WAKARUSA, Ind. -- Hoosiers are enjoying fair rides, vendors, and maple syrup at the Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival.
The festival kicked off on Friday, April 24 and will run until Sunday, April 26. The festival is full of rides like swings and a ferris wheel as well as 77 vendor booths selling their own products like compasses and customizable tumblers and over 20 food trucks.
There's free admission for the festival and there will be a parade on Saturday, April 25 at 11 a.m., as well as a supercharged pogo stick show.
Brock Rose, Executive Director of the Wakarusa Chamber, says he's so excited for this fair because of the music, food and the rides people can get on. He says this small-town festival has people leaving with big smiles and full stomachs.
"What I love the most about this is in a small community like Wakarusa, we’re a town of just less than 2000 people, but we bring 13,000 people to our town and it gives us an opportunity to showcase what small town living is all about. How the community all comes together, how we really all get along. You know I call it 'the land of Cheers' because everybody knows your name and you walk into a place like 'hey how are you doing?' It’s just a wonderful place to be," Rose shared.
John Sparlund is the owner of Smokey Bear Woodworks, based in Goshen. He makes custom tumblers on the spot. He says he's been in the wood working business all his life. His family had been in the cabinet business for nearly 50 years and that experience led him to making tumblers, coasters and more.
Much like Rose, Sparlund says the best part of the festival is the people. "My favorite part is the people. Without the people, the festival wouldn't be here," explained Sparlund.
The festival schedule is listed below:
- Friday, April 24: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
- Saturday, April 25, 9 a.m. - p.m.
- Sunday, April 26 - 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.