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There is no better time to "rock out" and explore the limestone heritage of Monroe and Lawrence County than in June, which is Limestone Month.  It's a time to celebrate the history, industry, artistry and architecture of limestone in our area.  This year, there are numerous activities planned to showcase the beautiful stone that permeates the region.  You can find a list of all the events on LimestoneMonth.com, but here are a few highlights I'm especially excited about. 

On Saturday, June 8^th you can take a guided tour through the Victor Oolitic quarry.  Quarries are typically off-limits (no, you can't go swimming in a quarry, that's trespassing) so this is a unique opportunity to see a working quarry up close.  You have to register in advance and there is a $20 fee but it's worth it.

There's another tour, this time at the Empire Quarry, on Thursday, June 13^th.  This tour is only $5, but you still have to register in advance.

The IU Campus is full of beautiful limestone architecture, and on Friday, June 14^th, local limestone expert Brian Keith with the Indiana Geological Survey will take guests on a guided tour of the campus.  It's free, but you need to sign up in advance.

If you want to learn to carve stone or watch the experts, or if you just want to get all dusty, check out the Indiana Limestone Symposium, which runs from June 9^th through the 29^th.  They have daily hand carving sessions for beginners, or you can go during open house hours (Wednesday afternoons) to see the experts in action.

Limestone is an integral part of our history, and it's fascinating to see it from various perspectives so log on to LimestoneMonth.com to learn more about these events and rock on!

I am no theater expert by any means.  I barely know the difference between Paul Simon and Neil Simon.  I catch maybe two or three productions a year, simply because there are so many shows, festivals and events offered in this fine city, and also because I have two young children who limit my interactions with the social world.  But I am excited about the theater productions that round out this year's season. There are so many great options!  Here's a quick recap.

At the Bloomington Playwrights Project (BPP), they're getting ready to open Ampersand, by Vincent Delaney, April 5-20.  This play, the winner of the Reva Shiner Comedy Award, is about a couple and their clones.  Well it's more than that-it's about marriage and relationships and change, but it's got clones too, so it's insightful and comical.  Next on the BPP schedule is Spun: A Comedic Rock Musical with music and lyrics by Jeremy Schonfeld and book by Emily Goodson, May 17-June 1.  This rocking musical is about mending the relationship between two band members (who are also brother and sister-doubly difficult), and doing it with wit, humor and rock.  As with all BPP productions, these are world premieres, brand new plays that have never been seen before but will surely be seen across the country soon enough.

Cardinal Stage Company next show is Next to Normal with music by Tom Kitt and book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, March 22-April 7.  This is also a rock musical (is this town rocking or what?) about a family (more family drama too!) fighting through mental illness to get back to "normal".  Then Cardinal presents Underneath the Lintel by Glen Berger, May 3-19.  This story follows a librarian turned detective after a book is returned 113 years overdue.  Rounding out the season is the family friendly classic Charlotte's Web by E.B. White, June 8-23.  This sweet story about a friendship between a pig and spider, and their barnyard friends, is a great chance for kids to experience professional theater.

IU Theater has two dramatic presentations to round out the season.  First up is their new series At First Sight, which features plays written by IU students, March 22-30.  This year they feature two plays: (a love story) by Kelly P. Lusk, and Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea by Nathan Alan Davis.  The last play of the season is Sunday in the Park with George with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine, April 12-20.  This story is inspired a painting and the authors interpretation of what is happening in that painting and with the painter when he created it.  It's a sophisticated and challenging piece for the student performers and crew, and a great chance for us to support their educational experience.

So many great shows, so little time!  It will be difficult to choose which show to see, but we'll make it easy on some of you.  We've got tickets to giveaway to each of these productions, along with some restaurant gift certificates so you can make an evening of it.  To enter the drawing, leave a comment on this post describing a great theater performance you saw in Bloomington.  We will pick several winners next Thursday the 21st and contact you via Facebook message (so keep an eye on your inbox).  Good luck, and enjoy the show!

   

Our modern culture is obsessed with gossip and gleefully feeds on scandalous behavior...

...and 200 years hasn't changed a thing! Such is the way of the world. Richard Sheridan's comedy, The School for Scandal, has been delighting audiences since its first performance in 1777, sending up a fashionable society whose wheels are greased by gossip and scandal. 

