You just can’t beat Independence Day as a time to show off good ol’ American pride and bask in the freedom we enjoy!

A big thank you goes out to all our brave and selfless men and women (and their families) who are presently serving in our US Armed Forces across the globe. And a really big thank you also goes to our US Veterans who proudly served our country. Thank you one and all!

Last month I had the pleasure of attending a meeting of the Boone County 4H Executive Council at the Fairgrounds. This is a large group of folks who represent the various townships in Boone County with each one having a direct interest in the activities and mission of the Boone County 4H.

Along with various County leaders and 4H leaders, the Executive Council also has a few younger people (18 – 25yrs) as members. I thought this was impressive as, during the meeting, these younger members made some very good points and expressed the view of their age group when it comes to improving the mission of the 4H for our county’s younger citizens.

This being said, know that this year’s Boone County 4H Fair – July 23 – 29th, in Lebanon is shaping up to be one of the best Fairs ever with added festivities packed into 7 fun-filled days and nights. If you’ve not visited the Boone County 4H Fair, you owe it to yourself to load up the family and come see all the great things our 4H members are doing. Whether it’s raising award winning animals or creating wonderful crafts, the Boone County 4H members are an outstanding and talented group of young people who also put on a great county fair. For more information, including a calendar of events, please visit BOONE COUNTY 4H FAIR  I’ll hope to see you there!

Looking for a cool time out of the hot sun this month? The Zionsville Hussey-Mayfield Library has a full schedule of events this month that include everything from movies to computer classes, a magician celebrating Harry Houdini to origami classes. For more information, please visit: HUSSEY MAYFIELD LIBRARY and plan to come out and enjoy the many special activities available.

The Sugar Creek Art Center in Thorntown also has a variety of shows and event planned that include a performance by Celtic fiddler, Emily Ann Thompson, on July 10th. For just $5 you get to enjoy Emily’s fantastic show in one of Boone County’s great locations. For more information, please visit: SUGAR CREEK ART CENTER

The Boone County Fourth of July celebration in Lebanon is actually a series of events, activities, dinners, a parade and fireworks stretched across a two-week period. The fun is underway in Lebanon and continues through July Fourth.  A Boone County favorite, The Flying Toasters will be in concert on June 26th preceded by the St. Joseph’s Parish chicken BBQ dinner – yum.

The annual Symphony at Sunset is set for June 27th promising a wonderful evening of music by the Indianapolis Symphony. The Carnival opens on June 29th and goes until July 4th. Don’t miss the 2pm July 4th Parade with the celebration ending with fireworks at the Lebanon Middle School. There’s a whole lot more in store for you in Lebanon – for more information, please CLICK HERE

Zionsville packs their Independence Day celebration into one fun day and one place – Lions Park – starting at 3pm on July 4th with live music, food, kids’ fun & games and a huge fireworks show at dusk; all sponsored by the Zionsville Lions Club. Come early if you want a good viewing seat as thousands gather every year for the Zionsville Lions’ huge fireworks display. For more information, please CLICK HERE

Welcome back to a Boone County restaurant! The  L. A. Cafe – located in downtown Whitestown – has opened its doors once again under new management. The Cafe will be open for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. To learn more, please CLICK HERE

Speaking of dining, if you’re looking for something different in Zionsville, try lunch at The Sanctuary, home of the art of world-acclaimed artist, Nancy Noel. The Sanctuary (a remodeled Victorian era church) is home to a charming bistro restaurant run by Ghyslain Maurais. Along with a unique lunch menu, you won’t be able to resist their selection that features fine French pastries and a wide assortment of Ghyslain’s gourmet chocolates. For all the delicious details, please CLICK HERE

So there you go, all kinds of great things going on in Boone County just waiting for you to discover.

A note to our readers. You’re more than welcome to email me with comments about tourism in Boone County. Suggest a restaurant, tell us about a fun trip you took, let us know about that special shop you found. Only now, please email us at info@boonecvb.com instead of leaving comments to these blog posts. We’re getting a gazillion spam comments from all manner of cyber-weirdos and are shutting down the blog comment feature. Hope to hear from you soon – via email, please.

The reason is simple – rising costs, increased expenses (especially for our local restaurants who give their food and their time at no charge to the event) and a still sagging economy make it fiscally impractical to sponsor an event of this magnitude.

