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Good Friday & Easter in the Amish Community

The Christian Holidays are celebrated much the same way by the Amish and non-Amish.

Amish, Mennonite, and other Christian denominations all regard Good Friday and Easter as important days in their religious calendars. On Good Friday you’ll find that many government entities, banks, and offices are closed for the holiday, and Amish businesses will be closed as well. Amish who work outside of the Amish community may take Good […]

Good Friday & Easter in the Amish Community

A Barn Quilt How-To Guide

Driving the scenic country backroads of Northern Indiana, you’ll likely see Barn Quilts adorning historic barns, family homesteads, Amish farms, and public spaces. Similar in design to fabrics quilts, traditional Barn Quilts are constructed using wood, and painted with heirloom or newly designed quilt patterns chosen by the owner or artist. Barn Quilts are either geometric […]

A Barn Quilt How-To Guide

Shipshewana is Your Quilting HQ

Most quilters have probably heard of Shipshewana, Indiana. Fabric creations are an art form here: knitting, macrame, hand-sewn clothing, weaving, and especially quilting. Amish Quilts are beloved as decor, and so well-made that they can be handed down as family heirlooms. It makes sense, then, that Shipshewana is also the best place to buy fabric […]

Shipshewana is Your Quilting HQ

Gear Up for This Weekend’s Annual Ice Festival & Buy Your Official 2024 Shipshewana Ice Festival Pin!

This weekend is the Annual Ice Festival & Chili Cookoff! And NEW this year is the addition of a Friday evening Icy & Spicy Wing Competition! Plan to bundle up and get out of the house for some cool family fun! Here’s the official schedule:   Fri. January 19th 10am: Ice Carvers begin creating their […]

Gear Up for This Weekend’s Annual Ice Festival & Buy Your Official 2024 Shipshewana Ice Festival Pin!

Shipshewana CVB to Host #INindiana Selfie Sign Ice Sculpture!

The CVB will host an #InIndiana Ice Sculpture this year! The 17th Annual Shipshewana Ice Festival is this Friday and Saturday, (Jan. 19th & 20th) in and around the popular Downtown Shopping District in the wintry wonderland of Shipshewana, Indiana. We invite you to join us for both fun days! Get the most from your visit […]

Shipshewana CVB to Host #INindiana Selfie Sign Ice Sculpture!

Make & Takes Make Group Tours Fun & Educational!

Shipshewana, Indiana is a beloved destination for a variety of travelers due to the kinds of attractions, events, and experiences available. It’s a unique location in the U.S. because although the official population of Shipshewana is under a thousand, it is still the 3rd largest Amish population in the country, as most residents live in […]

Make & Takes Make Group Tours Fun & Educational!

Meet Barn Quilt Project Manager Karen Weiland

Karen Weiland is a local Artist and the Project Manager for the Expansion of the Barn Quilt Trail throughout LaGrange County in 2024. You can read more about the project here. We asked Karen for a quick interview so people can learn a little more about her, and she kindly agreed. Q: Can you tell […]

Meet Barn Quilt Project Manager Karen Weiland

Expanding the Barn Quilt Trail for 2024

Local artist Karen Weiland is busy this winter season, working with the all the local farm and business owners who applied to host all new Barn Quilts in 2024. As both Project Manager and Artist, she collaborates with them to choose sizes, patterns, and colors to design a one-of-a-kind Barn Quilt for prominent display on […]

Expanding the Barn Quilt Trail for 2024

Dolls & Amish Culture

Amish individuals do not possess photos of themselves because it’s believed that they may encourage vanity, which runs counter to their  religious ideals of community and equality. The dolls played with by Amish children are faceless for the same reason. The lack of a face or any other distinguishing characteristics also make the dolls “less […]

Dolls & Amish Culture

Shawna Rae Shares Her Oatmeal Cake Recipe

Oatmeal Cake has been around for a very long time, and it sometimes referred to as a heritage recipe. It became a regular household staple after Quaker Oats started printing a version of it on their Old Fashioned Oats and Quick Oats containers in 1950, calling it the Lazy Daisy cake, because it was so […]

Shawna Rae Shares Her Oatmeal Cake Recipe

Find the Perfect Nativity Scene in Shipshewana

Nativity Scenes are a lovely and decorative reminder of the reason for the season this time of year, and being that Shipshewana is a special place that appreciates both faith and craftsmanship, it is the best place to find the perfect Nativity Scene for you and your home. There are more options than are possible […]

Find the Perfect Nativity Scene in Shipshewana

Happy Salt is a Shipshewana Tradition

Happy Salt has been around since since 1985, a Shipshewana staple for almost 40 years! Kevin Horn is the owner of Shipshewana Spice Company, and Happy Salt was created by his parents. Kevin’s father worked as a professional in the food industry for many years, and created the Happy Salt blend using pepper, onion, garlic, […]

Happy Salt is a Shipshewana Tradition

New Shipshe Sculpture Puts You In the Picture

This 3D Metal Sculpture is interactive!

