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Ripley
County Tourism promotes five new events
Cindy DiFazio, Staff Writer
At a recent meeting of the Ripley County Tourism Bureau, Director
Katherine Taul, told the board that five new events have been added
to Ripley Countys schedule this year.
The Ripley County Scenic Road Rally will take place on Saturday,
April 28. The 60-mile rally features a scavenger hunt. It will begin
and end at the Versailles Courthouse Square. Participants will wind
through back roads featuring covered, iron and stone arch bridges.
There will be three pit stops including one in Osgood for the Jazz
& Beyond Festival. (Details and registration forms are
at www.scenicroadrallies.com.)
Also that weekend, April 28-29, the First Annual National Womens
Weekend sponsored by the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association
will take place on the NMLRAs grounds in Friendship. The event
will host activities for female shooters and non-shooters alike.
More information is available from Karen Longstreth at (937) 277-2692
or check out the NMLRAs website and click on Shooting
opportunities.
On Saturday and Sunday, May 12-13, the Napoleon Civil War Encampment
& Living History Weekend will take over in Napoleon. Hours for
the public are Saturday from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and Sunday from
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Union headquarters will be in the Historic
Central House while the Elias Conwell House will serve as Confederate
headquarters. There will be a Fancy Dress Ball on Saturday evening
from 7-11:00 p.m. Details are available from Samantha Hickle at
(812) 852-1780.
Saturday, May 12 will bring the MISSION Adventure & Beginner
Race to Ripley County for the first time. Sponsored by DINO (Do
INdiana Off-road), the 18-hour event is for extreme teams of 2 or
3 traveling on foot, bicycle, canoe and with rope challenges throughout
the county beginning at 6:00 a.m. and ending at midnight. There
is also a four-hour event for beginners for teams of 2 or 3 using
trail and topographical maps through Versailles State Park while
mountain biking, hiking/running, and canoeing. Board member and
park manager, Ted Tapp, quipped, Ive signed us all up
for the beginners leg. Contact Brian Holzhausen at (317)
336-7553 for more details or visit www.DINOseries.com.
Another new addition to the events schedule is the F.A.R.M. Club
Antique Tractor Show being held Friday, June 22 through Sunday,
June 24 at the Ripley County Fairgrounds Park in Osgood. The event
will feature a swap meet area, trading post, flea market and craft
show, the Midwest Farm Toy Show, and tractor pulls. Call Chuck Heck
at (812) 926-3654 for details.
Taul reported that Underground Railroad brochures detailing routes
in Ripley County are almost complete. The brochures will include
six driving trails, four with mileage-marked posts. A 4-color map
will be included. The Rising Sun Regional Foundation provided funding.
Another brochure project featuring Ripley County bridges has been
put on hold until later this month.
Taul also told the board about the Glamour Group Tour, a group that
sets up tours catering to specific groups of people. She said that
they are interested in working with Ripley, Decatur, Jennings and
Jackson counties to put together an inclusive four-county tour with
an emphasis on outdoor activities, agritours and the underground
railroad.
Taul said that she recently attended the Hoosier Hospitality Conference.
The conference draws restaurant, hotel and tourism professionals
to share resources.
She also reported that the Midwest Travel Writers Association is
coming to Indianapolis. A reception will be hosted by Indiana State
Tourism providing an opportunity to meet with travel writers. Taul
said she is compiling a profile sheet for the event promoting new
businesses like the Stonebridge Inn spa in Batesville and the Ertel
Cellars Winery. It will also highlight things like the NMLRA shoots,
Lore of the Laughery and the Morgan Trail. The big push is
to draw them to the website, explained Taul.
The board will meet again on Tuesday, April 24. |
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