Grillin’ on the Square, Bed and Duck Races, StringTime Music, More

This first weekend in June kicks off summertime activities in and around Noblesville. Here’s our Times’ list of 35 things to do this weekend and beyond.

1. Noblesville Lions Club’s annual Pork Chop Festival, renamed Grillin’ on the Square this year, with pork chops, chicken and hot dogs, pies, more, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. today with pancakes 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday under a tent on the Courthouse Square in downtown Noblesville.
2. Enjoy live music with Rod Schindler & Friends during First Friday at The Lacy Arts Building beginning at 6 p.m. today, doors open at 5 p.m., in downtown Noblesville, featuring Lenwood (John Gilmore), Rod and Tina Rose and The Long Arm, admission free, donations accepted.
3. Enjoy First Friday at Nickel Plate Arts Campus from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. today 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.
4. Enjoy an evening of craft beer during Conner Prairie Horizon Council’s History on Tap from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. today at Conner Prairie in Fishers, featuring tastings from dozens of local craft brewers, with $60 admission, $15 designated driver, on sale at connerprairie.org. Also, 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.
5. Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville’s 2023 Darlington Bed Race in its 11th year is at 7 p.m. today on Ninth Street at the Courthouse Square in downtown Noblesville with free admission.
6. Enjoy live music featuring Tay Bronson at 7 p.m. today at Primeval Brewing in downtown Noblesville.
7. Forest Park Aquatic Center in Noblesville is open for the season, noon to 8 p.m. Saturdays, noon to 6 p.m. Sundays and noon to 7 p.m. weekdays, admission $8 per person, concessions available. Morse Beach also open for the summer through Sept. 4. Pool membership includes movie nights (below), Tiny Tots Swim and Morse Beach admission.
8. Join the Noblesville Schools Education Foundation’s family-friendly Amazing Miller Race Scavenger Hunt at 8 a.m. Saturday in walkable downtown Noblesville. Teams are $30 each, with use of Goosechase app, and registration at noblesvilleschoolseducationfoundation.org/
9. Noblesville Farmers Market is open 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays at Federal Hill Commons in Noblesville.
10. Join Noblesville Preservation Alliance for its fourth annual Flea Market fundraiser from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday 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.
11. Shop at Sheridan Farmers & Artisan Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, June 3 and 17, July 1, 15 and 29, Aug. 12 and 26, at Biddle Park in Sheridan.
12. Celebrate Hamilton County’s Bicentennial with the 1835 Barker Family Cabin Grand Opening 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. led by Diane Peyton and the Westfield Washington Historical Society, with guest Mayor Andy Cook, and Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion to perform salute and TAPS by a bugle player. Cabin will open at 10:30 a.m., Rusty Musket will play patriotic music and quilts will be on display. Slide show of historic photos will roll all day in City Hall, plus pony ride, petting zoo, display of historic farm tools and activities, and concessions, car show, military branches’ booths, carnival games, vendors, Civil War reenactors, rock-climbing wall, basketball shoot, football toss and more.
13. Noblesville Main Street Duck Race, presented by the Gordon Family of Companies, activities are noon to 3 p.m., Saturday with the duck drop of 2,500 rubber ducks at 2:30 p.m. off of Logan Street Bridge. Buy a duck ticket for $5 each and if your duck is the first across the finish line, win $1,000, with second- and third-place ducks at $500 each, plus more prizes.
14. Enjoy June Sip & Shop from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at Carmel City Center.
15. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets for the kickoff of 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. Saturday; 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; Stones Crossing, 6:30-8:15 p.m. Aug. 5; Cornfields & Crossroads, 6:30-8:15 p.m. Sept. 2.
16. Turn back time at the Back to the ‘80s Dance at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Hamilton County 4-H Fairgrounds’ Annex Building, an event by Do-Si-Squares Dance Club, public welcome.
17. Experience live music featuring DitchWeed Acoustic Project at 9 p.m. Saturday at Syd’s Bar & Grill in downtown Noblesville. Bring donation items for Living Water outreach.
18. Check out the comedians at The Brick Room Comedy Club, featuring Cam O’Connor, Mairead Thomas, Mariah Davison, Daryl Hollonquest, Jake Smith and club owner Eric Sablan on Friday; Hannah Ljungholm, Devin M, Maria Davison, Eric Groovely, Eric Sablan and Mairead Thomas on Saturday; Brent Terhune on June 10; Karinne Turnbow and Shawn Braley on June 16; and Andrew Rudick on June 23-24. All shows at 8 p.m., with $10 admission tickets at thebrickroom.cc.
