Blog - home

Top Ten lists are just too short, and there's too much going on to narrow down my list any further. So here are 11 of the events you simply must go to this March in Bloomington. When you're there, don't forget to share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #visitbtown! Devour Btown - February 25 through March 8 This is one of those events where you'll want to wear elastic-waist pants. It's 12 days of delicious, three-course meals at crazy prices at 40+ independent restaurants across t …

Visit Bloomington is a proud sponsor of the nationally syndicated radio program, In Search of a Song. The weekly 30-minute program is hosted by Bloomington native Jason Wilber, the longtime lead guitarist for John Prine and an accomplished solo musician. The show's flagship station is WFHB here in Bloomington. Each week Jason spins songs while he and his musical guests discuss songwriting and share musical experiences. You can listen on the web and find program archives on the In Search of a So …

My wife and I love the arts with all our hearts, but you could never call us theater buffs. But we'll never pass up free tickets, and since Visit Bloomington is a proud sponsor of Cardinal Stage Company, we were lucky enough to attend the preview night of their new play, Grounded, last Friday. And we were totally blown away. This one-woman show about a fighter pilot in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars genuinely moved us peaceniks who honestly don't think too often about our armed forces and w …

Ah, mon amore, ce restaurant est romantique! For those who don't speak French (and I don't either - thank you Google translator) this month's blog is all about romantic date restaurants. We can't get around it: February 14th is just around the corner and that just brings all the hearts and flowers and chocolates to mind. Of course we've already got a blog post about great things to do for Valentine's (or Galentine's) Day, but this post is going to tell you about the restaurants we love to take  …

Since 2010, a group of Indiana University students has produced a national Indian dance competition called Raas Royalty. This colorful, high-energy event is based on a dance form called garba/raas, commonly found in the western Indian state of Gujarat. To learn more about this exhilarating event that's becoming more popular every year, I spoke with Aesha Maniar, this year's student director of Raas Royalty. Here's everything you need to know before you come to the free event on Saturday, …

It's always nice when other people recognize how cool your city is. Luckily for us, 2014 was a banner year of accolades for Bloomington, Indiana! Here are some of the highlights. Top 8 Indiana Beaches - Indy Star Monroe Lake in Bloomington made this list of the state's top beaches from the Indianapolis Star! With two beaches open to the public plus boat rental and ample space for swimming, this is one of the most popular spots in Bloomington in the summer. America's Quirkiest T …

Whether you're booking a romantic weekend for two lovebirds or a Galentine's Day like they do in Pawnee, you've come to the right place. We're keeping track of all the Valentine's Day events and promotions that we hear of. Read below for events, and click here to see special lodging discounts at area hotels (scroll down the page a bit). Did we miss anything? Post it in the comments or email abby@visitbloomington.com. Oliver Winery February 14-15 All nine wineries on the Indiana Uplands Wi …

Sometimes we need a little push to get out the door and embark on an adventure in the dead of winter. In February, the sun decides when/if it wants to shine, and sometimes we can go weeks with weather in the mid-40s until BAM -- polar vortex. That's why you'll be happy to see a list of 12 can't-miss indoor events for the lovely month of February! So put on your wool socks, turn off Netflix, and come to Bloomington for a memorable month of fun. Even more great events can be found on our ev …

Before you jump to conclusions about what you think a square dance is...have you ever actually been to one? Have you heard a top-tier old-time band fiddling and plucking away while a hundred happy people of all ages spin and swing around the dance floor? It's your lucky week, because the Third Annual Old-Time Square Dance takes place this Saturday night, right here in Bloomington at the Harmony School. To get a better idea of what to expect, I called Tamara Loewenthal, who's kind of a big de …

Winter in Bloomington is fickle. Sometimes it's mild and rainy, sometimes is frigid cold and snowy. And it can go from one to the other in a matter of days (or sometimes hours). I prefer a snowy winter, when it's less than 30 degrees and the big, fat snowflakes cover the tree canopy so the city looks like a crystallized dream. And the snow covers the ground too, so the hilly landscape then becomes a race track for sleds! And skis, but we're talking the cross country type, not the downhill varie …