Indiana College Towns blog is moving!

Visit Indiana Community Blog

Thanks to everyone who has read and continues to read the Indiana College Towns blog! We’ve merged the contents of this blog with our Visit Indiana Blog, so be sure to check that out. We’ll still be posting information about Indiana’s great college towns, but on the Visit Indiana Blog, you’ll also be able to find out about many more things to do in Indiana.

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Thanks again for being a part of the Indiana College Towns blog, be sure to check out our other blogs:

• Visit Indiana Blog
• Indiana Outdoors Blog

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Are you ready for some (college) football?

Updated: Aug 8 with results: Indiana Schools are 11-8 so this year.

Wabash Team Huddle by badger 23

If you’re anything like me, this is your favorite time of year. School is back in session, the air is starting to cool down and after nine long months, it’s time for college football. From IU to Purdue; Notre Dame to Ball State; Wabash to Taylor; you can find college football in every corner of the state. Tonight is the official kickoff for the 2008 college football season and three Indiana schools have games tonight.

Here are the match ups for the first games of the year for a bunch of Indiana schools (Indiana schools are Bolded and linked to their full-season schedule).

Thursday, August 28:

• Northeastern at Ball State (W – 48-14)
• University of Indianapolis at Kentucky Wesleyan (W – 40-14)
• Indiana State at Eastern Michigan (L – 0-52)

Saturday, August 30:

• Western Kentucky at Indiana (W – 31-13)
• St. Joseph’s at Hillsdale (L – 6-49)
• Ohio Dominican University at Marian College (L – 7-70)

Thursday, September 4:

• Valparaiso at Saint Francis (IL) (L – 0-21)

Saturday, September 6:

• San Diego State at Notre Dame (W – 21-13)
• Northern Colorado at Purdue (W – 42-10)
• Butler at Albion (W – 20-6)
• Trinity International University at University of Saint Francis (W – 67-0)
• Taylor at Anderson (the Wagon Wheel game) (Taylor – W – 27-17)
• Earlham at Rose-Hulman (Rose-Hulman  - W – 42-35)
• Baldwin-Wallace College at Franklin College (W – 42-35)
• Hanover at Centre (KY) (L – 22-46)
• Manchester College at Trine University (Formerly Tri-State) (Trine – W – 41-13)

Saturday, September 13:

• Anderson at DePauw
• Wabash at Denison
  

Live Indiana College Towns Winners!

Live Indiana | Indiana College Towns

The College Towns portion of our Live Indiana summer promotion has ended. Thanks to all the people who entered to win and went online and took our College Towns Quiz. If you still want to test your knowledge about Indiana’s College Towns, you can still take the quiz, but the winners have been chosen!

Congratulations to:

Jane Z. – Mishawaka, IN

Ben A.  – Anderson, IN

Alaina B. – Petersburg, IN

Jane, Ben and Alaina have each won a prize pack to one of Indiana’s best college towns! Congratulations!

Back to School = Shopping!

Lighthouse Place Premium Outlets - Michigan City, IN

Whether you go to IU or Purdue, Wabash or St. Mary-Of-The-Woods, USI or IPFW, you’ll need some new stuff for school this fall. What better place to get them than at the Lighthouse Place Premium Outlets in Michigan City or the Edinburgh Premium Outlets, just about 45 minutes south of Indianapolis.

Have you been to the outlets? What is you favorite store to hit up when you visit?

The Colts are back in Terre Haute for Training Camp

Mike Hart - Colts Rookie

On Sunday, the Colts played in the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. This year’s matchup was against the Washington Redskins. Unfortunately, the Colts couldn’t pull out the victory, losing 16-30, but Colts coach Tony Dungy said that the game was “really encouraging in a lot of areas“.

Among the less experienced players to show surprising potential were Mike Hart (pictured), Gijon Robinson, Pierre Garcon and even Peyton Manning’s backup – Jim Sorgi. After the first preseason game of the year, the Colts headed back to Terre Haute to continue training camp today.

The Colts training camp has been held on the campus of Rose Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute for the past 10 years. Each year, in late July, the Colts report for several long weeks of training before the preseason begins.

The Colts next preseason game is this Saturday (August 9) at 7:30 against the Carolina Panthers. The Colts then play one more game in Atlanta before their first game in the brand new Lucas Oil Stadium against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday August 24 at 8:00. The Colts final preseason game is against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lucas Oil Stadium at 7:00 on Thursday, August 28.