Indiana University Theatre & Drama presents this scandalous comedy beginning this weekend. The show runs through March 2. Believe us, The School for Scandal is one class you won't want to skip! 

 
Here at Visit Bloomington, we love it when we hear people talking about B-town and all it has to offer! So, we're giving away two free tickets to see The School for Scandal later this week. Simply leave us a comment and tell us what's so great about Bloomington! Be sure to share your comment on your Facebook page and you'll be entered to win! 

Winner will be chosen at random from all comments received and notified on Wed., Feb. 20. Good luck!  

Don't miss your chance to enjoy the winner of the New York Drama Desk Award, Drama Critics' Circle Award, and the John Gassner Award. Presented by the IU Department of Theatre and Drama, the production Intimate Apparel tells the story of a young black seamstress in early 20th-century New York who is working her way through the social confines of her time - restrictions that continue to haunt us today. A winner of the Pulitzer Prize (Ruined, 2009), Lynn Nottage's imaginative ability to craft meaningful words in unexpected moments has made her a powerful voice in the theatre.

So, to help make sure you can enjoy more meaningful and unexpected moments in Bloomington, we're giving away a voucher good for two tickets to see Intimate Apparel, Feb. 1-9. All you have to to do to enter? Why, just leave us a comment below about a meaningful and/or unexpected moment you've experienced here in B-town! We'll choose a winner on Friday afternoon. 

Best of luck, and don't forget to share with your friends! (Maybe they'll take you to see the show if they win.) 

College basketball season is now well underway and the IU Hoosiers are at the top of the NCAA rankings this year, so here's your step-by-step playbook for how to enjoy an IU basketball game at Assembly Hall (you know, in case you've forgotten or something):  

1.)  The first thing you've got to do is score some tickets.

 
2.) Second up - enjoy a great meal at one of B-town's incredible restaurants. For game day, I recommend Yogi's, Crazy Horse, BuffaLouie's, or one of my family's favorites, Cafe Pizzaria.

 
3.) Check out Cook Hall. If you've never been to IU's newest basketball facility, game day is the perfect time. The lobby is open to visitors and you can see some great historic IU basketball memorabilia, including a few NCAA National Championship Trophies.

4.) Head over to Assembly Hall - arriving early gives you plenty of time to enjoy that legendary basketball atmosphere.

 
5.) Hit up the Varsity Shop (or one of their main level displays) for some new IU gear. Here's a family friendly tip - if you're looking for kids' sizes you'll want to head straight to the main store on the lower level. 

 
6.) Stop for a quick photo op in front of something distinctly IU, like the trophy cases or the Hall of Fame. Post your pics on all your social media accounts to make your friends jealous.

 
7.) Find your seats and cheer for the home team (of course!).

 
8.) Be sure to stand up for the fight song!

 
Bonus Points if you bring someone to their first-ever IU basketball game!
Young or old, the look on their face will be priceless.

 

So, now that you know how to enjoy a game properly, be sure to get registered to win free tickets to three upcoming games from Visit Bloomington! Each winner will receive either two or four tickets. 

Tickets are still available for the holiday series games on Dec. 19, 21 and 28. Wouldn't that be an incredible stocking-stuffer? Reserve your tickets at IUHoosiers.com or call 866-IUSPORTS.

If you go, post your pictures to our Facebook wall, tag us on Instagram or give us as shout-out on Twitter. We'd love to see your IU basketball experience!  

We know, it sounds like the last thing you want to do during the holiday season and what could something like "The God of Carnage" possibly have to do with being a parent - but trust us, this new production from IU Theatre & Drama will make you howl with laughter (and may make you feel pretty good about your own parenting skills). 

Yes, I said parenting skills...
Here's why: This production tells the story of what happens when two eleven-year-old boys have a scuffle on the playground at school, and their parents face resolving the matter on their own. Despite the best attempts at courtesy and respect, hard truths and insecurities surface along the way, pitting couple against couple, men against women, and even husband against wife. A Broadway hit and winner of the 2009 Tony® Award for Best Play, The God of Carnage takes a painfully funny look at parents behaving worse than their kids. The show will be on stage at the Lee Norvelle IU Theatre & Drama Center from Nov. 30 - Dec. 9.