Smile! The newest art piece in Shipshewana is a special one. The astounding 3D metal sculpture constructed by local artisan and metalsmith Christy Miller, of Countryside Creations, was made possible by a grant from the Indiana Destination Development Corporation (IDDC) and is the third public art project to result from it. The first two are […]

New Shipshe Sculpture Puts You In the Picture

Artist Cassi Graber Completes New Shipshewana Mural

Greetings from Shipshewana

Thanks to a grant from the Indiana Destination Development Corporation, Shipshewana now has another beautiful mural to admire in the Downtown Shopping District. It’s called “Greetings from Shipshewana.” Completed recently by artist Cassi Graber, the gorgeous and colorful design shows off the vivid local colors, as well as a few things that help make Shipshewana […]

Artist Cassi Graber Completes New Shipshewana Mural

Top 15 Fall Selfie Spots in Shipshewana, Indiana

Can you find them all?

Every fall the town of Shipshewana decorates for the season, and no two years are ever exactly the same. If you’re looking for a fun fall activity for you and your friends, or the family, try to find all of the Top 15 Fall Selfie Spots in Shipshewana! The following are photos from every spot […]

Top 15 Fall Selfie Spots in Shipshewana, Indiana

MEET SHAWNA RAE!

The genius chef and baker behind Shawna Rae's gives us a peek behind the kitchen curtain!

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your life here in Shipshewana? A: What most people don’t know is that not only do I have a catering business and bakery but I also live on about 300 acres in Lagrange where I raise Beefalo and bale 110 acres of hay with my husband […]

MEET SHAWNA RAE!

A Day at Davis Mercantile

Explore the four-story Shipshewana landmark that has a little something for everyone.

The origins of the Davis Mercantile building can be traced back to 1891, when original owner Hezekiah Davis built a hotel near the train station to house travelers. What followed was more than 130 years of prosperity, growth, new ownership, relocation, the addition of retail enterprises, a devastating fire, uncertainty, rebuilding, ingenuity, new growth, and […]

A Day at Davis Mercantile

Time for the Annual Shipshewana Fall Crafter’s Fair

Don't miss one of the greatest craft-shopping events of the year!

The Fall Crafters Fair, located inside the Michiana Event Center, is an exhibition and celebration of our talented local artists and craftspeople, as well as the slower-paced culture of Shipshewana and the surrounding countryside. You’ll find artisans, vintage sellers, hand-made items, personalized gifts, and much more! Vendors surround talented musicians and entertainers, while on the […]

Time for the Annual Shipshewana Fall Crafter’s Fair

Amish Communities

A Short Overview of Amish Culture.

Indiana’s Amish Country Shipshewana and the LaGrange County area are known as Amish Country, Indiana, and are home to the third-largest Amish community in the United States. Although the comparative size of Amish Communities remains small compared to the rest of the United States, the Amish are one of our fastest-growing communities. It’s estimated that […]

Amish Communities

Mel Riegsecker and His Miniatures were the Beginning of Something Big

A brief history of the Blue Gate Hospitality Co.

When people hear the name Shipshewana, they associate it with Amish craftsmanship, buggies, good food, beautiful quilts, amazing shopping, and most likely at least one of the properties run by the Blue Gate Hospitality Company. Currently that list includes a bakery, a restaurant, a theater, a large Performing Arts Center, carriages, a resort-type hotel, and […]

Mel Riegsecker and His Miniatures were the Beginning of Something Big

Purple Martin Nesting Boxes are an Amish Tradition

The beneficial relationship between Purple Martins, a type of sparrow, and humans goes back hundreds of years in North America. Purple Martins are voracious consumers of insects, especially mosquitoes, and early Native Americans figured out that attracting them to their land was beneficial to all the people and animals that lived there. Historically, Purple Martins […]

Purple Martin Nesting Boxes are an Amish Tradition

What are ‘Cottage Shops’?

These out-of-the-way shops are an important component of the Amish way of life.

The term ‘Cottage Shop’ in LaGrange County refers to the many Amish-run businesses that you can find scattered throughout the beautiful backroads surrounding Shipshewana, LaGrange, Middlebury and almost any area where the Amish way of life is prevalent. They are typically small stores next to their homes and workshops, and the products they make and […]

What are ‘Cottage Shops’?

Yoder’s Meat & Cheese Celebrates ‘Cowboy Day’

3 Key Elements You could say that the family farm behind Yoder’s Meat & Cheese has been ahead of the curve for decades. Four generations of cattle farmers and smart farming practices have culminated in both a popular retail space and a successful agri-business. Yoder’s Meat & Cheese is located at 435 S. Van Buren […]

Yoder’s Meat & Cheese Celebrates ‘Cowboy Day’

Shipshewana is Alive with the Sound of Bluegrass…

... and gospel, and country, and outdoor jam sessions...

Visiting Shipshewana soon? In September, you’re liable to hear the kind of catchy music that makes you want to get up and dance. For those who love to get out there and play music with others, we’ve got The MEC’s Weekly Food Truck Rally and Jam Session. Every Wednesday until September 15th, you can bring […]

Shipshewana is Alive with the Sound of Bluegrass…
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