10 Fun Things to Do this Weekend in Northwest Indiana: Hooked on Art Festival, Scarecrow Festival, Character Brunch

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Each weekend we bring you 10 Fun Things to Do in Northwest Indiana so you are never without something to do! This weekend is filled with festivals, community events, educational fun and more!

Portage's Alton Goin Museum to Feature 1st Principal, History of Portage Township High School 
Special fall display of the Hazel Briggs Bradford family. Hazel graduated in 1933 and was honored last year at the Alumni dinner. She recently donated all of her school mementos, school certificates and records and those of her father, William Briggs. Mr. Briggs became the first principal of Portage Township High School when it was established in 1896, a position he held for 22 years, from 1896 to 1918. All Portage Alumni are invited for a special opening of the museum on Friday, September 26, 9 - 1. We have yearbooks, pictures and scrapbooks from the 1960's, 1970's and 1980's that we received from the school media center.

"Soundscapes" to Bring Cultural Identities Together through Music on Friday 
South Shore Orchestra will celebrate the beginning of their 10th season as Valparaiso’s community orchestra with this concert season dedicated to IMAGINE! This season looks forward to new ideas, new places and new energies emerging to entertain and educate our regional community through the universal language of music. Soundscapes, the first concert, will be performed on Friday September 26 at Ivy Tech Auditorium Theater in Valparaiso at 7 PM.

20th Annual Wanatah Scarecrow Festival 
Enjoy arts and crafts, rides for children, a pork chop dinner, fish fry and pancake breakfast, a parade, scarecrow sculpting, fun runs for children and adults, music and variety acts, a car show, community merchant drawings, bingo and more! This is our 20th year! Come see why Scarecrow Fest has been a family favorite for 20 years!

10th Annual Homeward Bound Community Walk 
A fall tradition, the Walk is designed to focus attention on homelessness and related issues throughout the area. It raises funds to assist local agencies that provide affordable housing, shelter and supportive services to combat the cycle of poverty and help families and individuals get back on their feet. Last year’s walk raised more than $10,000 and we are hoping to raise even more this year!

35th Annual Fall Harvest Craft Festival 
This show is hosted by Griffith Boy Scout Troop 264 and is held the last weekend of September every year! This year will be our 35th year! The festival is entirely organized and ran by the leaders, parents and scouts of the troop. Our show offers the best in hand crafted items made by talented artists! We offer a great lunch that you can enjoy while listing to live music.

3rd Annual Hooked on Arts Festival 
There are only 500 sold and winner will be announced at the 3rd Annual Hooked on Arts Festival in Chesterton. The prize is a new Jayco Jay Flight Travel Trailer. The festival takes place at Thomas Centennial Park at 109 Broadway from 9am-4pm. It's a live street art fest. It began several years ago after Oz fest ended. The town wanted to do something positive and encouraging, and this festival fit the bill. Hooked on Art celebrates recovery and the act of creation. The raffle drawing will take place at 3:30pm. The winner does not need to be present.

Valparaiso Family YMCA & Methodist Hospitals Present Family Health & Wellness Fair 
The YMCA’s Partner in Wellness, Methodist Hospitals, and The Valparaiso Family YMCA are holding a Family Health & Wellness Fair on Sunday, September 28, from 12:30 to 3:30pm at the Valparaiso Family YMCA in Valparaiso. This event is free to all Y members and the community. Free health screenings, exercise classes and demonstrations, along with healthy cooking demonstrations will be offered. Mascots, Rusty and Rascal, from the Gary Southshore Railcats along with Max, from Methodist Hospitals, will be making an appearance. Children activities with information on healthy food ideas, upcoming events including aquatic, wellness, and sports classes will also be offered. Free chair massages will be performed by licensed massage therapist

JAK'S Warehouse will to Host Character Brunch on Sunday 
JAK'S Warehouse will host a Character Brunch on Sunday, September 28th, 2014! A brunch buffet will be served at 10AM to 1PM. VIP check-in is at 8:30AM. Enjoy a Brunch Buffet 3hr Unlimited Plus Wristband, free $10 Game Card, Character Meet & Greet, Learn a Song and Dance with the Princesses, and an Autograph Session!

George Will To Talk Baseball at Purdue North Central Sinai Forum 
The Purdue University North Central Sinai Forum continues its 61st season with George F. Will, syndicated columnist in more than 450 newspapers and weekly guest on the ABC News program "This Week." The author of 13 books, Will has won a Pulitzer Prize for Commentary and the Bradley Prize for Outstanding Intellectual Achievement. In his latest book, “A Nice Little Place on the North Side: Wrigley Field at One Hundred,” Will takes a deeply personal look at his hapless Chicago Cubs and their landmark home, Wrigley Field, as it turns 100 this year. Baseball, Will argues, is full of metaphors for life, religion, and happiness, and Wrigley is considered one of its sacred spaces.

Portage Community Market Ends September 28th 
The Portage Community Market will be held every Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. beginning June 1st and ending September 28th. Come and get great produce, crafts, and other items that come from local farms and businesses! Due to the construction of Founder’s Square, it will be held at Woodland Park for the 2014 season.