Little Cousin Jasper Festival in Rensselaer, Indiana

James Whitcomb Riley once expressed the wonders of Rensselaer, Indiana with a poem, Little Cousin Jasper. Fast forward a bit, and for the past 35 years, Rensselaer residents have thrown a fun little festival to celebrate!

Little Cousin Jasper in Rensselaer, Indiana

After a year-long hiatus a couple of years back, Little Cousin Jasper is bigger and better than ever! Set on the Jasper County Courthouse Square and occasionally overflowing on the “bricks,” folks mill around checking out vendor booths, eating fair food (of course), and watching  the scheduled activities.

There were bounce houses for the kids and lots of places for people to just sit and hang out and enjoy one of the many musical performances. In fact, there’s even a teen dance and a teen movie night! Pretty neat.

The biggest draw this year? Amanda Overmyer, from Mulberry, Indiana who was on American Idol Season 7, came out and performed right on the street in downtown Rensselaer! Now that was a show–and there will be more about that in a future article.

Sheltered Reality Gets Rensselaer Rockin’

For now, however, check out this unusual drum act featuring Shattered Reality and the faces of people you may recognize from this small Indiana town! Yes, they got plenty of locals to come up onstage and be a part of the fast-paced show.

Looking for Little Cousin Jasper Festival dates? Check out my Indiana Festivals and Events Calendar!

Watch Sheltered Reality Performing at The Little Cousin Jasper Festival on YouTube or below.

See more Little Cousin Jasper Festival images and other pictures in Rensselaer, Indiana on my Flickr Photostream.

Rensselaer, Indiana in Jasper County

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little Indiana: Where to Stay, Play, and Eat in Small Towns in Indiana. Discovering Indiana’s best small towns! Now get little Indiana on your Kindle.

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Santa Claus, Indiana: Santa's Candy Castle Frozen Hot Chocolate

little Indiana was thrilled to visit Santa’s Candy Castle in Santa Claus, Indiana a second time! It’s a great hit with the kids and certainly one of the more unusual mom and pop businesses.

Santa’s Candy Castle

For starters, wolfing down the phenomenal Frozen Hot Chocolate? Doesn’t look as ridiculous when it’s 90* as compared to when it’s 10* and you are already freezing.

Let me tell you what, Winter or Summer, the Frozen Hot Chocolate at Santa’s Candy Castle is amazing and one of my favorite things. Ever.

Aside from my love of Frozen Hot Chocolate, what I really wanted to share with you is the video below featuring the owner of Santa’s Candy Castle, Kevin Klosowski.

He will tell you all about the history of his Santa Claus, Indiana building and maybe even his plans for the future. It’s amazing to learn how far the place has come–can you believe someone used it as a house for a few years?

Santa Claus, Indiana History

This is a super fun look at a phenomenal piece of Indiana history. Santa’s Candy Castle was the first themed attraction–in the nation! Santa Claus, Indiana is an incredible Indiana town–and has the history to match!

Watch my interview with Kevin Koslowski at Santa’s Candy Castle in Santa Claus, Indiana on YouTube or below.

See my Flickr photostream for more Santa’s Candy Castle images and other pictures in Indiana.

Santa’s Candy Castle
15499 North State Road 245
Santa Claus Indiana 47579
812.544.3900

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Special thanks to Paula Werne at Holiday World and to the Spencer County Visitors Bureau for making this trip possible.

little Indiana: Where to Stay, Play, and Eat in Small Towns in Indiana. Discovering Indiana’s best small towns! Now get little Indiana on your Kindle.

New! Offering affordable online advertising for your small Indiana business! little Indiana Businesses is the online presence that you’ve been looking for.

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Charley Creek Inn in Wabash, Indiana

little Indiana spent two days and one night at the lovely Charley Creek Inn in Wabash, Indiana. We visited a few old favorites–and made some new ones!

Wabash, Indiana Fun

I grabbed awesome books for the kiddos at Reading Room Books and a  Star Trek: TNG novel that isn’t mine at all. Nope. Not at all.

We had the chance to hop into Modoc’s Market for something hot to drink since Spring has decided to take its time. Modoc’s has an amazing back-story that I promise to share with you really soon. It involves an elephant! No kidding.

As to the food part of our travels? Oh, did we eat.

Wabash, Indiana Restaurants

Without the kids this time around, we were finally able to make it into Market Street Grill. How did we like it? Let’s just say that Wabash is very lucky to have this amazing restaurant.

Without further ado, I give you the latest glimpse into little Indiana’s Wabash, Indiana adventure. Oh, yes, there are bloopers.

One of these days I’ll get this video thing down! Also–I had only eaten graham crackers that morning so I was beyond hungry. But we had places to go and people to see so…that’s my excuse for my complete and total spaciness.

See more Wabash, Indiana images and other pictures in Indiana on my Flickr photostream.

Watch Return to Charley Creek Inn: Wabash, Indiana on YouTube or below.

Wabash, Indiana in Wabash County

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little Indiana: Where to Stay, Play, and Eat in Small Towns in Indiana. Discovering Indiana’s best small towns! Now get little Indiana on your Kindle.

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Our favorite part of our time at the farm? Well, when was the last time you fed a buffalo? It was really neat (their tongues are huge!) and definitely something you don’t get to see everyday. Buffalo Run Farm, Grill, and Gifts has another honest (that’s a hint right there) claim to fame — but you’ll have to wait until the article for that one!