19. Enjoy live music at Grindstone Public House in Noblesville, featuring Matt Record on Saturday, Craig Thurston on June 1, Chris Huntley on June 8, John Gilmore on June 10, Craig Thurston on June 15, Disagreeable on June 17, Kelli Yates on June 22, Jeff Brown on June 24 at the downtown Noblesville restaurant.
20. Go out to the countryside for live music with Krista & The Night Shift, 6:30-9:30 p.m. today; and Jeff Day, 1-4 p.m. Saturday; Ciara Haskett, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Saturday; Anneliese & Ali, 1-4 p.m. Sunday and June 10; and Yoga at the Winery, 7 p.m. June 8; Jamie Owens, 6:30 p.m. June 9; The Booze Hounds, 6:30 p.m. June 10, The Pope & Guitarios Show, 6:30 p.m. June 17, all at Spencer Farm Winery in Noblesville. Visit spencerfarmwinery.com
21. Visit the Fishers Farmers Market from 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays through the summer at Nickel Plate District Amphitheater in Fishers, featuring live music with Traci and Jimmy at 10 a.m. this Saturday.
22. Visit Westfield Farmers Market from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays through the summer at Grand Junction Plaza in Westfield.
23. The Attic Theatre’s production of “Shrek The Musical” is on stage through Saturday at Ministry Center of College Park Church at 3600 W. 96h St. (note change of venue).
24. The Belfry Theatre Apprentice Players youth production will have auditions for ages 5-18 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at EnPointe Indiana Ballet in Noblesville, with more information and a downloadable audition packet at thebelfrytheatre.com
25. Come out for live music during Fishers Parks Department’s 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/
26. Cool Creek Park and Nature Center free Wednesday Campfires will kick off at 7 p.m June 7 on the north side of Cool Creek Park in Westfield, with Birds of Prey program featuring Take Flight Education’s Mark Booth.
27. Grab a float and watch a flick during Movie Nights at Forest Park Aquatic Center’s 2023 Flix and Floats nine evening on the giant LED video board, at 7:15 p.m. June 7, “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” Rated PG; 7:15 p.m. June 21, “Bedtime Stories,” Rated PG; 8:15 p.m. June 30, “Hook,” Rated PG; 7:15 p.m. July 3, “Top Gun: Maverick,” Rated PG-13; 8:15 p.m. July 14, “Field of Dreams,” Rated PG; 8:15 p.m. Aug. 5, “Madagascar,” Rated PG; 8:15 p.m. Aug. 12, “Cars,” Rated G; 8:15 p.m. Aug. 19, “Remember the Titans,” Rated PG; 7:15 p.m. Sept. 4, “Back to the Future,” Rated PG, admission charged, but free to members, visit forestparkaquaticcenter.com
28. Sit back and relax during Main Street Productions’ “August: Osage County,” a play by Tracy Letts and directed by Brent Wooldridge, June 8-18, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sundays, at Basile Westfield Playhouse with tickets at westfieldplayhouse.org
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. Noblesville Parks and Recreation presents the free 2023 Summer Concert Series 7 to 9 p.m. Thursdays in June and July: Cosmic Situation, June 8; Roughouse, June 15; Jai Baker 3, June 22; Not Your Average Boy Band, June 29; Groove Smash, July 6; The Toons, July 13; Hairbangers Ball, July 20, at Dillon Park in Noblesville. Lawn chairs and blankets invited. Concessions available.
31. Noblesville Main Street’s free Music & All That Jazz series, sponsored by Gordon Insurance, features live music with 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.
32. Noblesville Parks and Recreation Department’s free Concerts at the Commons will feature eight tribute bands on Saturdays: The Eagles Project (Eagles tribute), June 10; Shoot to Thrill (AC/DC tribute), June 24; Crush (Bon Jovi tribute), July 8; No Fences (Garth Brooks tribute), July 15; Chicago Rewired (Chicago tribute), Aug. 12; Earth to Mars (Bruno Mars tribute), Aug. 26; American English (Beatles tribute) Sept. 9; Trippin Billies (Dave Matthews Band tribute), Sept. 23; all at Federal Hill Commons in downtown Noblesville.
33. Experience live theater during Carmel Community Players’ Rising Star youth production of “Godspell” musical, directed by Tanya Haas, June 16-25, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays, Thursday, and 2:30 p.m. Sundays, with tickets at carmelplayers.org
34. Head to the Hamilton County Courthouse Square for St. Michael’s Episcopal Church’s annual Strawberry Festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 17, with tickets $8 each.
35. Check out Jess Pearson’s new book, “Imagining the Darkness,” a memoir, based on the abuse she experienced as a child as well as her journey to healing, during an autograph signing event 2-4  p.m. June 24 at Gal’s Guide Library, 107 S. 8th St., Noblesville, second floor of Nickel Plate Arts Campus. A small percentage of sales at the library will go to Gal’s Guide Library & Nickel Plate Arts.

-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