Theatre, music, holidays, parties, parades... 2015 has been filled with great entertainment in La Porte County. There was never a shortage of things to see, do, and enjoy, and we at LaPorteCountyLife chose our all time favorite articles from this year.
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Take a look below to see the Top 10 LaPorteCountyLife Entertainment Articles of 2015!
Fiddlehead Attempts to Bring New, Yet Familiar Dining Experiences to Michigan City
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Fiddlehead restaurant, set to open on May 25th is hoping to stand out from the other restaurants in Northwest Indiana by being forward and honest about where their food comes from and letting their dining guests know exactly what they are eating.
“We’re a restaurant but at the same time, we want to be a source of truth for diners,” says Fiddlehead owner Aaron O’Reilly. “Most places can’t even tell you where your food came from, we want you to know exactly where it came from.”
La Porte Jaycee's 69th Annual Independence Day Parade Brings Out the Patriotic Spirit in La Porte Citizens
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The La Porte Jaycees kicked off La Porte’s Independence Day celebration with their 69th annual 4th of July parade, which hosted over 50,000 parade-goers. The parade, that stretches from Al’s East to Al’s West along La Porte’s main drag, is one of the biggest parade celebrations in the state of Indiana. La Porte is deemed the Capital of Indiana for the Day, and its title holds truth. This 2.5 mile stretch is the route where 113 dignitaries were honored for the celebration of America’s independence.
“My favorite ‘small-world’ story that I routinely share as proof that La Porte is the Hub of Awesome is centered on the La Porte Jaycees Fourth of July Parade. The parade had such a lasting impact on one of the flyover pilots who conducted countless such missions throughout his career as a Naval Aviator that he still specifically remembered La Porte 20 years later. His experience was so memorable due to the organization of the Jaycees to have him land at Grissom Air Force Base after performing the flyover, receive a police escort to then rush him back to La Porte in order to appear as the most popular entry in the parade at its tail end. His recounting of this fond experience was shared with me while we were both serving at a NATO Summit in Belgrade, Serbia 20 years after his visit,” La Porte Mayor Blair Milo said.
"Starry Nights" Mayor's Ball Raises Over $40,000 for Michigan City Non-Profits
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Sometimes, hosting an event is a great way to give back, and in the case of Michigan City’s Mayors Ball, it was the perfect opportunity to do so. On Saturday night, Michigan City Mayor Ron Meer and his wife Agnes hosted the 2015 ‘Starry Nights’ Mayors Ball at Blue Chip Casino’s Stardust Event Center to raise money for two vital Michigan City non-profit organizations.
The Michigan City Women’s Commission and The North Central Community Action Agency’s Emmet D. Wise Neighborhood Center and George & Madeline Smrt Neighborhood Center were chosen to be the benefactors of the money raised from the evening’s festivities. The decision to pick those two organizations was something that Mayor Meer struggles with each year, but he decided that the selected organizations were the right choices for this year’s Ball.
Michigan City Soul Steppers Show Up and Step Up the Competition
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The Michigan City Soul Steppers Drill Team celebrated their 15th anniversary with the Show Up and Show Out Competition, hosted at Michigan City High School on Saturday, July 18. This event, in conjunction with Michigan City’s Summer Festival, is the largest drumline and drill team competition in the state of Indiana. Teams from all over the United States stepped up their game and competed against one another for trophies and cash prizes.
The teams involved included Michigan City Soul Steppers of Michigan City, Ebony Illusion Dance Team of Des Moines, Iowa, Freestyle All-Stars of Birmingham, Alabama, Millennium Madness of Memphis, Tennessee and Metropolitan Youth Program of Rock Island, Illinois.
The La Porte Report: The La Porte High School Marching Band Triumphs
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The La Porte High School Marching Band is a powerhouse of energy, and musical talent. The amount of work and effort put into every move, every beat, and every song at every practice and competition shines through when they are ready to preform. With winning State last year, the band is on top of the world and is hoping that this year they will be able to take the competition by storm yet again.
The La Porte Marching Band wastes no time when it comes to practice. During Band Camp, which is a two week period, the band is practicing from 8:30 A.M til 5:30 P.M., preparing the band for football games, and upcoming fall competitions.
2015 Mayor's Ball Brings La Porte Community Together for Good Times and a Good Cause
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When it comes to a Mayor’s Ball, La Porte really knows how to throw one. On Friday night the La Porte community came out to celebrate at the 2015 Mayor’s Ball. The Ball not only calls out for people to come together and have a good time with their Mayor, but it also provides an opportunity to raise money for the Mayor’s cause of choice.
This year, and for the past few years, Mayor Milo has chosen substance abuse prevention programs as her designated charity of choice. Last year, Mayor Milo was able to donate a total of $20,000 - a total amount that was saved from her first three Mayor’ s Balls - to help establish the Frontline Foundation in Northwest Indiana. Though Mayor Milo has not yet decided where the proceeds of the 2015 Ball will be going to, she does know that it will be going to a program that also continues to help fight the city’s substance abuse issues.
Old Memories Relived and a Rivalry Rekindled at the LaPorte County Family YMCA Vintage Veterans Basketball Classic
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There are those who would tell you that you can’t go home again; that what’s gone is gone. And that past glories, now faded with time, can never be recaptured.
However, they never bothered to tell that to the ’66 Michigan City Elston team members who showed up at the LaPorte County Family YMCA on Wednesday night, to square off against their historic rivals, the LaPorte Slicers.
The Stars Shined Bright at Dancing Like a Star In The City By The Lake
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Stars of La Porte County brought in Memorial Weekend with a bang in the Stardust Ballroom at the Blue Chip Casino for Dancing Like A Star In The City By The Lake! The event was brought to the community by the La Porte Family YMCA- Michigan City Elston Branch; a leading nonprofit for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.
Participants joined in this dance competition to raise funds for the new Y.
Michigan City Celebrates 60th Annual Summer Festival Parade
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Thousands of Michigan City and region residents packed the streets on Saturday, June 27th to watch and celebrate the 60th Annual Summer Festival Parade in downtown Michigan City. Kids and families set up lawn chairs or spread blankets out on sidewalks and peered down Franklin Street in eager anticipation of the floats, bands, horses, police cars and firetrucks that slowly made their way from 10th Street all the down to Ames Field.
“It was a great parade,” said Joe Doyle, Chairman of the Board of Michigan City’s Summer Fest. “We caught a break in the weather today and we couldn’t have asked for better conditions for the 140 floats and participants, and the thousands of people who came out to celebrate with us. It was a job well done by all volunteers too. Another year and another great job. We couldn’t do it without them and the great people of Michigan City who really care about their community.”
Families and Friends Gather for Downtown La Porte's Summertime Movie Night
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On Friday evening, the Herald Argus Parking Lot was filled with hundreds of families as a part of Downtown La Porte’s summertime movie night series. The featured film, Frozen, attracted families and friends alike to enjoy a warm summer evening under La Porte's skyline and stars. The parking lot quickly turned into a place for grandparents, parents and their children to meet Princess Anna and Queen Elsa, to grab a bite and to watch a movie together. Children were also offered the opportunity to ride ponies, and jump in a Bump n’ Jump Playhouses bounce house.
The Downtown Movie Nights first began in 2005, as a result of a group that no longer exists called the Downtown La Porte Action Committee. Since then, three movies have been featured each summer, captivating the interest of hundreds of LaPorteans. All Friday Night at the Movies events are now products of the Downtown La Porte Main Street Association.