Vigo County Parks and Recreation Department is in the process of planning the 54th annual Pioneer Days, scheduled for Saturday, October 3rd and Sunday, October 4th at Fowler Park Pioneer Village from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You are invited to join us this year to bring the Pioneer Village alive and help make this year’s Pioneer Days a success!

Anyone wishing to volunteer in the Pioneer Village must:

• Wear appropriate 1800’s - 1840’s time period clothing
• Demonstrate daily activities consistent with the 1800’s - 1840’s pioneer time period
• Interact with the public in an appropriate manner, representative of pioneer times
• Follow park guidelines, including no alcohol allowed in the park & no smoking in Pioneer Village during the event
• All Volunteers must arrive at the Pioneer Village no later than 9:00 a.m.All vehicles must be out of the Pioneer Village no later than 9:15 a.m. and may not return until 5:30 p.m. or once the village is clear.
• Parking Pass Information & Availability:
• Parking passes will only be mailed out if indicated on your application received no later than Friday, August 28th.  Please remember to indicate how many passes are needed. Volunteers are limited to two (2) passes each. 

Lunch in the Log Barn:

On the application you must indicate if you plan on eating lunch in the Log Barn. If you think you might eat lunch in the barn please put down that you will so that we can have enough food.  

Needed Items or Assistance:

On the application you must indicate if you need any assistance with setup for your Pioneer Days activities and/or location (i.e. fire, table, awning, activity supplies, etc.). If you leave this section blank on the application, you will not receive any assistance on the day of the event. Park staff time will be allocated to specific pre-planned tasks both Saturday and Sunday and will not be able to assist those that do not give prior notice of assistance needed.

Transportation from Parking Area to Pioneer Village & Back:

If you or someone in your party needs assistance getting to and from the Pioneer Village and parking area please fill out this section on the application. Park staff will be providing transportation for volunteers needing assistance. 

Thank you for all you do! If you have any questions, please contact the Vigo County Parks and Recreation Department office at 812-462-3392 or email Tavia.Hedrick@VigoCounty.in.gov. 

Vigo County Parks and Recreation Department is beginning to plan the 54th annual Pioneer Days, scheduled for October 3rd & 4th at Fowler Park from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You are invited to join us this year in the Market. 

Market Vendor Information:

1. The Market will be located in the field south of the Irishman’s Covered Bridge.  
2. We encourage you to sell items that are homemade and/or handcrafted; however, other items will be permitted.
3. The fee for each space is $50 for the weekend. No more than three spaces per vendor are allowed. NO REFUNDS will be issued.
4. Spaces in the Market are approximately 10 feet wide and 10 feet deep.
5. No tents, tables or electricity are provided. We recommend bringing sandbags or something to hold your tents down in case of wind.
6. If you are selling/doing anything that might result in a patron getting sick and/or harmed, you should ensure that your personal insurance covers your liability. 
   

Parking Information:

• Cars, trucks, and/or trailers will only be permitted on the grounds for loading and unloading.
• Once unloaded, you must move your vehicles to the parking lot by the Beach on the opposite side of the lake. You can then walk through the
• Pioneer Village to return to your market space. Please make sure you have enough items to sell for the entire day.
• Parking at Shelter A (near Market) is reserved for Food Vendors only. If you are disabled, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate.
• You will be issued two parking passes. Additional vehicles will need to pay $5 per day and park in the visitor lot on Bono Road.

 
Each participant will receive a reminder letter and map of your location closer to the date. If you have any questions, please contact the Vigo County Parks and Recreation Department Administration office at 812-462-3392 or email Tavia.Hedrick@vigocounty.in.gov. 

Vigo County Parks and Recreation Department is beginning to plan the 54th annual Pioneer Days, scheduled for October 3rd & 4th at Fowler Park from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You are invited to join us!