Here is the rest of the Colts’ schedule for the 2008 season:

• 09/07 – 7:30 – Bears @ Colts
• 09/14 – 1:00 – Colts @ Vikings
• 09/21 – 4:00 – Jaguars @ Colts
• 10/05 – 1:00 – Colts @ Texans
• 10/12 – 1:00 – Ravens @Colts
• 10/19 – 4:15 – Colts @ Packers
• 10/27 – 8:30 – Colts @ Titans – MONDAY NIGHT
• 11/02 – 8:15 – Patriots @ Colts
• 11/09 – 4:15 – Colts @ Steelers
• 11/16 – 1:00 – Texans @ Colts
• 11/23 – 8:15 – Colts @ Chargers
• 11/30 – 1:00 – Colts @ Browns
• 12/07 – 1:00 – Bengals @ Colts
• 12/14 – 1:00 – Lions @ Colts
• 12/18 – 8:15 – Colts @ Jaguars – THURSDAY NIGHT
• 12/28 – 1:00 – Titans @ Colts

GO COLTS!

Indianapolis Public Art – Chakaia Booker: Mass Transit

Chakaia Booker: Mass Transit by Diong

One of the members of the Visit Indiana Flickr Group recently posted a set of photos detailing the newest public art in downtown Indianapolis. Chakaia Booker: Mass Transit (by diong) is a great photo set that details the work of Chakaia Booker, Indianapolis’ newest artist with work displayed throughout downtown. If you end up in the Indianapolis area, you should be sure to check out her work downtown. The Indy Star has a great interactive piece that describes the art and shows you where the pieces are located around town. Check it out.

Win an Indiana College Town Getaway!

Live Indiana

If you’ve ever wanted to visit an Indiana college town, the Indiana Office of Tourism Development is giving you the chance to win a trip to one this fall. Simply visit LiveIndiana.net and click on the College Towns promotion. You can test your knowledge of several of Indiana’s college towns by taking a fun, short quiz. Once you’re done, enter your contact information and on August 8, we’ll pick the winners. Here are the prizes you have the chance to win!

• Two tickets to Purdue vs. Central Michigan in West Lafayette on September 20, overnight accommodations at the Holiday Inn Select City Centre, a $20 gift card to Scotty’s Brewhouse, and a Purdue gift pack.
• Two tickets to Indiana University vs. Western Kentucky in Bloomington on August 30, overnight accommodations at the Hampton Inn – Bloomington, and a $25 gift card to Scotty’s Brewhouse.
• Two tickets to Notre Dame vs. Syracuse in South Bend on November 22, overnight accommodations at the Marriott Downtown South Bend, a pair of tickets to the College Football Hall of Fame, and a South Bend/Notre Dame gift pack.

Enter now for your chance to win!

Good Food in a Small College Town

Cerulean Restaurant at Winona Lake - Warsaw, IN

If you’ve ever been to the small college town of Warsaw, Indiana, you might know a few interesting facts about Warsaw. For example, Warsaw is the home to Grace Theological Seminary, it’s known as the “orthopedic capital of the world” and just last year, the new A&E documentary, American Teen, which takes a look at high school students during their senior year, was filmed in Warsaw.

However, you may not know that in the past few years the Village at Winona Lake has sprung up as a great area with unique shops and restaurants. Literally minutes from downtown Warsaw, Winona Lake has been a quick retreat for citizens of Warsaw for years.

One of my favorite new additions at the Village at Winona Lake is Cerulean Restaurant (pictured). Cerulean opened two years ago and serves an unique mix of Mediterranean and Asian cuisine. Plus, their sushi is top-notch! We actually mentioned Cerulean in our 2008 Indiana Travel Guide (Order a copy here, or check out the PDF version here).

Have you ever been to Warsaw?

College Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival

What are you doing on the weekend of July 18th? If you’re in or around South Bend, you should make your way over to the College Football Hall of Fame for their annual Enshirinement Festival.

The College Football Hall of Fame’s signature event is its annual Enshrinement Festival. Fans have a variety of opportunities to meet and mingle with the Enshrinees during this spectacular event. From FanFest to the Enshrinement Dinner and Show, the Enshrinement Festival offers unparalleled access to some of the greatest names in the history of the game. The 2008 Enshrinement Festival will feature a week long of festivities and will culminate on July 18-19. This year’s class features Joe Paterno, Doug Flutie, Ahmad Rashad and Chris Zorich, among others who are being enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

Through participation in Enshrinement Festival activities, fans gain an appreciation for what the Hall of Fame and the National Football Foundation are all about: the preservation of the rich tradition and unique spirit of amateur football.

For more information or to order tickets, call 574-235-9999 or 1-800-440-FAME or visit CollegeFootball.org.

In your own backyard…

Flickr Photo by existdifferently

If you are looking for a summer trip and don’t want to travel a far maybe it is time to look around and find an affordable getaway in your own backyard.

Check out the many restaurants, eclectic atmosphere and endless festivals in Bloomington. Go Hoosiers!

Or Boiler Up in West Lafayette and get a feel for the black and gold.

Don’t forget to check out the Fightin’ Irish in South Bend. Take in the history of the school as well as the College Football Hall of Fame.

Here are some other great college towns in the state:

Evansville

Indy

Muncie

Terre Haute