If you came to the TOBC the past two years you know what a nice event it was with all kinds of great food served by our locally owned Boone County restaurants, food specialists and caterers. Add in the live jazz music and a most excellent selection of beverages and you had a perfect recipe for a nice evening out in Boone County. And if you did come, thank you for your support.

I must take some space to thank the wonderful and varied group of local restaurants, bakers, chocolatiers, caterers and gourmet foodies who participated in the TOBC – giving both their time and their great food to this event. I will miss those little BBQ sandwiches, gourmet munchies and, of course, Donaldson’s chocolates…yummm. Of course you can find these food delights most every day of the week all across Boone County served up by the nicest group of Hoosiers you’ll find anywhere in our State.

Major thanks go to Craig Anderson and the  entire Anson – a Duke Development  team. When Mayor Lewis arranged our first meeting where we asked about putting up a huge tent and filling it with hundreds of people eating and drinking in the middle of Anson on a October Saturday night, Craig said, “Great idea, let’s do it!” And the Duke cooperation and hospitality never ended. We really appreciate the generosity and look forward to working with Craig at Anson again.

To the sharp dressed men of the Lebanon Street Department who kept our TOBC sparkling clean and running right, thank you to Larry Lee and his team. No wonder they’re Indiana’s best Street Department (you can look it up). And thanks go to the Zionsville Fire Department – especially Chief Jamie VanGorder – for the no charge use of their monster generator that kept the lights sparkling and music humming along.

Many, many thanks go to the hours of work put in by the BooneCCVB board members who never figured they’d be taking tickets, directing traffic or pouring beers as part of their director’s job description. We’re a small bureau – actually there are just two of us – so the many volunteer hours put in by our directors, especially our Chairperson Paulette Dowden,  is what made the Taste of Boone County happen in the first place.

Speaking of pouring beer, Boone Beverage delivers the finest, coldest beer you’ll ever receive for a big gathering or when you’re visiting your favorite Boone County establishment. Mr. Selby really knows what he’s doing when it comes to being an outstanding distributor. Refreshingly nice product, too.

To our corporate sponsors and partners, thank you for your support. A special thanks goes to our media partners at the Lebanon Reporter and their fine family of area newspapers who publicized and advertised the Taste of Boone County across central Indiana. 

But don’t despair, we’re just postponing the Taste of Boone County. We’ve plans to truly make it bigger and better – with added attractions, surprises and stuff we can’t talk about right now. But we will let you know soon and hope you’ll join us for the 2011 Taste of Boone County. I’ll keep you posted…right here.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I find I’m very hungry and need a snack. Sure wish I had some Donaldson’s chocolates.

With this in mind, I’m proud to announce the 1st Annual Boone County Photo Contest! Co-sponsored by the Boone County Convention & Visitors Bureau and our friends at the Lebanon Reporter, the contest is open to residents and visitors who love to take pictures. The contest has 4 different categories – from rural Boone County to festivals and events. There’s no charge to enter and the winner’s photos will be featured on our web site, in the Lebanon Reporter AND in our 2011 Boone County Tourism Guide.

To find out more, please visit our website: www.boonecvb.com for all the contest details.

For those of you who missed it, the Brick Street Market Day in Zionsville was a great event with Main Street packed with over 100 exhibitor booths featuring all manner of art, crafts, antiques, collectibles and apparel. I personally liked the Crazy Birdhouse Man (his name) who created these Rube Goldberg-esque bird houses using everything from baseball mitts to silver plated coffee pitchers. There was also a “yard art” booth with all kinds of brass figurines to place in a garden or lawn. I couldn’t resist taking home a solid brass penguin to add to our perennial garden.

The Market Eve event held the Friday night before Brick Street Market is also an event you don’t want to miss next year. For $20, attendees enjoyed gourmet delights served by local Zionsville restaurants. The Ghyslain chocolates (available at the Sanctuary) were spectacular as were the fresh oysters served up by Noah Grant’s. Over 500 attended this now annual event that offers great tastes, live music and a good time for all.

The BooneCCVB Board awarded grant monies to a variety of Boone County organizations this past week as part of their 2nd grant cycle. One of the most impressive presentations came from the Indiana High School Rodeo Association who will be holding their Indiana Rodeo at the Boone County 4H Fairgrounds – June 12 – 13. Visit http://www.ihsraonline.org/

Dressed in their honest to gosh cowboy hats, big shiny belt buckles and classy western shirts, a trio from the Indiana HS Rodeo Association made one of the best presentations the BooneCCVB Board has ever heard as they explained their event and showed how it attracts visitors from all over Indiana to our county.

