Winter in the Woods
January 18 – 20, 2019
Brown County’ s Winter in the Woods takes place January 18 through 20, 2019. You can enjoy both indoor and outside activities to lift your spirits and beat those winter blues.
Winter Bliss Wellness Retreat takes place Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Abe Martin Lodge. This unique event is a mind, body, spirit exploration retreat that absorbs the senses, the mind, and the creative spirit through more than a dozen activities including yoga, painting, and shound healing. You can purchase tickets through the website < brownpapertickets. com / event / 3911889 >. View the entire curriculum on the WinterBliss Wellness Retreat Facebook page.
Those who prefer to experience winter in the woods outdoors can enjoy the Winter Hike or the Frosty Trails 5 Mile at the Brown County State Park.
This year’ s Winter Hike will be set up scavenger hunt style. There will be points placed throughout the park along hiking trails and at high profile locations. You will collect alpha-numeric codes worth points. Register at the Nature Center from 9 a. m. to noon on Saturday to pick up your score card / map and create your own Winter Hike. Prizes will be awarded at 4 p. m. You don’ t have to be present to win.
For those looking for a more challenging adventure, there is the Brown County YMCA’ s Frosty Trails 5 Mile race beginning at 1:00 p. m. on Saturday. After the run, participants are welcome to warm up at the Recreation Building with food, drinks, and a fire. The cost is $ 25. For more information, or to register, contact the YMCA at( 812) 988-9622 or via email at: < kimrobinson @ browncountyymca. org >.•
Brown County
Ukulele Festival
January 25 and 26, 2019
The third annual Brown County Ukulele Festival will take place on January 25 and 26, 2019, at the Brown County Inn in Nashville, Indiana. More than 200 ukulele enthusiasts will gather here from across the nation to enjoy a bundle of activities including concerts, workshops, open mic performances, and jam sessions. You get two days packed with musical fun for $ 50. Tickets sold out last year, so contact the website < browncountyukefest. com > before it is too late.
Mike Hater of Mainland Ukes sponsors this event to attract business to Brown County during the slower, more boring time of year. This family friendly gathering is a great antidote for cabin fever and those after-holiday blues. You can’ t help but smile when you pick up a ukulele.
Hater has described the ukulele crowd as,“ nice, friendly weird, and everybody wants to jam.” The jam sessions are a big attraction for the players. Most folks come for the camaraderie.
Ukuleles are more portable than most string instruments and are very appealing to novices. People don’ t really know what to expect from the ukes so you don’ t disappoint anybody. You can blend in with the bunch without being put on the spot— unless you want to be on the spot with an open mic. The sing-a-long songs are catchy and uplifting. Folks of all ages and skill levels enjoy the music.
If you are not lucky enough to get a ticket, you can still enjoy the ukulele music that will be played in the Brown County Inn’ s bar. That part is free and open to the public. Locals can get a taste of the uke music there. Some have been known to buy ukuleles from Mainland and have transformed into serious uke enthusiasts after hearing the music there.
Concerts for ticket holders will be take place on Friday and Saturday evenings featuring Ukester Brown, Devin Scott, Narciso Lobo and Brown County Family Band, Mike Hind, and Stu Fuchs.
Mainland Ukes is located at 91 West Washington Street in Nashville. They will be open 10 to 3 on Friday and Saturday, and 11 to 3 on Sunday.•
58 Our Brown County • Jan./ Feb. 2019