Top 10 entertainment articles on NWI.Life in 2022

Top 10 entertainment articles on NWI.Life in 2022
By: Alayna Wilkening, Aubrey Thomson, Autum Meyers, Brenna Sealy, Curtis Hankins, Grace Bentkowski, Jennifer Arzola, Joseph S. Pete, Lauren Grasham Last Updated: December 29, 2022

In Northwest Indiana, we live, we work, and of course, we play. In 2022, we found time to sing along at concerts, grab tickets to festivals, celebrate holidays like the Fourth of July, Halloween, and Thanksgiving, attend theatre productions, and cherish the moment with those around us to create new memories. 

We’re grateful to live in a Region that offers so much to do with new and exciting opportunities arising each year, and 2022 was no different. Thank you to our partners for inviting us to such cool events this year to help share the good news with others, and thank you to the greater community for always bringing the fun. 

In no particular order, here are the top 10 entertainment articles on NWI.Life to recap the good news in 2022!

Bicyclists enjoy leisure ride and pulled pork at Moonlight Over the Tippy

Friday, June 3, bicyclists gathered at Panhandle Pathway for Moonlight Over the Tippy, an annual evening bike ride. The leisure ride began at the Winamac Train Depot, had a ‘sag stop’ at Thornhope, and ended back at the Winamac Train Depot. Participants also had the option of a shorter round trip by making Star City their sag stop before heading back to Winamac Train Depot. 

“At Thornhope, we have tables and chairs set up for people to take a break, get snacks and a drink, then turn around the head back to back to the starting point at Winamac. It's a 20-mile round trip,” said John Bawcum, president of Friends of the Panhandle Pathway, Inc. “The nice thing about this ride is if you don't want to ride the whole thing, you don't want to go 10 miles, the next town down is Star City. Star City is approximately five miles from Winamac, so that’s an abbreviated version. You get to pick and choose what you want to do. It's a nice evening ride.”

219 Day returns with local favorites and performance from “Boston” Lead Singer Tommy Decarlo

The Region’s favorite holiday was back and better than ever this year, with vendors from all over the Region providing beer, food, and entertainment to the Hammond Civic Center. 

The night featured headliners Rudy Cardenas of “American Idol” and Tommy DeCarlo, lead singer of “Boston.” The event also featured Reggie the Region Rat and a piñata of the rat riding Mayor Thomas M. McDermott Jr.’s car.

Say “I Do” to The Allure for a Magical Wedding in Northwest Indiana

Dazzling scenery,  breathtaking views, and amazing service - the Allure has everything you need to make your dream wedding or event a reality. With locations right here in Northwest Indiana, you don’t need to travel far to have the celebration of a lifetime.  

Currently, there are two Allure venues in Northwest Indiana: The Allure: Modern Elegance in La Porte, and The Allure on the Lake in Chesterton. A third venue, The  Allure: Urban Gardens, also in La Porte, is set to be up and running by the end of the year.

Crown Point’s Nighttime St. Patrick’s Day Parade returns

One of Crown Point’s most beloved and unique traditions returned with a chorus of bagpipes on Thursday evening, as the city hosted its Annual Nighttime St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Local businesses, nonprofits, school teams, other organizations, and even some residents covered their floats, signs, and ivy caps with lights and marched down Main Street and through Crown Point’s downtown square. The city’s excitement for the parade's return was obvious, as hundreds packed the streets to catch the parade pass by.

The City of Hobart Lakefront Festival brings the summer to a memorable end

The City of Hobart kicked off its 31st annual Lakefront Festival on Thursday, August 18. There was an endless amount of things for the Hobart community to enjoy— live music, a beer garden, plenty of delicious food, and a huge area packed with things to keep kids entertained. The summer may be ending, but the festival was the last summer hurrah that everyone needed. 

“It’s just kind of like one last time for everybody to get together in Festival Park and hang out and enjoy the last bits of summer,” said Nikki Lopez, the event director for the City of Hobart. 

South Shore Arts Center fall art classes are fun and engaging for everyone

Are you an artist searching for an opportunity to gain some new skills? Are you an art newbie who is hoping to pick up a new hobby? Or are you a parent looking for a fun activity to keep the kids engaged? No matter who you are or what your goals are, South Shore Arts Center has you covered this fall with its wide variety of art workshops and courses.

South Shore Arts has been offering art instruction to both kids and adults in the Northwest Indiana community for over 50 years. During that time, South Shore Arts has developed a wide selection of classes for people of all skill levels whether they’ve been creating art their entire lives or barely know how to properly hold a pencil.

Strack & Van Til makes the holidays easy

Planning for the holidays can be overwhelming. Decorating the house, buying gifts, and planning meals can take this joyous time and make it incredibly stressful.

Strack & Van Til food market has a way to take one thing off your plate. With its Meals Made Easy program, Strack & Van Til provide everything you need for a delicious holiday meal without all the hassle.

City of Whiting kicks off Pierogi Fest 2022 with an incredible parade

Whiting’s annual Pierogi Fest draws over 300,000 people to Downtown Whiting to celebrate their heritage, eat tasty food, and enjoy live music while making memories with their friends and family. People come from across the nation and even different countries to attend this incredible event.

“It started approximately 25 years ago. It was a one-block festival to celebrate Eastern European heritage, and it's grown into this huge festival that celebrates many, many different types of food and entertainment for all age groups,” Whiting Mayor Spebar said. “It's grown into where people from all over the country, and even other countries come to visit. We're quite proud of it and it's grown beyond anybody's wildest expectations.”

WHAM is a hit for the 11th year, bike riders cycle through NWI at night

The lights are off, and the ride is on! The City of Hammond and City of Whiting hosted its 11th annual WHAM After Midnight Ride early Sunday morning with glow-in-the-dark decor and decked-out cycles.

As a way for bikers to enjoy the scenic paths and neighborhoods around northern Northwest Indiana in the dark, registered riders followed along a 10-mile trail or the choice of a longer, 30-mile, course through multiple towns. The ride began at midnight and lasted until around 5:00 a.m. on August 7. 

New secret Northwest Indiana book by Region author serves as a “Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure”

Where in the landlocked state of Indiana can you sunbathe on a beach in the shadow of hulking steel mills, surf by an oil refinery or scuba-dive to see old shipwrecks?

A blend of Indiana and neighboring Chicago, Northwest Indiana is a one-of-a-kind place filled with wonders like Frank Lloyd Wright homes and a hike USA Today described as one of the country’s most scenic. And behind its unique “coastal” setting lie some equally intriguing hidden gems and untold stories.