Everything’s Coming Up Peonies This Weekend

Peonies are everywhere downtown Noblesville this weekend during the Indiana Peony Festival, plus join the Charity Ride for American Veteran Riders Association Saturday morning leaving from the Ralph Lehr VFW Post 6246, find your favorite plants at the Hamilton County Master Gardeners’ Plant Sale on Saturday, and buy a new mattress during Noblesville High School Music Mattress Sale Fundraiser on Sunday to benefit your favorite music student. These are among the plethora of things to do this weekend and beyond. Here’s our Times’ list of 30 things to do.

1. A VIP event kicks off the third annual Indiana Peony Festival from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. today at Seminary Park in downtown Noblesville. The $100-per-person ticketed event, sponsored by Smith Jewelers, is a fundraiser for the festival to continue work with beautification projects, peony gardens and horticulture education and promoting Hamilton County as a destination for peony lovers.
2. Enjoy live music of Stella Luna at 10 p.m. today at Britton Tavern in Fishers and at 9 p.m. Saturday at Joe’s Grille in Westfield.
3. The Indiana Peony Festival is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Seminary Park in Noblesville, with 70 vendors celebrating Indiana’s state flower with beautiful flowers decorating the park, plus peony judging, floral arrangements, floral growers and installations, food trucks, vendor booths, live music by Copperpot from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Kelli Yates from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. plus kids activities and more. Here’s the schedule: 11 a.m., Container Gardening with Planters and Posies; 11:30 a.m. , Peony 101; noon, Fine Art Floristry; 12:30 p.m., Peony Contest deadline; 1 p.m., Bouquet Off; 2 p.m., BoHo Bud Vase Design by Billie Hittle of Hittle Floral Design; 2:30 p.m., Peony 101; 3 p.m., Weeds You Need; Peony judging at 3:30 p.m. Visit indianapeonyfestival.com/
4. Enjoy the Indiana Peony Festival’s Brunch and Blooms, sponsored by the Lacy Arts Building, 10 a.m. Saturday with peony-inspired food and drink throughout the day from local restaurants in seven outdoor locations around the historic downtown, including four of them in full bloom in peony-inspired decorated alleys.
5. Head to the 1836 Prairietown as the outdoor areas are open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, during the 2023 season at Conner Prairie in Fishers.
6. Noblesville Farmers Market is open 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays at Federal Hill Commons in Noblesville.
7. Check out the comedians at The Brick Room Comedy Club, featuring Stewart Huff tonight and Saturday night, Dyke Michaels on May 26, Lee Kimbrell on May 27, all shows at 8 p.m., with $10 admission tickets at thebrickroom.cc.
8. Enjoy live music at Grindstone Public House in Noblesville, featuring Disagreeable on Saturday night and June 17, Matt Record on May 25 and June 3, The Dead Squirrels on May 27, Craig Thurston on June 1, Chris Huntley on June 8, John Gilmore on June 10, Craig Thurston on June 15, Kelli Yates on June 22, Jeff Brown on June 24 at the downtown Noblesville restaurant.
9. Join the Charity Ride for American Veteran Riders Association is at 8:30 a.m. Saturday beginning at the Ralph Lehr VFW Post 6246.
10. Buy your plants for the season at the Hamilton County Master Gardeners annual Plant Sale, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Hamilton County 4-H Fairgrounds in Noblesville.
11. Music in Motion, featuring modern pieces and high-energy choreography by Robert Moore of En Pointe Indiana Ballet at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday at Fishers High School Auditorium with tickets available online, at https://enpointe.yapsody.com, with proceeds to benefit the Fishers Marching Tiger Band’s 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade trip.
12. Go out to the countryside for live music with Jeff Day at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Midwest Originals Duo at 6:30 p.m.  May 26, a Strawberry Music Festival at noon May 27, at Spencer Farm Winery in Noblesville.
13. Pick out a new mattress during Noblesville High School Music Mattress Sale Fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday in the school gym, with each mattress sale to benefit your favorite music student ($25) when their name is mentioned.
14. Visit the opening day of Westfield Farmers Market from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. May 25 and continue visiting at the same time every Thursday.
