• July 13-21, 2018
• Downtown 101 W. Main St. Fort Wayne, IN 46802 in Fort Wayne, IN

About the third week of July, this nine-day art fair draws around 400,000 visitors from northern Indiana and surrounding states. Handmade, original crafts are exhibited and sold in the craft market. Rides, food, karaoke, various competitions and nationally-known performers make this event very popular. Kids' activities and seniors' events provide something for everyone; it's north of Freimann Square downtown.

• July 20-28, 2018
• Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds, 17746-D CR 34 Goshen Goshen, IN 46528 in Goshen, IN

A quarter million visitors attend this county fair just past mid-June, which is why it's one of the largest county fairs in the country. The fair's mission is to provide family-friendly entertainment in the form of free grandstand shows, various competitions and great fair food. That last thing pulls in most of us anyway. You have plenty of time to take advantage of it with nine days of fun.

• August 3 - 19, 2018
• Indianapolis, IN

Beginning in 1852, this state fair has brought in some of the most famous people in the world, and still does. You can't top the Beatles, John Phillip Sousa, Elvis, The Jackson Five and four presidents: JFK, FDR, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. A million people attend annually to see farm animals, ride the rides, eat fair food and catch the free entertainment. It's the 6th oldest fair in the nation for good reason.

• Sept 15th & 16th 2018
• Johnny Appleseed and Archer Parks Fort Wayne, IN 46805 in Fort Wayne, IN

What are you doing the third Saturday of September? This festival entertains hordes of people with crafts, antiques and food. Find Johnny Appleseed behind one of the trees in the kids' area. The Farmers' Market has dried herbs, fresh vegetables and fruits, and there are old fashioned food booths as well. There also may be a blacksmith and other traditional demonstration artisans. Live entertainment and a living history area really make history come alive.

• From 1st of May through 26th of September
• Shipshewana, Ind. in Shipshewana, IN

May through September, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, this huge flea market offers some incredible finds, including fresh flowers and produce and handcrafted furniture. Handmade arts and crafts lure interested buyers and browsers, and there are hundreds of other items to ponder. The Auction Restaurant is on the grounds for hungry shoppers. The flea market has daytime hours, usually 8a-5p.

• May 30 – October 1
• Elkhart, Ind. in Elkhart, IN

You have all summer to see this, from the end of May to the beginning of October, and it is well worth a trip. Beautiful blooms create quilts on the ground and hand-painted quilt murals on outdoor walls, all original designs. Follow the Heritage Trail through Amish country on the northern border of Indiana, just about a hundred miles east of Chicago. Along the way, buggy rides and farm tours are nice diversions, and Amish food will fill up anyone. Downtown Elkhart is pretty and clean, and the epitome of fifties, small-town America. Norman Rockwell, anyone?