MIDDLEBURY — The Elkhart County CVB honored 10 organizations which have been part of the annual Quilt Gardens along the Heritage Trail at an event celebrating the 15th anniversary Elkhart County signature event.

The Quilt Gardens launched in 2008 as a collaborative effort between the Elkhart County CVB and the cities and towns of Elkhart County to encourage visitors to extend their stays and shop and dine at locally owned businesses. Since then, the Quilt Gardens has won awards from the Indiana Tourism Association and the American Bus Association and have been featured in USA Today and Midwest Living and dozens of other travel publications. Thousands of visitors have traveled to Elkhart County as a result.

“If you need an example of how Well Crafted we are in Elkhart County, there’s hardly a better example,” said Jon Hunsberger, executive director of the Elkhart County CVB. “The Quilt Gardens are an important expression of community pride and represent the dedication Elkhart County residents have to creating a vibrant community,”

Ten organizations have hosted and maintained Quilt Gardens sites since its inception. Each received awards at a Quilt Gardens Celebration event on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, at Das Dutchman Essenhaus in Middlebury, where the largest Quilt Garden is located. The 10 organizations honored are:

  • Das Dutchman Essenhaus, Middlebury
  • Town of Wakarusa
  • Middlebury Parks & Recreation Department (for the Quilt Garden at Krider World’s Fair Garden)
  • City of Elkhart Building & Grounds Department (for the Quilt Garden at Central Park)
  • Linton’s Enchanted Garden, Elkhart
  • Ruthmere Campus, Elkhart
  • Nappanee Chamber of Commerce (for the Quilt Garden at the Nappanee Center)
  • Old Bag Factory, Goshen
  • Michiana Master Gardeners (for the Quilt Garden at the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds)
  • Purdue Extension Elkhart County (for the Quilt Garden at the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds)

In 2022, Quilt Gardens are at 17 locations in Elkhart, Goshen, Nappanee, Bristol, Middlebury and Wakarusa. They are open to the public and free to view until September 15, 2022. As part of the 15th anniversary celebration, the Elkhart County CVB also worked with stakeholders to offer Epic Art Adventures, a public art exhibition featuring 50 sculptures new to Elkhart County.

Learn more about the Quilt Gardens and Epic Art Adventures at quiltgardens.com.