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WFHB's annual Acoustic Roots Festival conveniently falls on National Tourism Week - and we are (also conveniently) a sponsor of the event... so, we've put those two things together and will be giving away tickets to the show throughout the week of May 7-11, leading up to the Acoustic Roots Festival on May 12. One lucky person will win our grand prize, which includes an overnight stay at the Grant Street Inn and $50 in gift certificates to Grazie! Italian Eatery!

Tourism is a driving force for economic development in Bloomington and throughout much of the country and even the world! Our local tourism industry encompasses not only hotels and traditional attractions such as museums and wineries, but also the many unique restaurants in town, our vibrant downtown area, Indiana University, Lake Monroe, local shops, art galleries and more! To everyone involved in Bloomington's tourism industry - we salute you and thank you for helping to make Bloomington a fabulous place to visit! 

So, some of you are saying "Free tickets are awesome, but what the heck is the Acoustic Roots Festival?" This annual live music event is held outdoors at Upland Brewing Company and features some of the area's very best musicians in the Americana, Roots and Folk genres. This family-friendly, laid-back musical celebration is a great way to experience live music in Bloomington and sample some great food and drink from one of our local brew pubs. Here, let me show you what I mean...

The WFHB Acoustic Roots Festival, 2011

My family attended the Acoustic Roots Festival last year and had a great time.
We played with some hay...

 We made some new friends...

We listened to some great music from
Davy Jay Sparrow and His Well-Known Famous Drovers, and others...

We watched the sun go down and snuggled in to enjoy the evening.

The Ticket Giveaway

Looks like fun, right? So, what do you have to do to get those free tickets? Simple - just leave us a comment on this blog post and tell us about your experience with tourism in Bloomington.

If you're a visitor, what's your favorite reason to visit?

If you're a local resident, what do you always recommend to people when they visit?

Good luck! Hope to see you at this year's Acoustic Roots Festival! 

If you love Jack Kerouac, you've got to make plans to be in Bloomington, Indiana between May 18 and June 2, 2012. The Bloomington Playwrights Project and Indiana University are gearing up to present Maggie Cassidy: An American Musical as part of the BPP & IU New Musical Series.

Maggie Cassidy is a musical adaptation of Jack Kerouac's highly autobiographical novel of the same name (a predecessor to On the Road). This production, created by Chris Jeffries based on Kerouac's novel, is the first stage play ever produced with the support of the Kerouac estate and we're proud that it's starting right here in Bloomington! 

Maggie Cassidy presents a new and unfamiliar look at Jack Kerouac, before he wrote the American classic On the Road and became the father of the Beat Generation. The forces that shaped him - tensions surrounding his religion, cultural economic background and an America struggling to find itself again after the Great Depression - are all present and at play. Maggie Cassidy is the powerful sotry of a great American author coming of age.

The musical tells the story of Kerouac's early years as a French-Canadian high school start athlete and would-be writer on whom everyone in town pins their opes. He has everything, except someone who understands his passion for writing... until he meets and falls in love with the Irish girl from the other side of the tracks, Maggie Cassidy. His love for her creates a new dream that threatens to derail his plans to leave his hometown of lowell behind. 

The cast will feature talented students from the Indiana University Theatre & Drama Department under the direction of BPP Producing Artistic Director, Chat Rabinovitz. The production will feature a one-of-a-kind scenic design by resident artist Shane Cinal. 

Performances of Maggie Cassidy are scheduled for May 18, 19, 24 - 26 and May 31 - June 2 and 8 pm and May 20 at 2 pm at the Bloomington Playwrights Project theatre located on West 9th Street in downtown Bloomington. Tickets are $18, available online through the BCT Box Office. A special $89 rate is available at the Bloomington Holiday Inn in connection with the production. Details are available on our Special Offers Page.

Music reviewers tend to gush a bit when describing performances by the European Union Youth Orchestra, an incredible group of young people who will be performing at the Indiana University Auditorium on April 22.

"...astonishing how high the standard of the European Union Youth Orchestra is." -Volkskrant

"The EUYO's appearance was at the same time both a successful finale and a highlight of this year's festival." Neues Deutschland

"A fresh and contagious sense of enthusiasm spread like magnetism from the stage to the stalls and the audience." L'Eco di Bergamo

This grouping of 14-24 year old musicians, founded in 1976, is the only orchestra in the world to contain members from all 27 European Union countries. It is meant to represent the European ideal of a community working together toward social understanding, while at the same time providng up-and-coming musicians with an invauable professional development experience. 

We've got two tickets and a restaurant gift card for one lucky winner. Just tell us about your favorite musical experience in Bloomington in the comments section of this post and we'll choose a winner this Friday afternoon. Good luck!  

