Fort draws crowd

VALLONIA — When you live in Vallonia, your life revolves around Fort Vallonia Days.

Just ask Amanda Lowery.

“People just look forward to this festival,” she said. “Our whole year revolves around it, we even plan for our child care way in advance.”

Lowery has been attending the Fort Vallonia Days Festival for the past 15 years and serves as vice president of the festival committee as well as publicity chair.

“I wouldn’t think of missing it,” she said of the event.

The two-day festival runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday in downtown Vallonia, located off Indiana 135, south of Brownstown.

This year marks the 41st anniversary of Fort Vallonia Days, which celebrates the history and heritage of the community.

“It’s really the whole atmosphere,” Lowery said of why the festival is so popular, drawing estimated crowds of 30,000. “People like to walk through the fort and see the different displays and demonstrations to get an idea of what life was like in pioneer days.”

Festival-goers will take a step back in time by watching local residents dressed in period attire make apple butter, braid rugs, spin wool, quilt and participate in other activities that demonstrate the day-to-day life of those who settled the area.

“It’s interesting and you learn a lot,” Lowery said. “Families enjoy coming because it’s fun and educational for the kids and adults.”

If that weren’t enough fun and excitement, there will also be a model steam and old gas engine display, handmade items and crafts for sale, homemade food and food vendors and a flea market.

And don’t forget the fish sandwiches sold to support the efforts of Driftwood Township Volunteer Fire Department. Lines for the sandwich can stretch most of a block at times.

The fort itself is the main reason the festival was started. According to the Fort Vallonia Days Web site, Gen. William Henry Harrison, then governor of the Indiana Territory, ordered a fort be built to protect the 90 families in the Vallonia area around 1810.

In 1968, several members of the local Lions Club began talking about rebuilding a replica of the old fort and holding a festival. The first Fort Vallonia Days was staged in 1969 and brought more than 3,000 people to the area.

Proceeds from the festival go to maintain the upkeep of the fort, grounds and  museum.

With a festival as successful as this one is, Lowery said not much needs to change year to year to attract people.
That’s why there aren’t many new additions or anything taken away, she said.

“There’s really something for everyone,” she said.

“We are having a cornhole tournament this year which is new and we have a new sponsor for the baby contest,” she added.

Jackson Park Physicians Relay for Life is sponsoring the baby contest, which will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, with registration at 9:30 a.m. The team cornhole tournament begins at noon Sunday with sign-up to start at 10 a.m.

Other activities on Saturday include a trail ride, muzzleloader shoot, live  music and performances, tomahawk and knife throws and karaoke contest. The annual parade, which features more than 100 floats and marching units, will start at 1 p.m. and proceed through the streets of downtown Vallonia.

On Sunday, activities will continue with a community church service at the Vallonia Gym at 10 a.m., live music and dance performances, a 5K run/walk at 1 p.m. with registration at noon, persimmon pudding and children’s cookie baking contest at noon, a horseshoe pitch and a persimmon pudding eating contest.

Information

For information visit www.fortvalloniadays.com online.

Fort Vallonia Days schedule

Saturday

9 a.m. – Fort Vallonia Trail Ride (State Riding Permit Required)

9 a.m. – Muzzle Load Shoot

9:30 a.m. – Registration for Baby Contest

10 a.m. – Baby Contest sponsored by Jackson Park Physicians Relay for Life

11 a.m. – Tammy’s Dancers

Noon – Country Music with The Mark Robinson Band

1 p.m. – Parade

2 p.m. – Tomahawk and Knife Throw

3 p.m. – Country Music with The Mark Robinson Band

4 p.m. – Stars and Stripes Cloggers

5 p.m. – J.C. O’Neal County Music

6 p.m. – Karaoke Contest with “Karaoke Music Unlimited” (Richard Lucas) – Two age Groups: Seventeen and Under and Eighteen and Over

Sunday

10 a.m. – Community Church Service at Vallonia Gym (Vallonia Christian Church, Host)

11 a.m. – Gospel Music with Cheryl Stuckwish

Noon – Team Cornhole Tournament (sign-up begins at 10:00 a.m.)

Noon – Sparkles and Spurs Country Western Dancers

Noon – 5K Run/Walk Brownstown Exchange Club Registration

1 p.m. – 5K Run/Walk begins

1 p.m. – Horseshoe Pitch

1:30 p.m. – Quarantined Band performing Alternative Rock

2:30 p.m. – Persimmon Pudding Eating Contest

3 p.m. – Brownstown Central High School Show Choir

4 p.m. – Drawing

4 p.m. – Music performed by the band Captain Backfire