15. Learn how to paint peonies with artist Susanna Rose during a Sip, Paint and Shop event from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. May 25 at Just Lagom boutique on the north side of the Hamilton County Courthouse Square in downtown Noblesville. Blondie+Gold will also set up jewelry.
16. Dance to Janet Jackson during her Together Again tour at 7:45 p.m. May 26 at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, with tickets at concerts.livenation.com
17. Visit the Fishers Farmers Market from 8 a.m. to noon May 27 and Saturdays through the summer at Nickel Plate District Amphitheater in Fishers.
18. Join Noblesville Main Street at its monthly mixers from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. May 30 at Primeval Brewing Co. on Logan Street in downtown Noblesville.
19. Salute our military veterans during the annual Memorial Day Ceremony at 11 a.m. May 29 at the Hamilton County War Memorial on the Courthouse Square, presented by Ralph Lehr Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6246 and Noblesville American Legion Post 45.
20. The Attic Theatre’s production of “Shrek The Musical” is on stage June 1-3 at The Ivy Tech Auditorium in Noblesville.
21. Noblesville Lions Club’s annual Pork Chop Festival, with pork chops, chicken and hot dogs, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 2 with pancakes 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. June 3 under a tent on the Courthouse Square in downtown Noblesville.
22. Enjoy First Friday at Nickel Plate Arts Campus from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. June 2 with new art exhibit, “The Melting Pot,” exploring Indiana’s evolving cultural heritage, plus showcase by Liz Hamstra of “Neon Electric Moon,” with live music by Indy Identity Crisis.
23. Join the Noblesville Schools Education Foundation’s family-friendly Amazing Miller Race Scavenger Hunt at 8 a.m. June 3 in walkable downtown Noblesville. Teams are $30 each, with use of Goosechase app, and registration at noblesvilleschoolseducationfoundation.org/
24. Join Noblesville Preservation Alliance for its fourth annual Flea Market fundraiser from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 3 at Preservation Hall on Logan Street in Noblesville, and local homes, including 14 blocks of sales, on Logan and Clinton, from 10th to 17th streets, with more info on how to get involved at noblesvillepreservation.com, with drop-off donations accepted from 1-5 p.m. on May 28 at 1274 Logan St., with inquiries to Amy Coyle at 317-379-9819.
25. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets for Legacy Keepers Music’s free StringTime Music on the Square monthly series at the Hamilton County Courthouse Square: Rock Bottom Boys of Madison County, 6:30-8:15 p.m. June 3; Prairietown, Addie & Friends, Santiago Bap Trio, Limestone Nomad, Stampede String Band, Brad McCord, John Gilmore and Barrel Scrapers, noon to 8:15 p.m. July 1 during this Bicentennial Celebration; Stones Crossing, 6:30-8:15 p.m. Aug. 5; Cornfields & Crossroads, 6:30-8:15 p.m. Sept. 2.   
26. Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville’s 2023 Darlington Bed Race in its 11th year is June 2 on Ninth Street at the Courthouse Square in downtown Noblesville.
27. The Belfry Theatre Apprentice Players youth production will have auditions for ages 5-18 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. June 4 and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. June 5 at EnPointe Indiana Ballet in Noblesville, with more information and a downloadable audition packet at thebelfrytheatre.com
28. Come out for live music during Free Tuesdays at 8 p.m. in June and July at Nickel Plate District Amphitheater, featuring Six Foot Blonde, June 6; Dude!, June 13; Jukebox Luke, June 20; My Yellow Rickshaw, June 27; Karma, with fireworks to follow, July 4; Street Pennies, July 11; Groovesmash, July 18; and Hank Ruff, July 25. Lawn chairs and blankets welcome. Visit http://www.npdamp.com/
29. Experience live community theater with The Hyperion Players’ production of “Call Me Sister,” at 7:30 p.m. June 8, 9 (talkback after show) and 10 and 2:30 p.m. June 10 and 11, at The Ivy Tech Auditorium in Noblesville, with $12 tickets at hyperionplayers.com
30. Join Gordon Insurance, partnering to present Noblesville Main Street’s free Music & All That Jazz series, featuring The Andy Schomburg Band, June 10; Juan Douglas Trio, July 8; David Hartman Trio, Aug. 12; Moontown Pickle Stompers, Sept. 9; and Cohen-Rutkowski Project, Oct. 14, on the Courthouse Square in downtown Noblesville.

-Betsy Reason writes about people, places and things in Hamilton County. Contact The Times editor Betsy Reason at betsy@thetimes24-7.com. For more Hamilton County Bicentennial events, visit www.hamcoturns200.com