Nashville United Methodist Church (gbgm-umc.org) hosts the annual "Fall Fare" on the first Saturday of October. A Brown County tradition, this event, which celebrated its 38th year in 2010, features art and crafts and woodworker's booths, antiques and collectibles, live entertainment, a silent auction and fair games. Visitors can shop for works by local artists while sampling a variety of foods such as breakfast casseroles, chili and burgers at the numerous booths that are on hand. The all-day family event is free of charge and takes place in the Village Green in downtown Nashville.
Visitors can take free, self-guided tours through the hills of Brown County during the Brown County Studio Tours' (browncountystudiotour.com) annual "BackRoads of Brown County Driving Tour." Tourists are permitted to visit studios and meet the artists on the tour, which is held throughout the month of October. The driving tour, which celebrated its ninth year in 2010, allows art lovers to see demonstrations and purchase a wide range of arts and crafts from their creators. Maps to help you find your way to the artists' studios are available at the Brown County Visitors Center (browncounty.com).
An entertaining family outing in October is a trip to Kelp's Pumpkin Patch (no website; 7 miles East of Nashville on SR 46; 812-988-4804) for the annual "Farm Fest." This free event features activities such as games, hayrides, face painting and a pumpkin carving contest. Kids are likely to enjoy the petting zoo and the display of antique tractors and farm machinery. At the Farm Fest, visitors see how sorghum, which according to the U.S. Grains Council is the "third most important cereal crop grown in the United States," is made. You can partake in a ham and beans and cornbread dinner and buy pumpkins, squash, Indian corn and gourds to take home.
The Melchior Marionette Theatre (melchiormarionettes.com) presents shows for all ages from May through October. Additional Halloween season shows are available in October, including the "Slightly Haunted Puppet Theatre." This show is held throughout the entire month and features such characters as a scarecrow, a skeleton, a ghost, a witch, an alien and a vampire. The special takes place on Saturdays and Sundays at 1:00 and 3:00 time slots, and children under the age of 2 are admitted free of charge. Groups can organize for private shows outside the regular schedule.
In October, T.C. Steele State Historic Site (tcsteele.org), the final home and studio of Indiana artist Theodore Clement Steele, presents this seasonal event that is suitable for kids of all ages. "Ghost Tours, Stories and Snakes, Oh My!" celebrate Halloween with such activities as a ghost tour of the artist's home and garden and a tour of the nearby cemetery and log cabin. Some of the things that you can do are listen to ghost stories, attend a presentation on snakes, create art, and try the refreshments that are served. A fee is charged per person for this event.
