Top 10 entertainment articles on NWI.Life in 2021

Top 10 entertainment articles on NWI.Life in 2021
By: Anekah Fish, Curtis Hankins, Dan Petreikis, Gena Demuth, Grace Bentkowski, Nick Poulos, Peyton Mahlmann, Rachel Calderone Last Updated: December 31, 2021

What made 2021 so entertaining? It was theatre productions, annual festivals, community events, 5Ks, holiday celebrations, art shows, parades, and so much more. No matter the occasion, the Region knows how to keep the fun alive and bring people together to make memories, and this past year was no different.

In no particular order, here are the top 10 entertainment articles from NWI.Life in 2021:

Lerner & Rowe thanks first responders by sponsoring Mission One’s First Responders BBQ and Bike Run

Bikers and community members gathered at the City of Crown Point’s Bulldog Park on Saturday to honor first responders at Mission One’s first annual First Responders BBQ and Bike Run.

City of Hobart Lakefront Festival celebrates community fun

It was music, fun, and food at the 30th annual City of Hobart Lakefront Festival. The four-day event featured live entertainment, an arts and crafts area, children’s activities, food vendors, and beer garden with the Hobart Community Foundation’s Dam Duck Race on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. The opening night was kicked off with a performance by High St. Band on the lakefront. While many in attendance were Hobart residents, the event was drawing in visitors from other areas as well.

Bicyclists take to the streets for Tenth Annual Wham! After Midnight Ride in Hammond

The streets of Hammond were alive late last night as a crowd of two-wheeled vehicles made their way from the Pavilion at Wolf Lake Park, through Whiting and Hammond, all the way south to Wicker Park in Highland. Nearly a thousand bicyclists, their trusty rides adorned with multi-colored LED lights and other decorations, all nearly as bright as the smiles on their faces, pedaled their way throughout northwest Indiana to participate in the tenth annual WHAM! After Midnight Ride.

Abbiocco Italian Cuisine & Luna Kitchen + Cocktails provide two perfect, unique atmospheres inside one building

Abbiocco Italian Cuisine and Luna Kitchen + Cocktails can be found off of IN-49 at 600 Gateway Boulevard. The unique restaurant and bar are held under one roof. Well, that is if Luna being on the rooftop counts. These two restaurants allow for two different dining experiences in one.

Pierogi Fest 2021 is well worth the much-anticipated wait from last year

“Santa Claus and Mr. Clean walked into a bar; Mr. Pierogi ducked.” 

While the joke itself is tired, the image of these three characters in the same space is humorous on its own. At Pierogi Fest, the hilarious image comes to life with a few dozen women dressed as grandmothers, some men dressed in hula skirts and coconut bras, and a hoard of dads with lawnmowers to add to the party.

Nelly, Busta Rhymes, and Twista pack the Pavilion At Wolf Lake Memorial Park for Festival of the Lakes 2021

The Festival of the Lakes began July 13, and the Region’s residents came out in droves for a week of fun at Wolf Lake Memorial Park in Hammond. 

People from all over Northwest Indiana and the Chicagoland area made their way out to enjoy fair festivities, foods, rides, and musical performances on July 14. Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. welcomed opening act, Twista, and headliners, Nelly and Busta Rhymes. 

Country Stars Thompson Square, Jerrod Niemann take the stage at Crown Point’s Bulldog Park

Crown Point welcomed country stardom to the city on Saturday, hosting the chart topping duo Thompson Square, as well as highly regarded singer/songwriter Jerrod Niemann and local artist Nate Venturelli.

Four Winds Casinos’ Yacht Rock Pool Party sets a high bar for future events

Four Winds Casinos’ Yacht Rock Pool Party was the most recent in a series of parties that the casino is hosting on its pool patio. Guests spend their time dancing, laughing, drinking, and having a good time.

Around the patio has a bar and stage with a fire pit and chairs to lounge in. The bar is fully stocked with people surrounding it to prove it.

A night of live music and comedy landed itself at Mascot Hall of Fame after being closed for over a year

Excited chatter, hysterical laughs, and loud music filled Mascot Hall of Fame on Saturday as hosts Tom and Ms. Michele welcomed back a very missed night of the Tomfoolery Fun Club. 

City of Hobart gathers for Summer Market on the Lake

Hobart’s Summer Market on the Lake has been happening for 11 years. This year, the market is back and bigger than ever. There is a variety of vendors who came from across the state to sell their treasured products.