Rec Sports
Monroe County Fall Festival, Bugfest, Eddie Pepitone
Fall is not only in the air, this weekend it’s in Ellettsville — at the Monroe County Fall Festival — with a parade, queen, live music, games and a flea market.
If your kids are bugging you, check out Bugfest at Karst Farm Park. Kids are the theme at this week’s Food Truck Friday, with Youth Day in the evening along with live music.
It’s an all-ages Cicada Cinema movie showing at Hopscotch Coffee and Kitchen, and to keep the kid-centered theme going, dancers with the Indiana University ballet department will perform at the Southwest Branch of the Monroe County Public Library.
Monroe County Fall Festival begins Thursday
This year’s Monroe County Fall Festival begins Thursday, Sept. 11, with two stages for live music, craft booths, a commercial tent, 15 food vendors, a flea market and lots of games for kids. The festival will be 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday.
The festival will be on South Park Street in Ellettsville, by Marci Jane Lewis Park and Richland Bean Blossom Youth Sports Complex.
Thursday begins with First Responders recognition at 5 p.m., Indiana Dance Company at 6 p.m., Lovedwell concert at 6:30 p.m. and Edgewood Intermediate, Junior High and High School choirs performing at 7 p.m.
Friday performances include Jenna Rose, Rainwater 5, No Fences Garth Brooks Tribute Band and Mystery Train. At 6:30 p.m., there will be an Upland beer stein contest.
The Saturday parade begins at 10 a.m. Entry lineup starts at 7:30 a.m. in the front parking lot at Edgewood High School. The parade will head east on Edgewood Drive to Indiana 46, where it will continue to South Paul Street, travel up the street and then end.
Performances Saturday will be by D&O Band, Off the Hook, All Access Band, Fleetwood Mac Tribute Band, This Old Guitar with Aaron, Natural Causes, Jim Hayden & Band and Pam & Steve.
Youth Day at Food Truck Friday
It’s Youth Day at Food Truck Friday, Sept. 12, at Switchyard Park, 1601 S. Rogers St. That means youth from the community will be selling and showing off their art, produce and talent inside the pavilion, just steps away from the food trucks and live music. Splattertones will perform pop-bop and instrumental jazz at 6 p.m., followed by Rock-e-Bassoon playing electric bassoon rock and roll beginning at 7:15 p.m.
Come celebrate the creativity of artists, growers and makers ages 6 to 17. Youth vendors will be there 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
For adults: Stand-up, podcaster Eddie Pepitone at Comedy Attic
On Friday and Saturday at 7 and 9:15 p.m., comedian Eddie Pepitone, known as the Bitter Buddha, will perform at the Comedy Attic. From social rage to self-doubt, Pepitone dishes it out.
He’s hailed as a modern-day cross of Jackie Gleason, Don Rickles and Eckart Tolle. See if you agree: Tickets are $27.98 general admission and $22.89 for students. Comedy Attic is at the corner of Fourth and Walnut streets. For tickets and more, go online to www.comedyattic.com/.
Check out insects and more at Bugfest in Karst Farm Park
Insects that scurry, hop, fly or drop will be the featured guests at Bugfest, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at Karst Farm Park, 2450 S. Endwright Road. While bugs will be the main feature, spiders (they are arachnids) and other animals will be at the park as well.
The mission of Bugfest is to educate the public — of all ages — about insect and spider biology. There will be live insect displays, information tables on a variety of subjects, crafts, games, live entertainment and food trucks.
Some of the scheduled events include: 11 a.m. to noon, WildCare education ambassador animals; 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., music by Josh Huey; 12:30 to 1 p.m., Bloomington Storytellers’ Guild members sharing insect-themed stories, with some puppets’ help; and 1:30 to 2 p.m., WonderLab sharing about spiders and insects by dressing up.
Bugfest is free, open to all ages. Preregistration is not required but highly recommended. Follow the registration link: https://form.jotform.com/250154378940156.
Donations of canned fruit and vegetables as a donation for Hoosier Hills Food Bank will be accepted and appreciated.
For more information, go to bloomington.in.gov/parks/events/bug-fest.
Watch ‘Mars Express’ at Hopscotch
Cicada Cinema’s Cyberpunk September will present “Mars Express” at 8 p.m. Saturday at Hopscotch Coffee and Kitchen, 235 W. Dodds St. The all-ages flick costs $8.
Come watch the movie set in 2200 with private detective Aline Ruby and her android partner, Carlos Rivera. They’re hired by a wealthy businessman to track down a notorious hacker. On Mars, they uncover in the capital city a darker story of brain farms, corruption and a missing girl who holds a secret about the robots that threaten to change the face of the universe.
Dances with Mr. Rogers and Friends on Saturday
Introduce your child to the world of classical ballet by attending an accessible community performance by dancers from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music ballet department at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at the Southwest Branch of the Monroe County Public Library. The dancers will perform to the musical works of Fred Rogers and Peter Tchaikovsky with a special ballet performance of “Little Red Riding Hood.” This all-ages event is free at 890 W. Gordon Pike.
Contact Carol Kugler at ckugler@heraldt.com.