Monument Circle
Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis is ready to welcome the NBA Pacers back Conseco Fieldhouse for an abbreviated season. An Indiana fixture, the Pacers begin their 33 Indianapolis home games around Christmas day with the season wrapping up April 26th. Indianapolis’ Conseco Fieldhouse will see plenty of action before playoffs begin April 28th. Meanwhile hockey fans fill the Pepsi Coliseum at the Indiana State Fairgrounds for the excitement of USHL Indiana Ice action. Get tickets for the family and don’t forget to sign the kids up for a chance to “ride the Zamboni” - the season runs through April 14th. Indianapolis in winter = great sports.

The Naptown Roller Girls are mid season-six with home bouts at the Pepsi Coliseum. Catch the lady rollers in action with upcoming bouts January 21st, March 24th and April 7th. The season ends with bout 6 on May 5th. Conseco Fieldhouse hosts the Big Ten 2012 Men’s Basketball Tournament for college hoops fans – mark March 8th through 11th on your calendar for Big Ten basketball action. For a special family event, Conseco Fieldhouse hosts the Harlem Globetrotters on January 16th.

All eyes are on Indianapolis for 2012 Super Bowl Sunday. The 2011 season championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium is February 5, 2012. Super Bowl XLVI rivals the Indianapolis 500 for the biggest 2012 Indy sports event. Get ready to focus on Indianapolis for the 2012 Super Bowl.

Not just a football game, downtown Indianapolis will transform into 2012’s Super Bowl Village. For ten days, the Circle City hosts Super Bowl excitement featuring a Zip Line down Capitol Avenue, two concert and performance stages with a line-up of more than 80 acts, and Tailgate Town, with all the fun you'd expect at the biggest tailgate party of the year. Visit downtown Indianapolis for the fun of Super Bowl Village, and don’t miss the NFL Experience at the Indianapolis Convention Center – Super Bowl Village is free and the place to gather in February.

Kick off the New Year with some fun in Indianapolis. The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis hosts Countdown to Noon for an early celebration; the Indiana State Museum hosts a Family New Year’s Eve party in Governor Frank O’Bannon's Great Hall featuring magicians, clowns, face painting and live music. Visit the Chateau Thomas Winery and select your dinner wine pairing from specially crafted blends created for the occasion. Or, party down at the Grand Hall of Union Station in downtown Indianapolis at the Stella Artois New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball. Indianapolis has a New Year's event for everyone.

St Patrick’s Day 2012 is another festive time for a visit to Indianapolis March 16th. Rise to the sight of the Greening of the Canal; stake out a spot for the 32nd Annual Indianapolis St Patrick’s Day Parade starting at 11:30; party after the parade along Vermont Street with food, a beer garden and live entertainment. For the runners, join the 9 am Shamrock Run and Walk at Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Monument Circle. It’s a full St Patrick’s Day of fun and events in downtown Indianapolis.

Notre Dame Football
South Bend, IN

Winter brings special fun to Northern Indiana. Dust off the skates for a spin around South Bend’s Howard Park; the outdoor ice-rink is a classic winter experience. Potato Creek State Park offers fishermen an ideal spot to auger a hole in the ice and try northern Indiana ice-fishing. The historic homes of LaPorte open their doors for the Christmas Candlelight Tour of Historic Homes, enjoy a peek into beautifully restored homes spruced up for the holidays. Visit LaPorte’s Red Mill Park with your trusty Flexible-Flyer, and speed down the sledding hill, or strap on the cross-country skis for a tour of a LaPorte County Park.

LaPorte, south of Michigan City, gets a bounty of Lake Michigan “lake effect” winter snow. Enjoy your fill of outdoor fun and head indoors at the La Porte Civic Auditorium to relax and enjoy the excitement of the 2011 – 2012 season's events. Take in Purdue North Central Basketball, in the gymnasium, enjoy northern Indiana community concerts and the LaPorte County Symphony Orchestra.

