What’s recently happened?
On May 30, summer officially began for all Chesterton High School students. Summer in Chesterton means sunny beach days, shopping at the European Market, late movie nights at the 49’er Drive-In Theatre, and trips downtown to unique shops such as the well-loved Dog Days Ice Cream Parlor.
Chesterton’s European Market is a community favorite event that has been around for over twenty years! Starting in early May and ending in early December, the market is a wonderful opportunity to shop local and support small businesses. Every Saturday from 8 a.m.- 2 p.m., Broadway Avenue in downtown Chesterton is closed and turned into a beautiful shopping center. The street has a wide variety of vendors from Indiana and neighboring states such as Michigan and Illinois and offers different goods and services. From clothing and jewelry to produce and baked goods, the market is a perfect place to visit and meet new people living and working in the community. The European Market is a great spot to spend a nice summer day and support local businesses.
Dog Days Ice Cream Parlor is a cute ice cream shop on downtown Chesterton's main street. The parlor is open seasonally and is a favorite sweet-treat spot for the community. The store officially opened for the season earlier this year on April 6 but usually hits its peak during the summer months when school is out. Dog Days appeals to all ages and is a great place for families to visit. Decorated with unique artwork and toy trains that drive around the ceiling of the store, Dog Days is an exciting, one-of-a-kind experience. With a large selection of gourmet ice cream and gelato flavors, Dog Days always has something new to try making it a go-to for ice cream lovers.
What’s coming up?
With the 4th of July just around the corner, the community is beginning preparation for parades, festivals, and fireworks shows for families to watch and enjoy. Chesterton and nearby cities will host these fireworks shows and other patriotic activities this holiday.
At Hawthorne Park in Porter, the Family 4th Fest will be hosted. Beginning bright and early at 9 a.m. and lasting until 10 p.m., the fest is a great way to celebrate the 4th. The fest will kick off with a parade from Yost Elementary School, and the rest of the day is filled with fun activities such as games, contests, karaoke, and live music until a fireworks display in the late evening. The fest will have plenty of food vendors from around town such as Ben’s Soft Pretzels, Rudy’s Bar-b-que, and Kona Ice of the Dunes. Be sure to check out this 4th of July celebration!
Another 4th of July celebration will be hosted at Urschel Field in Valparaiso. This event will begin at 5 p.m. with plenty of food trucks, patriotic activities, and live music performances. Estimated around 9:15 p.m., or once the sun starts to go down, a fireworks display hosted by ACE Pyro LLC will be held in the park for everyone to enjoy. Come see this 4th of July event to celebrate the patriotic holiday!
At Founders Square Park in Portage, the city will be hosting a 4th of July Festival. The festival is set to begin at 5 p.m. but a parade will be held earlier in the day at 10 a.m. Live entertainment, food trucks, a donut-eating contest, and other fun activities are planned for the day. The festival will finish with a fireworks show put on by the city. This festival is a great way to spend the holiday!
Community member spotlight:
Katie Rehtorik is a current student at Chesterton. She values her close friends and her family members and can often be found spending time with them. She loves going to the beach and spending time at her favorite Chesterton restaurants such as Dog Days Ice Cream Parlor and Peggy Sue’s Diner. She was born and raised in Chesterton, and is an important member of the community working to take care of babies and toddlers at Waverly Child Care Home.
Growing up, Rehtorik spent a lot of her early years at the Waverly Child Care Home, a daycare in Chesterton. Last summer, she decided to go back to Waverly, this time as an employee. This summer, she started her second year at the daycare. Rehtorik is focused on helping the children learn a daily routine and social skills.
“We give the kids lots of playtime each day, and we also have craft time. We have lunchtime, go outside, have nap time, and sometimes take the kids to a park,” Rehtorik said.
Initially, Rehtorik wanted to become a pediatrician to work with children and help keep them healthy. That was until she discovered the medical field wasn’t the right path for her. Now, Rehtorik’s goal is to become an elementary school teacher.
“My goal is to become an elementary school teacher, more specifically third grade. I love working with kids and I like the idea of being able to help shape future generations,” Rehtorik said.
This fall, Rehtorik will begin her senior year at Chesterton. After graduating, she plans to attend Indiana University Bloomington to follow her dreams of becoming an elementary school teacher.