These are no sit around the house,video game playing slacker kids, these are talented (and a bit crazy…) young men and women who ride big bulls and bucking broncos, rope runaway cattle and put their barrel-riding horses through paces and obstacles that only countless hours of practice and determination could achieve.

This year, the Indiana HS Rodeo Association has partnered with Boone County’s ARC Rehabilitation Services and added a Special Needs Rodeo event to the weekend that showcases the rodeo skills of mentally & physically challenged kids in the area. Not only do these full time high school students practice constantly to hone their rodeo talents, they also find the time to share the thrill and independence of riding, roping and galloping with this very deserving group.  How cool is that?

Make your plans now to be at the Boone County 4H Fairgrounds in Lebanon on June 12th or 13th and experience for yourself the very exciting sport of high school rodeo competition. I’ll hope to see you there.

Formerly called the Country Market, the new Brick Street Market is upping the ante with over 100 exhibitors, featuring artwork, arts & crafts, apparel, collectibles and antiques, lined up on Zionsville’s famous cobblestone Main Street. There will also be fun for the kids – with face painting, activities and games. A food court will be available as will dining at any of Zionsville’s locally owned restaurants.

If you’re a fan of good food, live music and a fun time, Friday night the Zionsville Chamber of Commerce is hosting a special Market Eve event on May 14th – where local restaurants will be serving gourmet items, live music in the air and a guaranteed fun time for all. Also included is a spiffy shopping bag (compliments of the Zionsville Chamber) that contains money-saving discounts and offers from local retailers. Just $20 a person. Contact the Zionsville Chamber at 317-873-3836 for more information.

Golden Retriever fans are welcome to visit the 4H Fairgrounds in Lebanon this weekend as the White River Golden Retriever Club will be holding their annual Agility Trials on May 15th and 16th. Free to the public, this is a fun time watching these amazing animals go through their paces with agility trials, training and other canine challenges.

For you golfers out there, be sure and visit Boone County’s many golf course websites and sign up for their free email updates as they contain special weekly discounts to save you money on championship golf!

Looking for a fun early morning weekend drive to a dining destination? Try the Pan & Pantry Bakery Bistro at 113 North Pearl Street in Thorntown. This small but inviting place features a great breakfast every Saturday from 8am to 2pm.  But get there early as the seats fill up fast. For more information, visit http://panandpantry.com/

From the looks of their place out front, Faucett & Flame in Lebanon is packed full with gardener delights this season at their store  located at 320 E. Main Street, Lebanon, IN 46052.  Stop in to see not only their great selection of candles and accessories and also antiques, crafts from local artisans, and even an in-store coffee shop.  Store hours are:  Tuesday thru Thursday 7 am – 5pm, Friday thru Saturday 7 am – 6 pm, and Sundays 10 am – 3 pm.  Close Mondays. For more information, please visit www.faucettandflame.com

Don’t forget the 2010 Boone County Tourism Guide is available at our Lebanon office. This handy guide features a year long listing of events, attractions and festivals and is must reading for anyone interested in roaming Boone County to enjoy our many fun occasions. Let us know what you think of the Tourism Guide.

We’ll be back next week with more tourism suggestions right here in the Heart of It All – Boone County, Indiana.

Here are just a few of the great golf available to you in Boone County. For a complete list, click the GOLF link on our BooneCVB website.

Trophy Club in Lebanon is continually rated in the Top Ten courses in Indiana. This classic links-style course features gnarly heather lining most wind-swept fairways, elevated tees and greens on some holes, water hazards on many of the holes, all manner of bunkers and always true and fast greens. Unless you’re a sub-10 handicap player, I’d suggest playing Trophy Club from the white tees for your first few times so as to get to know the lay of this always windy and very tricky layout that has beaten this writer into submission more than a few times. But I do love a course where a good shot is rewarded.

A unique feature of Trophy Club is their “last chance” 19th hole (no, not that one, this is a real golf hole!); a par 3 tee shot only that allows for settling those “all tied/break even” wagers. Hint: take one more club as the wind is usually in your face on the 19th.

