Fall festival season starts this week. Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville has four shows from Wednesday through Sunday, and downtown Nappanee, Fort Wayne, Fishers, Carmel, and Mitchell all have festivals on the calendar for September 15-21, 2026.
Saturday is the busy day. If you are driving, pick one region and stay there.
Fall festivals around the state
50th Annual Nappanee Apple Festival
Thursday, September 17 through Sunday, September 20 · downtown Nappanee, Elkhart County
Admission is free. Hours are 5-9 p.m. Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. The festival is home to Indiana's largest 7-foot baked apple pie, which comes out Friday at Don Carlos Bar & Grill. Saturday's parade starts at 10:30 a.m. with an airplane flyover by The Hooligans Flight Team. Organizers say the festival draws an average of 80,000 people a year. Full schedule on the Nappanee Apple Festival site. More fall dates are in our guide to Indiana's best fall festivals.
Johnny Appleseed Festival
Saturday, September 19, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday, September 20, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. · Johnny Appleseed Park, 1502 Harry W. Baals Dr., Fort Wayne, Allen County
Free admission, rain or shine. No alcohol, and leave pets at home. This is Fort Wayne's largest festival, an 1800s-style weekend with more than 200 vendors, period demos, and food cooked over open fires. Park free and ride the shuttle from Purdue Fort Wayne or Concordia High School. Memorial Coliseum parking is $8. Details on the Johnny Appleseed Festival site.
Mitchell Persimmon Festival
Saturday, September 19 through Saturday, September 26 · Mitchell, Lawrence County
The 79th festival starts this Saturday. Downtown Main Street vendors open Monday, September 21. The carnival opens Tuesday, September 22. Sunday, September 20 is a setup day downtown, so do not plan on Main Street booths that afternoon. Admission is free. Schedule at persimmonfestival.org.
TradeUp Fest
Saturday, September 19 · Riverview Health Arena at Innovation Mile, 14157 CJ Way, Noblesville, Hamilton County
Gates open at 10 a.m. The free outdoor festival runs 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with two stages, food trucks, and a hands-on Trades Village. The ticketed indoor concert has doors at 5 p.m. and starts at 6 p.m. with Larry Fleet, The Wilder Blue, and Nora Reese. Bring a lawn chair. Leave the cooler at home. Full breakdown in our TradeUp Fest preview, and passes at tradeupfest.com.
St. George Middle Eastern Festival
Friday, September 18, 5-10 p.m.; Saturday, September 19, noon-10 p.m.; Sunday, September 20, noon-4 p.m. · St. George Orthodox Christian Church, 10748 E. 116th St., Fishers
$5 for adults, $2 for children under 13. Free parking and a shuttle at Hoosier Road Elementary, 11300 E. 121st St. Live music, dancing, church tours, and food including falafel, kibbe, gyros, and lamb shank. Official info on the St. George festival page.
Carmel PorchFest
Sunday, September 20, noon-6 p.m. · Old Town Carmel, 1st and 2nd Ave. NW between 1st St. NW and 6th St. NW
Free. Close to 60 bands on about 20 porches, plus food vendors. Streets in the festival area are closed to cars. Park in the Indiana Design Center, Main & Monon, Midtown, or Sophia Square garages. Map and FAQ at carmelporchfest.org.
Concerts at Ruoff and White River
WTTS Rock on the River: Mt. Joy
Tuesday, September 15, 7:30 p.m. · Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park, 801 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, Marion County
The 10-year show is tonight on the downtown riverfront. Tickets via the Everwise Amphitheater calendar. Pair it with a walk on the White River State Park Canal Walk.
Breaking Benjamin
Wednesday, September 16, 6:00 p.m. · Ruoff Music Center, 12880 E. 146th St., Noblesville
Tickets on the Ruoff Music Center calendar.
Tim McGraw: Pawn Shop Guitar Tour 2026
Friday, September 18, 7:00 p.m. · Ruoff Music Center, Noblesville
Pitbull - I'm Back with special guest Lil Jon
Saturday, September 19, 8:00 p.m. · Ruoff Music Center, Noblesville
$uicideboy$ Present Grey Day Tour 2026 with Destroy Lonely
Sunday, September 20, 6:30 p.m. · Ruoff Music Center, Noblesville
Logic & G-Eazy: The Endless Summer Tour Part II
Sunday, September 20, 7:00 p.m. · Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park, Indianapolis
Three Dog Night
Sunday, September 20, 6:00 p.m. · Foellinger Theatre, 3411 Sherman Blvd., Fort Wayne
A covered outdoor show in Franke Park, useful if you spent Saturday at the Johnny Appleseed Festival. Tickets through Ticketmaster's Foellinger listing.
Game day
Indiana vs. Western Kentucky
Saturday, September 19, 4 p.m., Peacock · Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Monroe County
The Hoosiers are 2-0 at home and host Western Kentucky before Big Ten play starts. Schedule at iuhoosiers.com. Season context in our Indiana football preview.
Notre Dame vs. Michigan State
Saturday, September 19, 7:30 p.m., NBC · Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, St. Joseph County
The Irish are 2-0. Tickets and coverage at und.com.
Tinkerfest at the Indiana State Museum
Saturday, September 19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. · 650 W. Washington St., Indianapolis
Included with museum admission. More than 30 hands-on stations for builders, coders, and kids who take things apart. Adult tickets are $23, seniors $21, youth $17, members free. Friday is a school field-trip session, not the public day. Details on the Indiana State Museum Tinkerfest page.
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