There may not be a better time to get out and about in Hamilton County than in the fall, where the cooler temps and changing colors give the whole landscape a fresh, crisp new look and feel. It’s also the season for some of my favorite fall activities in Hamilton County.
Here are my Top 5.
1. Headless Horseman at Conner Prairie. My husband Mike and I started taking our kids to Headless Horseman more than 20 years ago, and now our kids continue the tradition by taking their own children on the iconic haunted hayride (there is a non-scary version for younger kids). There’s a trail of terror that takes you on a frightening walk through a cornfield, and there are cute marionette shows, live music, barrel train rides for small children, and of course, lots of fall fare, including caramel apples, cider, popcorn and more. Get more details here.
2. Carmel International Arts Festival. This annual two-day festival (Sept. 28-29) will bring more than 100 juried, professional artists to Main Street and Rangeline Road in the 
Carmel Arts & Design District. I love the lively atmosphere with multiple stages of live music, good food, and of course, great art. Details are here.
3. Oktoberfest. Chances are good that you’ll find me at Mashcraft in Fishers on Oct. 12 for the brewery’s annual Oktoberfest enjoying a German beer and tapping my foot to the sounds of upbeat polka tunes. It’s not the only Oktoberfest around, Carmel has a free festival on Oct. 4 at Carmel City Center with the band Der Polkatz.
4. Boo Bash. One of my fondest Halloween memories growing up in a small town in Indiana was the annual Halloween parade, which took place inside an old high school gym. We’d dress up, then compete in a costume contest (only the three top winners received prizes, there were not ribbons for all), we bought tickets for the cake walk, played games and bobbed for apples. I was hoping for something like that for our kids, but the closest thing we’ve found is Boo Bash in Fishers. We’ve taken our grandchildren the last few years. Kids can show off their costumes by walking across the Nickel Plate Amphitheater stage. My gang liked climbing the tower of straw bales, although my grandson Rowan discovered it’s not an easy task when you’re a dinosaur with a four-foot long tail. We danced to live music, ate junk food and tried to throw a football through a tire. It was good fun. Get info here.
5. Ride the Rails. To be fair, I’ve never done this, but this fall I’m booking a seven-mile, twilight railbike ride. It will start at Hobbs Station in Forest Park in Noblesville. There’s a stop for a campfire and s’mores, and then we’ll pedal our way back down the old railroad tracks with lanterns on our trailbike. There are different rides, so check them all out here!
HAMILTON CONNECTION
Hamilton County Leadership Academy (HCLA) and Invest Hamilton County have launched a new community ambassador program. The partnership, called HAMILTON CONNECTION will highlight the personal stories of HCLA alumni and allow those Connectors to help personalize the things that make Hamilton County a great place to live, work, learn, and thrive. Meet the Hamilton Connectors HERE.