All around nice guy and knowledgeable Trophy Club pro, B. G. Winings, will ensure your golf experience is a good one. Warm up on their generous driving range and putting green. When you’re done playing you can sit out on the patio or indoors in the clubhouse bar with a refreshing libation (adult beverages are served) and relive your round. To visit the Trophy Club website, go to www.thetrophyclubgolf.com Sign up for their emails as they offer great deals all year long.

Golf Club of Indiana, just west of Zionsville, provides a wide open expanse of holes that are challenging in many ways. This always well maintained course can be really long if you play the back tees (7,000+ yards) and features mature trees, always undulating & sloping greens, water in play on 15 holes and fairways that demand a well placed drive to greens that putt true and fast.

GCI has a great driving range and putting green as well as golf lessons from their PGA pro. Visit the Golf Club of Indiana website – www.golfindiana.com for all the info plus how to sign up for their GCI Loyalty Club that offers discounts and specials for golfers.

Cool Lake Golf Club, north of Lebanon on SR39, is a country golf course that winds around a bubbling creek and various ponds with sweeping fairways pointing to rolling greens. This very affordable course is a great choice for beginning golfers and will challenge the experienced player as well. Clubhouse includes an open patio overlooking a pond with complete pro shop and cafe. Visit Cool Lake online at www.coollakegolf.com

Zionsville Golf Course is a 9-hole gem that’s fun to walk and features a couple of the strangest tree-blocked greens you’ll ever find on a golf course. Hole #5 (367yds) has this big Sycamore tree in the middle of the fairway that demands a drive to the right for the chip onto the tiered green. Hole #8 is a relatively short (261yds) par 4 with a tee shot either under, over or around a massive maple tree that sits literally in the middle of the fairway, blocking the steeply elevated green. If you want to get out and play a quick fun 9 holes of golf, Zionsville Golf Course is your place – visit www.zionsvillegolfcourse.com  – but be prepared for some of the strangest shots you’ll ever face.

I’ve visited most every course in Boone County and one thing I do know is that you’ll be treated well whichever golf course you choose to play. Our area pros and course owners treat their guests with our own special brand of  Hoosier Hospitality you’ll only find right here in the heart of it all – Boone County.

Speaking of great times, the locally-owned restaurants in Zionsville are holding a 2-week Z’LICIOUS promotion – with every restaurant offering a special Dinner for Two for just $25!

With 12 different venues to choose from, here’s a great opportunity for you to visit that Zionsville restaurant you’ve always wanted to try out. For all the delicious (or is that Z’licious) details on this special two-week only promotion, visit www.zionsvillechamber.org

The 2010 Boone County Tourism Guide will be coming out April 24th! This handy and colorful guide contains an extensive calendar of events as well as a complete listing and descriptions of our seasonal festivals. To get your copy, stop by our office or call 765-484-8572 and we’ll send you a copy.

The 2010 Boone County festivals and events calendar begins in mid May with Zionsville’s newly named – Brick Street Market – on Saturday, May 16th. Zionsville’s cobblestone Main Street will be filled with booths featuring work by local artists and artisans, apparel, antiques, hand-made goods and other great finds. There’s also a food court and fun for the kids at this annual event that draws a big crowd. Admission is free, as well.

The Boone County Home & Garden Show is being held April 15-17 at the 4H Fairgrounds in Lebanon. See the latest ideas in home improvement, learn more about landscape gardening and visit with the experts. For more information, please visit www.boonechamber.org

Congratulations to Tom & Kerry Dull of Dull’s Tree Farm in Thorntown as their family barn was one of five barns voted for in a national promotion sponsored by Campbell Soups and the FFA to be restored. The National FFA, Western Boone FFA and Clinton Prairie FFA along with other volunteers will be at the farm on April 15 & 16 to renovate their big barn thanks to the Campbell’s Soup Company. The completion celebration is scheduled for April 18 at the Dull’s Farm. You can find out more by visiting http://dullstreefarm.com/index.php

We’re excited about all the great activities and events coming up in the next weeks for you to enjoy in Boone County. You’re also always welcome to stop by our office on the Courthouse Square in Lebanon to find out more ways to enjoy your time – right here in the Heart of it All!

Hey, it’s time to get outdoors. Time for a brisk 18-holes of…Disc Golf! That’s right, Boone County now has its very own Disc Golf Course located in Lebanon’s Longley Park. The Boone County Disc Golf Club sponsors a weekly get together every Saturday at 10am. Plus, their big Spring event – the Friendly City Open – is scheduled for April 29th.