Food Vendor Information & Guidelines:

• The food vendors will be located in the area west of shelter A.
• Electrical pedestals are provided, but are limited. 
• All vendors are asked to set up Thursday, October 1st & Friday, October 2nd.
• Cars and trucks will only be permitted on the grounds for loading and unloading.
• Food trailers are the only equipment that may remain at the site during the event.
• Stock trucks can be parked in Shelter A parking lot (across from the vending spots).
• No ice will be provided by the Vigo County Parks and Recreation Department.
• You are responsible for obtaining your own food permit from the Vigo County Health Department. Vendors who do not have food permits could potentially face fines.
  • The Vigo County Health Department can be reached at 812-462-3428. 

Event Fee & Insurance Requirements:

• The fee for each space is $150.00 and cannot be pro-rated for only one day.  NO REFUNDS will be issued.  
  A minimum of $1,000,000.00 combined single limit commercial general liability (CGL) insurance is REQUIRED of all vendors.  Those already holding such a policy must add the following additional insured parties:Vigo County Parks and Recreation Department
  • Vigo County Parks and Recreation Board
  • Vigo County Commissioners
  • You must send a copy of your policy to tavia.hedrick@vigocounty.IN.gov

Food Vendor Application & Payment Due Date:

• All food vendors must submit completed application along with proof of insurance with additional insured parties and payment no later than Friday, September 6, 2026 by 4:00 p.m. On the attached application please include a description of the food and beverage items you will be selling. Also, please upload a picture or a diagram of your equipment on the application below including dimensions, location(s) of serving window(s), trailer or tent designation, and hitch.
• Please indicate how many parking passes you will need. You will receive your parking pass along with a final reminder letter including a map of your assigned vendor location and parking locations within the park. 

If you have any questions, please contact the Vigo County Parks and Recreation Department Administration office at 812-462-3392 or email Tavia.Hedrick@vigocounty.in.gov.

Vigo County Parks and Recreation Department is beginning to plan the 54th annual Pioneer Days, scheduled for October 3rd & 4th at Fowler Park from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You are invited to join us this year in the Pioneer Craft Area.

Crafter Participation Guidelines:

The Pioneer Craft Area is located amongst the log cabins of the village, north of the covered bridge. No tables or tents are provided.  All modern looking tables, chairs, etc. must be completely covered with a quilt, burlap, or other period cloth.  Cars, trucks, and/or trailers will only be permitted on the grounds for loading and unloading. No vehicles are allowed in the village past 9:30 a.m. and until the event is over each day at 5:30 p.m. or the village is clear of guests. Anyone breaking this rule will not be asked to return the following year. 

Anyone wishing to be located in this area must:

• Wear appropriate 1830’s-1840’s time period clothing
• Demonstrate daily activities consistent with pioneer times
• Interact with the public in an appropriate manner, representative of pioneer times
• All Crafters must arrive at Pioneer Village no later than 9:00 a.m.
• All vehicles must be out of Pioneer Village no later than 9:30 a.m. and may not return until 5:30 p.m.
• Follow park guidelines, including no alcohol allowed in the park & no smoking in the Village during the event

All crafters must receive approval from our Administration Office to ensure authenticity of craft(s). On the application please include a detailed description of the craft you will be demonstrating and the items you will be selling. If your craft or items to be sold are not appropriate for the event, or you do not include an adequate description on your application, it will be denied. If you are selling/doing anything that might result in a patron getting sick and/or harmed, you should ensure that your personal insurance covers your liability. 

Parking Pass Information:

• Upon approval of your application, you will receive one parking pass along with your final reminder letter two weeks prior to the event. Additional passes must be requested before this date.
• Parking for crafters will be in the beach parking lot on the west side of the park. Shelter A parking lot is reserved for food vendors only. If you’re disabled, please let us know and we will accommodate. NOTE: Parking arrangements may change due to weather. 
  If you have any questions, please contact the Vigo County Parks and Recreation Department Administration office at 812-462-3392 or email Tavia.Hedrick@vigocounty.in.gov