Now, before you get too excited, we're talking about the Broadway show South Pacific, at the IU Auditorium on March 27... not an actual trip to the south Pacific. Even so, this is a great deal - we've got two tickets to South Pacific and a gift card to Talons Restaurant at Eagle Pointe Golf Resort. 

So, what do you have to do to get entered? It's easy! Just leave us a comment on this blog post and tell us what you love most about Bloomington in the spring. We'll randomly choose a winner from all comments received. 

You've got until Wednesday at Noon to get entered. Winner must be able to pick up their prize at the Bloomington Visitors Center during regular hours. 

If you appreciate fine art and specialty foods and would like to support local artists, don't miss the Indiana Artisan Marketplace on March 31 and April 1 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. We're proud to announce that 11 artisans from our county will be exhibiting at the Marketplace, the state's premier art and food experience.

Indiana Artisan recognizes the highest level of Indiana craftsmanship and includes everything from fine chocolates and handmade soaps to specialty jewelry and stoneware pottery. Artists from our county have had their work recognized as exceptional by Indiana Artisan.

Whether you're a transplant to Central Indiana looking to reconnect with artists from home or an art enthusiast willing to travel to support our artisans, you'll want to visit the Marketplace for an experience unlike any other. Browse one-of-a-kind artwork while enjoying Indiana music, watching art demonstrations, and tasting the craft foods and wines. You'll also have the rare opportunity to meet artisans from our town and around the state and hear their incredible stories.

Artisans from our county exhibiting at the Marketplace include:

• Jan Arbogast, Bloomington, pottery, http://localclay.net/indartistspages/arbogast_jan.htm
• John Bower, Bloomington, photography, www.studioindiana.com
• Kris Busch, Heltonville, pottery, www.functionalceramics.com
• Jim Butler, Bloomington, wine, www.butlerwinery.com
• Marla Dawson, Ellettsville, fiber art, www.weavingbymarla.com
• Suzanne Halvorson, Bloomington, fiber art/scarves
• Thomas Harris, Bloomington, ceramics/pottery, www.clayoh.com
• Carolyn and Don Madvig, Bloomington, paper/found material notecards, www.sleepingdogsstudio.net
• Marcy Neiditz, Bloomington, pottery, www.marcyneiditz.com
• Cappi Phillips, Bloomington, mixed media mosaic sculpture, www.moesache.com
• Sheryl Woodhouse-Keese, Bloomington, handmade papers, www.twistedlimbpaper.com

Dates: Saturday, March 31, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. EDT
            Sunday, April 1, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. EDT

Location: Indiana State Fairgrounds

Admission: $10 (children 15 and under free)

Parking: $3

No matter the style of quilt you prefer, the Indiana Heritage Quilt Show has you covered. From traditional patterns to the very modern of designs, one of the largest shows in the Midwest is proud to have some of the very best quilters from around the country submit their entries.

Not only are there wonderful quilts on display, but workshops taught by some of the most sought after instructors around, from Edyta Sitar to Karen Eckmeier.

The community gets involved too with several museums and galleries throughout the downtown offering exhibits of their own, with free transportation from the show. In 2012, the Everchanging River exhibit will be on display and over 30 vendors will be on hand at the Convention Center with quilting notions. The show is held March 1-3, for more information visit www.ihqs.org.

Here are a few photos from last year's show to give you an idea of what to expect. Hope to see you there!

The Boy in the Bathroom opened with a bang on Thursday, February 2nd at the Bloomington Playwrights Project. The three shows last weekend were all sold out, and for good reason! This charming musical stars Evan Mayer as David, a college dropout who suffers from an extreme case of OCD and hasn't left the bathroom in over a year. This may sound depressing, but the play is actually very entertaining and humorous with his mother's (Lisa Kurz) sarcasm and Julie's (Indiana University freshman Maddie Shea Baldwin) cheesy knock-knock jokes.

Julie is hired by David's mom to clean around the house, and at first she thinks David is just a weirdo (who wouldn't-he sleeps in the bathtub!), but they end up falling in love as they tease each other and play board games through the bathroom door. She begs David to come out and run away with her, but is it enough? Find out for yourself! Do not miss this opportunity to see this clever production of The Boy in the Bathroom that is sure to receive a standing ovation time and time again.

The show runs through February 18. See www.newplays.org for more information or to order your tickets. 

This guest blog was written by one of Visit Bloomington's current Visitor Information Specialists, Kelsey Bussen. If you've called the Visitors Center recently, you may have spoken with Kelsey, who is currently pursuing a degree in Tourism Management from Indiana University.

Downtown Bloomington is, well... lit up like a Christmas tree, and we're ready to start celebrating the holiday season! We've even got a gift for one lucky B-town Blog reader - two tickets to this year's performance of the Chimes of Christmas at the IU Auditorium.

