judges will review award cash prizes to the top three contestants.

Sponsors for the competition piece are:

Best Western Hotel
Bill’s Heating, Inc.
Goshen City Republican Committee
Goshen College
Judd Family Dentistry
Mennonite Mutual Aid
Middlebury Electric, Inc.
Salon J
Spohn Ballroom
Troyer Foods

Whether you go on Friday or Saturday, or you enjoy both days, Goshen’s 3rd Annual Fire and Ice Festival will be a crowd pleasing event.

Mindy, Amish Country Northern Indiana Contributor and Visitor Center Specialist

Amish Country is a great place to celebrate Christmas, and for those wanting a worship service for Chirstmas Eve, here is a small list of what is available in our area.

ELKHART

Bethel United Methodist Church,1200 N. Michigan St., Christmas Eve service of Scripture, carols, solos and a choir presentation will be at 7 p.m. 574.264-3455.

Grace Lutheran Church, 831 W. Marion St., offers two festival worship services on Christmas Eve at 7 and 11 p.m. Pre-service music will begin 15 minutes prior to both services. 574.294.1951

Hillcrest United Methodist Church, 4206 E. Bristol St., will have a candlelight Christmas Eve service at 7 p.m. 574.264.3240.

St. John’s United Church of Christ, 2701 E. Bristol St., will have a candlelight service on Christmas Eve, “From Joy to the World to Joy in My Heart,” at 8 p.m. 574.264.4640.

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 405 W. Beardsley Ave., will have Christmas Eve candlelight services at 7 and 10:30 p.m. Christmas Eve. “Emmanuel: The Birth of God’s Presence” will be the service’s theme. 574.293.0482.

Christmas Eve Masses at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 1405 N. Main St., include a 4 p.m. children’s Mass, a 6 and 10 p.m. Mass. Christmas caroling starts at 9:30 p.m. On Christmas Day, Masses will take place at 8 and 10 a.m. 574.262.1505

At St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, a children’s Mass takes place at 4 p.m., Christmas Eve, followed by Mass in Spanish at 7 p.m. and the Vigil Mass of Christmas at 10:10 p.m., which includes prelude music and the office of readings and will be conducted in English, Spanish and Latin. Christmas Day Masses will be at 8:30 a.m. in English and 10 a.m. in a trilingual format. 574.293.8231

On Christmas Eve, Trinity Lutheran Church will have a “Lessons and Carols” Eucharist at 11 a.m., worship for children followed by “A Birthday Party for Jesus” at 4 p.m. and a candlelight Eucharist at 10 p.m. at the south campus. The north campus at 30888 C.R. 6 will hold “A Candlelight Christmas” at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day, celebrate 10 a.m. Eucharist at the south campus, 400 West Blvd. S. 574.522.1491

Trinity United Methodist Church, 2715 E. Jackson Blvd.,  offers a 5 p.m. children and family service, a 7 p.m. Night of Hope Service and a 9 p.m. candlelight communion and message. No services on Christmas Day. 574.294.7602.

GOSHEN

The annual Christmas Eve service of lessons and carols will be at 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve at College Mennonite Church, 1900 S. Main St. This service will feature the reading of the Christmas story interspersed with congregational carol singing and anthems presented by the adult and youth choirs. The service will conclude with a traditional candle lighting service.  574.535-7262 / CollegeMennonite.org.

The candlelight Christmas Eve worship service at First Presbyterian Church, 215 E. Lincoln Ave., begins with an organ concert at 7:40 p.m. Christmas Eve, followed by a church service at 8 p.m. 574.533.7845.

Crossroads Community Church, 57415 Alpha Dr., will conduct Christmas Eve Services at 5, 6 and 7 p.m. 574.875.4479

A Christmas Eve service will take place at 7:30 p.m. at St. James Episcopal Church, 105 S. Sixth St. 574.533.4984.

At St. John the Evangelist, 117 W. Monroe St., Christmas Eve services include a family Mass at 5 p.m. in English,7 p.m. in Spanish and a midnight Mass in English at 10:30 p.m. On Christmas Day, Masses will take place at 9:30 a.m. and noon. 574.295.1725

MIDDLEBURY

First Mennonite Church of Middlebury, 203 E. Lawrence St., will conduct a Christmas Eve service at 8 p.m. 574.825.5135.

On Christmas Eve, First United Methodist Church, 301 S. Main St., will serve communion in the sanctuary from 6 to 6 :45 p.m. A candlelight service of lessons and carols begins at 7 p.m. 574.825.2585.

NAPPANEE

Nappanee Missionary Church, 70417 S.R. 19, has scheduled a 6 p.m. Christmas Eve service in the worship center and a 7 p.m. Connection service. 574.773.7773.