Here’s your chance to show off that Frisbee talent you developed back in your teens with a round of Disc Golf at Longley Park. For more information, visit www.boonecountydgc.ning.com  See you on the course!

The Sugar Creek Art Center in Thorntown is always worth the trip as they feature a wide collection of artwork by their resident artists as well as shows by artists from around Indiana. Visit www.sugarcreekarts.org to learn more. And don’t forget to stop into Stookey’s in Thorntown for one of our county’s best meals.

Speaking of great art and dining, The Sanctuary in Zionsville features the art of internationally acclaimed artist, Nancy Noel. The Restaurant in the Sanctuary is now open 11am – 4pm Tuesday through Saturday and croissants, salads, tasty platters AND the delicious pastry and awesome chocolate creations of Ghyslain Maurais. Visit www.nanoel.com for all the scrumptious details.

Grant applications were received from fourteen different groups, with twelve receiving funding during the first grant cycle from the BooneCCVB. The twice annual grant program is designed to offer financial assistance to non-profit organizations holding events or developing and improving venues in Boone County with the purpose of attracting out-of-county visitors. 

I always enjoy these meetings as we get to meet the men and women who volunteer countless hours to put on the festivals, events, attractions and shows that make Boone County the tourism destination it is today.

From the Brick Street Gallery Walk in Zionsville to the Lebanon Symphony at Sunset, our local not-for-profit organizations are the lifeblood of Boone County tourism. Without their tireless efforts, 95% of the tourism based events in Boone County would cease to exist.

So you might better understand why it’s like Christmas for the board members of the BooneCCVB to see these organization be rewarded and awarded the monies they need to help keep their events going and growing. A BooneCCVB grant is also a recognition by your fellow citizens that your organization is important and relevant to our tourism efforts.

You also learn a lot about all of Boone County when the applicants are explaining their particular event. Did you know that the Howard County Schoolhouse project has received national landmark recognition? Or that the Lebanon Community Arts Council is sponsoring a calendar of local events that include everything from poetry readings to truly unique art events all year long? And the popular band, The Marlins, is playing For Free at the Zionsville July 4th celebration?

A BooneCCVB grant award meeting also lets you know Boone County tourism is growing; with increased attendance, new features and big plans unveiled by many of the organizations that night. Boone County’s always been an easy place to access with our major highways, and today more travelers are staying closer to home, going for a weekend getaway or a day of fun for the whole family. Which makes us a great choice as their tourist destination.

The mission of the BooneCCVB is to attract visitors through various media marketing campaigns and help to develop tourist attractions that bring more visitors to the county which in turn enhances the quality of life for all residents and greatly contributes to the overall economic growth of Boone County. 

That being said, during our grant funding meetings we are reminded that partnering with our outstanding Boone County organizations in their various festivals and events is the most important first step to take every year as we promote tourism – right here, in the Heart of It All!

By the way, we’ve updated the BooneCCVB website – www.boonecvb.com – with all the latest 2010 Things to Do on our calendars. Take a look and plan your own Boone County discovery trip. And thanks for visiting our blog!

Jamestown is an interesting town that sits on the far southwest corner of Boone County – so far southwest that many mistake it being in Hendricks County. But no, Jamestown is definitely a part of our county and played an important part in the formation of Boone County.

As a matter of fact, Jamestown is Boone County’s oldest town - first laid out back in 1832 and the site of the first County Seat of Boone County. Jamestown was our most populus town at the time and was an important trading point serving both Hendricks and Montgomery counties.

Jamestown’s weekly newspaper, the Jamestown Press, was established in 1873 and published for 120 years with the last edition in 1993.  The Jamestown Press museum is filled with the presses and other equipment that published the paper over this time.

The railroad arrived in Jamestown in 1897 while the Interurban trolley system (named the Ben Hur line) - connecting Crawfordsville with Indianapolis – was built through Jamestown in 1902.

Today, Jamestown is a pleasant community with residents who take great pride in their town’s history and work for its future. The Jamestown Merchants Association has been reformed after 10 years with local shop owners, service providers and restaurants intent on putting their town back on the map for tourism.

The Jamestown Merchants Association first project will be the creation of a website for their organization. Then they’ll be working on putting together a bigger and better Homecoming Event this Summer.

Welcome back Jamestown Merchants, we look forward to your progress.