A true Indiana University tradition, the Chimes features performances from incredible ensembles from the Jacobs School of Music and great holiday music, perfect for a fun holiday evening out.

So, for a chance to win two tickets to the Chimes of Christmas and a Grazie! Italian Eatery gift certificate, leave us a comment and tell us all about your most favorite thing about the holiday season in Bloomington!

We'll announce a winner on Friday. Good luck!

It's November! As we say goodbye to ghosts, ghouls and goblins for another year, it's time to look forward to this year's upcoming holiday art and craft shows! What a great way to get the jump on your holiday shopping with locally made one-of-a-kind items, or just enjoy browsing through unique handmade items. From fiber arts to glass to holiday wreaths, you'll find it all at one of these great events.

26th Annual Fiber Art Show & Sale 
Nov. 11, 5 - 9 pm & Nov. 12, 10 am - 5 pm
First United Church, 2420 E. 3rd Street

Bloomington Glass Guild Holiday Show
Nov. 11, 5-8 pm & Nov. 12, 10 am - 5 pm
University Baptist Church, 3740 E. 3rd Street

Local Clay Potters Guild Holiday Pottery Show & Sale
Nov. 11, 5-9 pm & Nov. 12, 9 am - 5 pm
St. Mark's Methodist Church, 100 N. Hwy 46 Bypass

Quilts from the Heartland
Nov. 11, 9 am - 7 pm & Nov. 12, 9 am - 5 pm
Bloomington Convention Center, 302 S. College Ave.

Bloomington Handmade Market
Nov. 12, 10 am - 5 pm
Bloomington Convention Center, 302 S. College Ave.

Holiday Extravaganza
Nov. 12, 9 am - 5 pm
Monroe County Fairgrounds, 5700 W. Airport Road

Marlin Elementary PTO Art & Craft Show
Nov. 12, 9 am - 3 pm
Marlin Elementary School, 1655 E. Bethel Lane

Holiday House Craft & Gift Show
Nov. 17, 11 am - 7 pm; Nov. 18, 10 am - 6 pm; Nov. 19, 10 am - 3 pm
Bloomington Convention Center, 302 S. College Ave.

Holiday Market
Nov. 26, 10 am - 3 pm
Showers City Hall, 401 N. Morton St.

Be sure to hit up some of the unique locally owned shops and boutiques in downtown Bloomington while you're in town as well. Happy holiday gift shopping!

'Tis the season..for shrieks and spooks, ghosts and goblins... and candy, lots and lots of candy! We've compiled a handy list of all the fun Halloween related events happening in the Bloomington area throughout the month of October.

Pick your favorite Spooky B-town event and make your plans now!
Come on, you're not scared, are you? 

Haunted Houses: open throughout October

Baker's Junction Haunted Train
Fri. & Sat., 7-10 pm

Barn of Terror
Fri. & Sat., 8 pm - 12 am

Harrodsburg Haunted House
Fri. & Sat., 8 pm - 12 am

Family-Friendly Events

Great Glass Pumpkin Patch
Courthouse Square, Oct. 15, 10 am - 3pm

Little Monsters Gallery Art Show
Blueline Gallery, Oct. 16-31

Trick or Treat Trail
RCA Park, Oct. 22, 1-4 pm

Dennis James hosts Halloween
IU Auditorium, Oct. 27, 7:30 pm

Festival of Ghost Stories
Bryan Park, Oct. 28

Halloween at Lake Monroe
Paynetown Campground, Oct. 29

Safe Halloween
College Mall, Oct. 29, 6-8 pm

Skate & Scare
Frank Southern Ice Arena, Oct. 29, 7 - 9 pm

Spooky Paper-Making
Twisted Limb Paperworks, Oct. 30 & 31

Halloween Family Fun Fest
Mathers Museum, Oct. 31

Pumpkins!

Freeman Family Farms
Fri. 4 - 7 pm; Sat. 10 am - 8 pm; Sun. 12-5 pm

Oliver Winery
Mon. - Sat. 10 am - 6 pm; Sun. 12-6 pm

Musgrave Orchard
Wed. - Sun., 10:30 am - 6:30 pm

Great Bloomington Pumpkin Launch
Hilltop Garden & Nature Center, Nov. 5, 12-4 pm

Adults Only

Dark Carnival Film Festival
Buskirk-Chumley Theater, Oct. 21-23

Haunted Hoosier History Overnight
(Kids 12 and up welcome on the tour portion of the event only with a parent.)
Please RSVP by Oct. 7th.
Monroe Co. History Center, Oct. 22, 6 pm

Halloween Horror Burlesque
Jake's Nightclub, Oct. 29, 10 pm & 12 am

Rocky Horror Picture Show
Buskirk-Chumley Theater, Oct. 29, 7:30 & 11:30 pm