INDIANA DUNES OUTDOOR ADVENTURE FESTIVAL

September 08 - September 17, 2023

Celebrate the outdoors at the Indiana Dunes Outdoor Adventure Festival! The festival runs for TEN DAYS from Friday, September 8th through Sunday, September 17th, with nearly 100 outdoor activities taking place at the Indiana Dunes National Park and other locations throughout Northwest Indiana. Take part in hiking, kayaking, biking, geo-caching, photography, birding, and more. There are activities for people of all ages and physical abilities. For the full list of programs, times, and locations, visit dunesoutdoorfestival.com.

Admission fees to Indiana Dunes National Park are waived on September 16th and 17th, but will charge a per car entrance fee on other days of the festival. The state park will charge a daily per car entrance fee of $7 in-state / $12 out-of-state. Other parks or properties may charge a fee.

A highlight of this year’s festival takes place at the historic Chellberg Farm on September 16th and 17th from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Enjoy some family-friendly fun at the heart of the Outdoor Adventure Festival. There will be food vendors, musical groups, live entertainment, and demonstration booths showcasing skills that farmers would have used in the early 1900s. Wagon rides will be available for a suggested donation to the Friends of Indiana Dunes to help support the farm and its animals.

Other weekend festivities include Leon’s Obstacle Course Race on September 10th. There will be a 5K and 10K race over obstacles placed throughout the trails at the national park’s West Beach. America’s Race Series helps support U.S. military veterans, injured veterans, first responders, and law enforcement. Register for the race at www.leonstriathlon.com. There is a fee to participate in the race.