From fun family activities to thrilling concerts and theatre to community festivals, Elkhart County has your ticket to entertainment and adventure. Here are some of May 2024’s top activities:
Quilt Gardens along the Heritage Trail
From May 30 to September 15 annually, the Quilt Gardens along the Heritage Trail joins quilting, gardening, and art into a one-of-a-kind event featuring more than a million vibrant blooms in large quilt-themed gardens and hand-painted quilt-themed murals. The Quilt Gardens and Quilt Murals are free to view throughout the communities of Bristol, Elkhart, Goshen, Middlebury, Nappanee and Wakarusa.
Shipshewana Flea Market
Shop to your heart’s content in the Midwest’s largest outdoor flea market. The Shipshewana Flea Market, 345 S. Van Buren St. (State Road 5), Shipshewana, on April 30-May 1, 2024. With nearly 700 vendor spaces open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays through the end of summer, you’ll find something for everyone.
Classic Car Cruise-In
See everything from vintage hotrods to classic sedans and everything in between at Das Dutchman Essenhaus’ Classic Car Cruise-In. Make plans every Thursday evening from 4:30 to 8 p.m. from May 2 to September 26 at the Essenhaus campus, 240 U.S. 20, Middlebury, to stroll and browse the classic cars while enjoying tasty treats.
Hello Dolly!
Catch one of the classics of musical theatre in “Hello, Dolly!” at the Round Barn Theatre, 1600 Market St., Nappanee. Performances of this romantic comedy are daily from May 2, 2024, to June 1, 2024.
Goshen First Friday: Green Day Celebration
Gather on the courthouse lawn for the monthly street festival in downtown Goshen. From 5 to 9 p.m. May 3, enjoy a celebration of the outdoors and learn more about sustainability. Downtown restaurants and shops will be ready with attractive specials, great deals and fun activities.
Matilda
Step into the glorious beauty of The Lerner Theatre, 410 S. Main St., Elkhart, to be enchanted by Premier Arts, Inc.’s presentation of “Matilda,” the story of a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence and psychokinetic powers. Performances are May 3-5, 2024.
Curbside Concerts: Paul Decker and the Remnants
The magic of live music is returning to the Elkhart Public Library, 300 S. Second St., Elkhart. The Curbside Concerts series features an eclectic rotating lineup of bands and artists performing from the library’s rooftop stage on Friday evenings through the end of June. First up at 7 p.m. May 10 is Paul Decker and the Remnants.
Heritage Collection Guided Tour
Join the Heritage Collection Staff for a guided tour of the Heritage Collection at Nappanee Center, 152 W. Market St., Nappanee. Get an insiders’ look at the artifacts in the Evelyn Lehman Culp Heritage Collection and learn some of the staff’s favorite stories behind them.
Elkhart County Symphony: Fiesta Sinfonica
You’re sure to be delighted when Spanish rock band Lalo Cura teams up with the Elkhart County Symphony. The Fiesta Sinfonica concert, which brings the symphony’s season to a close, will be 4 p.m. May 19 in The Lerner Theatre, 410 S. Main St., Elkhart.
Emmylou Harris
Country Music Hall of Famer and 14-time Grammy winner Emmylou Harris will bring her incomparable stage show to the Blue Gate Theatre, 760 S. Van Buren St., Shipshewana, for a concert at 7:30 p.m. May 22.
Boys High School National Rugby Championship
Some of the best boys high school rugby players in the country will compete for championship glory May 23-25 at the Moose Rugby Grounds, 1500 County Road 6, Elkhart. Drop in for some of the exhilarating action on rugby grounds renowned by teams across the country.