There’s a unique shopping experience in Nappanee this Friday. It is their Christmas Country Trail and 8 stores will be open from 6pm to Midnight.

The eight businesses participating are:

Little Nook Bookstore
Rentown Variety Store
Stettas Discount
Inkredible Art Stamps
Pine Hill Discount
Nappanee Country Store
Nappanee Bicycle Store

What a great way to experience Nappanee, enjoying the small hometown feel of Christmas, and then buying unique Christmas presents along the way. I hope this turns into an annual event, and that more businesses are willing to participate.

Click here for the map of the businesses. Let me know what you bought, and if you enjoyed your experience if you go.

Mindy, Amish Country Northern Indiana Contributor and Visitor Center Specialist

Children are invited to the Elkhart County Historical Museum to learn about the holiday customs immigrants have brought to Elkhart County.  This children’s activity day will be held on Saturday, December 12th from 10:00-4:00 and will feature crafts and activities for all to enjoy.

“The holiday season is full of fun and festive traditions and many of these traditions have been brought to us from cultures around the world,” says Curator of Education Rebecca Oestreich.  “This activity day will teach kids the history behind some of their favorite customs as well as introduce them to new traditions they can take and try out at home”.

For example, children will have the opportunity to explore the Swedish tradition of St. Lucia, the African American celebration of Kwanzaa, the European practice of St. Nicholas coming to fill shoes with treats, and the German immigrant custom of hiding a pickle on the Christmas tree.  “The Christmas tree pickle is a fun game where parents hide a pickle somewhere on the Christmas tree.  The first child to find the pickle gets an extra present and good luck all year long,” explains Oestreich.  It was originally thought to have come from Germany, but the tradition is now believed to have been started right here in the United States by German immigrants.

The children’s activity day will also focus on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  “The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a holiday celebration brought by Mexicans to our area.  It coincidentally falls on December 12th so we will be having special readings of Tomie DePaola’s book The Lady of Guadalupe throughout the day along with a craft,” says Oestreich.  “Additionally, one lucky child will win the DePaola book to take home.”

Admission to the Children’s Activity Day is $1/child.  For more information, please contact Rebecca Oestreich at 574-848-4322 or Rebecca@elkhartcountyparks.org.

- Rebecca Oestreich-Elkhart County Historical Museum

Local history enthusiasts will not want to miss the current maps exhibit at the Elkhart County Historical Museum.  30 seldom before-seen maps from the collection are on display until March 5, 2010 in the museum’s temporary exhibit gallery.

Elkhart’s earliest known plat map completed in 1832 will be among the highlights.  The map was signed by Havilah Beardsley and included land along the Elkhart River from Washington to Jackson Streets.  Among the earliest plat maps to be shown will be Crane’s Addition to Goshen along Rock Run Creek (1832), Plat of the Town of Benton (1834), and a traveler’s pocket map for the Midwest (1834). Also included in the exhibit will be a collection of map-making equipment used by Ambrose Bierce during the American Civil War.

Surveying equipment and map drawing tools will be displayed alongside the maps.  The equipment will demonstrate how surveying and map drawing was completed throughout history.  Visitors can try a reproduction of a surveyor’s compass that was commonly used in the 1830s.

Children are welcome to attend and put their mapping skills to the test by creating a map of the museum’s second floor.  The maps will then be put on display in the exhibit.  At the end of the exhibit’s run, one lucky map maker will win a prize!

The museum’s regular hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.  There is no charge for admission, but donations are accepted.  For more information, please call the museum at (574) 848-4322.  The museum is located at 304 W. Vistula (SR 120) in Bristol.

- Rebecca Oestreich, Elkhart County Historical Museum

This summer has flown by.  I think the cooler weather has made it easier to be out and about.  I know that I don’t feel the need to stay inside between the hours of 12pm and 2pm.  We have spent a lot of time at our area parks this summer.

We were at Bonneyville Mill Park this past weekend.  There were many families cooking out and getting together.  We walked to the Meadow, and then played on the playground equipment.  Another mom, being more adventurous than me, was hanging upside down on the monkey bars.  There were kids running around everywhere, and even saw three teenagers who smiled as they walked by the little ones.  Mina, my daughter, climbed up the rope ladder all by herself.   Then, she spent the next 10 minutes going up again and again.

We met with some friends, grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, and then had fun talking with the adults while the kids played and played. It was a great way to spend our Sunday Night.

So when you’re in Amish Country, go out to Bonneyville Mill Park. I know you’ll have fun.