For now, enjoy this sneak peek at Buffalo Run Farm, Grill, and Gifts with bloopers at the end. It’s tough to be little Indiana in the Winter! Watch Buffalo Run Farm and little Indiana 2010 on YouTube or laugh at the freeze frame and watch below.

Buffalo Run Farm
Box 28, Highway 162
Lincoln City, Indiana
812.937.2799

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Santa's Lodge in Santa Claus, Indiana

Everyone was invited to sing loudly and entice Santa to come out of Santa’s Lodge and say “hi.”

Traditional Christmas Dinner in Santa Claus, Indiana

I guess we did pretty well! We didn’t get through all of Here Comes Santa Claus when a door opened and in burst Santa and the Mrs!

Kid #1′s face looked awed, shocked, surprised, and excited! Santa got to him first and Kid #1 actually put his hand on Santa’s glove and quietly gave him a hug.

I’ve never seen the kid speechless. Ever. Trust me–I just survived another 5 hour trip with the chatterbox. Endless questions, stories, and rambling in general. Wherever does he get it from?

Santa Makes The Rounds

Well, Santa visited every single table in the room before we were invited to go help ourselves to dinner (however did I forget to grab mashed potatoes?). Kids were so excited!

Bonus points to Santa for calling me “young lady.”

A word to the wise: if you are considering the Traditional Christmas Dinner at Santa’s Lodge in Santa Claus, Indiana, make sure that you arrive early if you need a high chair. We were right on time and were surprised to hear that they were all gone.

Just the same, it was a really neat experience and one that Kid #1 was really happy about. We’d definitely do it again–it could be the start a new Christmas tradition in a great Indiana town!

Find Santa’s Lodge images and other pictures in Santa Claus, Indiana on my Flickr photostream.

Santa’s Lodge
91 W. Christmas Blvd.
Santa Claus, Indiana 47579
812.937.1902

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Thanks to the Spencer County Visitor’s Bureau for our complimentary dinner. Opinions, as always, remain mine and mine alone.

little Indiana: Where to Stay, Play, and Eat in Small Towns in Indiana. Discovering Indiana’s best small towns! Now get little Indiana on your Kindle.

Targeted. Relevant. Affordable! little Indiana advertising.

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Rensselaer, Indiana has an annual Christmas Parade that runs through the cute downtown area (which is all decked out in Christmas lights). Local businesses and organizations get involved, like girl scout troops, the Rensselaer Bombers High School Football team, and so many more. Special guest that rounds out the parade is Santa! Are his reindeer adorable or what?

Watch Rensselaer, Indiana Annual Christmas Parade 2010 on YouTube or below.

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Cannonball Chili Cook-Off in Wabash, Indiana

little Indiana was invited to the Wabash Cannonball Chili Cook-off in Wabash, Indiana by the Wabash Tourism Department.

After I heard all about it, believe you me, I couldn’t wait until the big day! This giant charity event boasts over 100 booths of chili!

Wabash Cannonball Chili Cook-off

You pay a few bucks (again, for charity), get a spoon, and at each (sometimes elaborately) themed booth you get a pill cup sized sample of chili. Delicious, delicious chili.

Yes, there is more than a spoonful in each one but, hey, little Indiana and hubs dug in and sampled chili like a champ. Is this a great Indiana town or what?

Chili as Far as The Eye Can See

There was red chili and white chili, Chili with meat and without meat. Chili with corn chips in it and chili with french fries.

Chili that made me really want the recipe and chili that was so horrible I have no idea what I was eating.

After a sample, you could use one of your ten tickets to “vote” for the best! The booths will beg and plead and sometimes even sing their way to get a vote. It’s really funny!

little Indiana ate and ate and ate some more! The 2010 Wabash Cannonball Chili Cook-Off Facebook Page will get you all pumped up about the 117 booths of goodness (and some not so good).

little Indiana Came, Saw, and (Mostly) Conquered

Hubs and I made it to about 3/4 of them. Yes, that is a LOT of chili! It was a really fun big small town event (and for charity!). I don’t think we’ll be able to look at another bowl of chili for at least a month!

See the Wabash, Indiana Cannonball Chili Cook-off on YouTube or below.

Find more Wabash Cannonball Chili Cook-off images and other pictures in Wabash, Indiana on my Flickr photostream.

Wabash, Indiana in Wabash County

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A big huge Hoosier thank you to Whitney Myers, Director of the Wabash County Convention and Visitors Bureau for bringing the Chili for Charity Cook-Off to my attention — and working out all the details!

little Indiana: Where to Stay, Play, and Eat in Small Towns in Indiana. Discovering Indiana’s best small towns! Now get little Indiana on your Kindle.

New! Offering affordable online advertising for your small Indiana business! little Indiana Businesses is the online presence that you’ve been looking for.

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I do, however, like Dani California (it’s from the Peppers Stadium Arcadium CD).  Hey! it mentions Indiana — and makes me think of warmer weather than the current Indiana freezing!

Black bandanna, sweet Louisiana
robbin’ on a bank in the state of Indiana
She’s a runner, rebel and a stunner
On her merry way sayin; baby whatcha gonna
Lookin’ down the barrel of a hot metal .45
Just another way to survive

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