Located in the heart of Amish country, Goshen is a hub of commerce and culture for Northern Indiana. Picture perfect downtown Goshen is home to the beautiful Elkhart County Courthouse. Goshen kicks off the New Year with the 2012 Fire and Ice Festival. The 5th annual celebration features ice carving and chili making competition. Join the festivities in January at Goshen’s First Friday event downtown. Come watch the 300-pound blocks of ice transformed into spectacular sculptures, and be sure to cast your vote for Goshen’s people choice award for best chili.

The historic Old Bag Factory in downtown Goshen, now a thriving art space, has an exciting winter schedule for 2012. Dry Branch Fire Squad initiates the winter season with its traditional old-time bluegrass music on Friday, January 13th. Enjoy amazing music in Goshen’s historic Old Bag Factory on Chicago Avenue.

Goshen College is another cultural hub for Northern Illinois. The Goshen College Music Center is mid-season for its 2011 – 2012 Performing Arts Series. Join music fans at Sauder Concert Hall on GC campus for the Toledo Symphony and Goshen College Choirs in February. Lead by Maestro Vance George; enjoy this collaborative performance of Gabriel Fuares “Requim”, among other music.

Sauder Concert Hall hosts Mark O’Connors Hot Swing March 27th. Violinist Mark O’Connor energizes the stage with fellow musicians in a cross-genre musical experience celebrating American Swing. Goshen College is proud to host this not- soon-to-be-forgotten concert experience. The Irish-American band Cherish the Ladies wraps up GC’s 2012 musical performances on April 14th. This all-female group is a delight to experience in person.

The southern border of Indiana ends along the course of the Ohio River, which runs through Indiana cities like Evansville, and separates Clarksville from neighboring Louisville. Indiana’s southwest corner is clipped by Interstate 64, which provides an east-west corridor for travelers from Louisville to St. Louis. Patoka Lake northeast of Dale and the Hoosier National Forest are delightful fall destinations to enjoy the end of warm season’s outdoor recreation. Vincennes in Knox County, on the southwestern Indiana state line, is not only Indiana’s first town but also home to Vincennes University, the state’s first college – enjoy fall and a bit of Indiana history with a visit to Vincennes.

Set on the banks of the Wabash River, Vincennes makes a beautiful fall destination. This is the season to enjoy the full bounty of Vincennes area agriculture. Through the end of October, visit the Riverfront Pavilion for the Farmers Market of Historic Vincennes. The market is filled with freshly harvested local produce, along with artisan-baked goods, fresh flowers and locally crafted specialty items. Market hours are Saturday mornings and Wednesday evenings and feature live entertainment, demonstrations and plenty of friendly Hoosiers.

Be sure to visit the Old State Bank building in Vincennes. This was the oldest bank in Indiana. Through October, visitors can tour the Old State Bank and see artifacts on display from Fort Knox. The Old State Bank is located near the Farmers Market and is open Saturday mornings and Wednesday evenings, the same hours as the market.

The town of Clarksville Indiana, across the Ohio River from Louisville, is called the Sunny Side of Louisville. Famous explorers Lewis and Clark launched their journey on the Ohio River from Clarksville. Falls of the Ohio State Park commemorates the Lewis and Clark expedition with a statue in the Clarksville Park.

The Falls of the Ohio Park is ideal in fall when the river is at its lowest levels, allowing maximum exposure to the park's fossil beds. Visit and enjoy relaxing fall fishing, bird watching and a walk in beautiful autumn weather. October 12th is National Fossil Day - there is no better place in Indiana to explore fossils than the fossil beds at Falls of the Ohio State Park.

Dale Indiana sits off Interstate 64, a hub of commerce and activity for Spencer County. Dale is an ideal stopping point to spend the night and take advantage of area attractions. Lincoln City, just four miles south of Dale is the boyhood home of President Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln State Park honors the former president and makes for great exploring on a fall outing.

The town of Santa Claus is west of Lincoln City and six miles south of Dale. As you can guess, it is Christmas all year in Santa Claus and fall is no exception. Get a jump on the holidays, with a visit to the various Santa and Christmas theme destination in this southern Indiana town.