Mindy, Amish Country Northern Indiana Contributor, Visitor Center Travel Specialist

I was at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair this Sunday with my husband Mike, and my two year old Mina. It was wonderful. The first Sunday of the fair is free admission. Sunday after church the grounds are usually packed. My first advice for those going to the fair on this day is come early. We show up around 9am. Of course rides and the commercial buildings don’t open till Noon, but it’s better than waiting 30 minutes to an hour trying to get into the fair after church lets out—and the traffic stays that way for the rest of the day.

First, we ate breakfast at the Elkhart County Noon Exchange building. We ate pancakes and sausage. The pancakes are all you can eat, and with drink it was $5.50, a great deal for breakfast. Then we go and see all the animals. With my two year old, certain animals are easier than other. She loved the ducks and geese, but they were in the same building as the roosters, and the roosters were too loud. Cows were too big, and pigs were too noisy. The bunnies, goats and llamas were OK.

We then went to Young McDonald’s Farm. Here is a donkey, miniature horses, chicks, a huge sow, and turtles. It’s a great area for little ones. By this time it was 11:45am and the rides and commercial buildings were almost open.

We choose instead of doing the commercial buildings to eat an elephant ear. The best elephant ears are at the small red barn by the grandstand. My two year old had cinnamon in her hair and shirt, but her smile was while eating it was worth the mess.

We left at noon. It was great way to spend a morning. As we were leaving the fair, the line into the fair was already a mile and a half backed up on SR 4, and we were very glad we went early.

The Elkhart County 4-H Fair runs this week until Saturday.

I love our fair. Let me know what you like about the Elkhart County 4-H fair, or if you love another 4-H fair, I’d like to hear about it.

-Mindy, Amish Country Northern Indiana Contributor and Visitor Center Travel Specialist

This contest is over – Thank You so much for all of your comments.
The winner of our July Blog Contest is Sherry Shook. Congratulations!!! We hope you enjoy your Gift Card!

Post your comment below for your chance to win today!

Each month this summer we’re giving away a special prize to someone who posts a comment on this blog. This month’s prize is a Wakarusa Dime Store $20 Gift Card.

Candy lovers will never want to leave this sweet retreat that has served Northern Indiana since 1907. The store is famous for its many flavors of custom made jumbo jelly beans – selling more than 40 tons each year from the shop and online. You also can choose among 350 other types of nostalgic candies ranging from Necco wafers and Mary Janes, to licorice.
Monday – Friday 9am – 5:30pm, Saturday 9am – 4pm
State Road 19 & County Road 26 / Wakarusa, IN
JumboJellyBeans.com/877.715.9821

The winner will be drawn on August 3. The winner will be notified by email and their name posted here on our blog. We look forward to hearing about your favorite things to see and do in Amish Country!

We spend SO much time outside in the summer sunshine that our patio becomes a safe haven.  Shouldn’t the entrances to our homes and our flower gardens be welcoming, entertaining, visually stimulating, and functional?

We will find out how at the Das Dutchman Essenhaus Home, Garden & Fashion Show, April 29 – 30th

Outdoor solar powered art to light walkways, water features to enhance tranquility, sun hats and a unique line of garden tools, as well as birdhouses, wind chimes and personal care items created to soothe gardeners damaged hands will be featured in the show.

You’ll pick up the latest trips and trends in apparel, accents and inspirations for your home and self for spring. Sit back, relax, and enjoy a delicious meal with your group of friends before you begin shopping.

Since this is close to Administrative Assistant’s Day and Mother’s Day, do you have a mother, daughter, sister, co-worker, or an especially close girlfriend? Consider this unique outing to say thank you for all they are and do! Purchase a pair of tickets and enjoy the event together…

Non-refundable tickets will soon be available! Be sure to mark your calendar!

What is your big outdoor project this summer? Leave a Comment and let us know

-Jessica Miller
Amish Country Northern Indiana Contributor

These days “What’s for dinner?” is never a problem when you’re in downtown Elkhart.  Another great restaurant, 523 Tap & Grill , has appeared on the Main Street scene.  I heard people talking about this place but was a bit worried that it may be more bar than restaurant — until I stepped inside.  The restaurant is larger than I expected, and I was happy to see it’s decorated to feel comfortable yet upscale. Owner, Tony Anagnos, greeted us at the door (his brother George is also an owner).  The menu, that was a nice surprise too.  Lots of well-priced selections. I always seem to end up with a filet, and I’m glad I did. And be sure to order the house salad – it’s delicious! We went on a Thursday night and called ahead.  Weekends, you’ll definitely need reservations. 574.523.1523.

Been there?  Then let us know what you like about 523 Tap & Grill! Leave a Comment

- Dave Azinger, General Manager, Ramada
President, Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Commission