Parenting sure can be stressful at times and I'm betting all you parents out there could use a break, so share your best and/or funniest parenting story with us for a chance to leave the kids at home and enjoy a night at the theatre along with a gift card to one of B-town's amazing restaurants! Simply leave a comment below, share it on your Facebook page so your friends can have a laugh as well and we'll choose a winner on Monday afternoon. Yes, grandparents and/or those without children can enter, too! 

Congratulations to the IU Hoosiers Football team, who brought home a win last week against Illinois!

In celebration of this Big 10 Conference win, we're giving away a family pack of tickets to this weekend's game against Iowa!  I've got five tickets and a parking pass for one lucky family of Hoosier Fans - just leave a comment to tell us why your family deserves to go to this week's game on us to be entered to win. We will choose a winner on Wednesday afternoon. Winner must be able to pick up the prize at the Bloomington Visitors Center during regular hours.  

We're at it again - over the next few weeks you'll have a chance to win tickets to IU Theatre productions, plus restaurant gift certificates! Enjoy a night out on Bloomington, courtesy of the B-town Blog! 

This week's giveaway features two tickets to Shakespeare's Richard III at the Wells-Metz Theatre and a gift certificate to BuffaLouie's at The Gables. This production of the well-known classic features a motorcycle gang motif as a doorway into the world of Shakespeare's play. Director Gavin Cameron-Webb explains, "I am not modernizing the story or attempting to paint a realistic portrait of a motorbike gangland war. The idea is strictly metaphorical - it is a way to illustrate the chaotic times of the 1480's." The production is part of the IU Themester: Good Behavior, Bad Behavior: Molecules to Morality and runs Oct. 19-27.  

So, if you'd like to be our winner, leave us a comment on this blog post telling us why you love Bloomington in the fall and share it on your Facebook page. (Yep, it's that easy!) We'll notify our winner on Monday, Oct. 15.  Good luck! 

It's another B-town Blog giveaway! The IU Auditorium is kicking off their 2012-13 season with the smash-hit musical American Idiot, which tells the story of three lifelong friends, forced to choose between their dreams and the safety of their hometowns. Johnny battles the tensions of loneliness and love when he moves to the big city, Will deals with a rollercoaster of emotions as a result of his girlfriend's pregnancy, and Tunny faces the bodily horrors of a faraway war when he enlists in the army. Their quest for true meaning in a post September 11 world leads them on an exhilarating theatrical journey. More info on the show and other related events is available on the IU Auditorium website. 

This is a preview our larger IU Auditorium Ticket Giveaway, where you can win two tickets to every show on the IU Auditorium 2012-13 Season. This week, just for our B-town Blog readers, we've got two tickets to the musical American Idiot, featuring the music of Green Day, plus a great dining gift certificate. The show is next Wednesday, September 5.

This week is the unofficial last week of summer, so tell us what you're most looking forward to about fall in Bloomington - siimply leave us a comment below for a chance to win! Don't forget to share your comment on Facebook so your friends can enter too!  

Yes, you read that correctly, we're giving away a fun B-town Date Night to one lucky winner! Getting entered is super-easy and here's the run down on what our winner will receive: 

Two Tickets to Solana from the Indiana Festival Theatre
Adopted Asian-American Chloe Ellsworth finishes college and returns home to her family farm in Middle Valley, Indiana, but her royal birth family demands that she immediately return to her native land to take her place on the throne. This life-altering disruption sends her on a fairy-tale journey, that reveals her true identity and her true place in the world.

Dinner at Grazie! Italian Eatery
One of B-town's favorite downtown eateries, Grazie! is located on the north side of the downtown square and specializes in Italian cuisine. 

This is the time of year when everyone's in a a flurry of activity, getting ready to head back to school. Many elementary and high schools have already begun the fall semester and Indiana University is right behind them with students moving into dorms next week!

So, here's how you get entered to win a B-town date night on us:
Leave us a note in the comments section with your best advice for incoming freshmen about living in Bloomington, don't-miss IU traditions or college life in general. We'll choose one of the comments and announce our winner right here on Monday morning, so be sure to check back to see if you've won. Good luck!