No matter the time of year, the Region always brings a wide variety of new, innovative events and activities to help bring communities together. From concerts, to parades, to trick-or-treating, their is something for everyone to enjoy and create and lasting memory with.
The year 2023 was no different, and we were extremely excited to capture all of the joy, excitement, and fun that was available to the community. We at GreatNews.Life pride ourselves in not only capturing the events, but creating a lasting memory that family, friends, and community members can look back on in the future.
In no particular order, here are the top 10 entertainment articles on Valpo.Life to recap the good news in 2023!
SEVEN YEARS OF ALL ABOUT THE GIRLS
Started in 2015, All About the Girls was created by GreatNews.Life’s Jenny Craig-Brown as a means to spotlight strong, influential women while providing inspiration to the community based around these women and their incredible stories. Each year, All About the Girls brings women into the limelight to share a bit about themselves, based around the theme of the year.
As we prepare to spotlight a new group of incredible women and celebrate the 2023 theme "This is Me," GreatNews.Life would like to highlight the events and the women from the past seven years
STRACK & VAN TIL’S FLORAL DEPARTMENT MEETS ALL YOUR FLOWER NEEDS WITH EXCEPTIONAL CARE AND PASSION
When it comes to big events – be it weddings, funerals, or graduation parties – floral arrangements can really make or break the atmosphere. Despite this fact, many are hesitant to reach out to a florist due to the cost of personalized floral arrangements and the distance between themselves and the florist. With Strack & Van Til’s floral department, both problems are handily eliminated.
“We have seasoned designers, just like retail sellers, that are extremely passionate,” said Strack & Van Til Floral Director Jen Knoche. “We’re a more cost-effective option, and we're also available a lot more. Retail florists have certain hours that they stick to. We're open all the time.”
VHS’ 21ST ANNUAL MOCHA MADNESS CRUSHES ALL EXPECTATIONS
There’s nothing better than taking a break to kick back, relax, and have a few laughs, and there’s no better way to do that than unscripted comedy. On Thursday, February 23, the Valparaiso High School (VHS) Drama Club held its opening night of the 21st annual Mocha Madness, VHS’s "Whose Line is it Anyway?" style improv show. The students danced, sang, and acted their hearts out as they put on a spectacular show that had the audience rolling with laughter the entire night.
Mocha Madness is a winter show that allows VHS students to put their improv skills to the test. Over 40 students are divided into teams, and the students have to work with their teammates to play all kinds of different games on stage. Each game has some rules, but the content, characters, and dialogue are completely made up on the spot and incredibly hilarious.
UNITED WAY NORTHWEST INDIANA ANNUAL BUNCO BASH EVENT RAISES FUNDS TO SUPPORT WOMEN UNITED INITIATIVES
On Thursday, United Way Northwest Indiana’s Women United group held its annual Bunco Bash, a philanthropic event that supports Northwest Indiana women and children in need. A few services that Women United supports include volunteering at various institutions by providing life skill classes and hosting donation drives throughout the Region.
At Bunco Bash, local women in the community came together to have fun and support Women United’s cause. The loud excitement and chatter in the room represented the excitement and engagement of attendees. Each table was sponsored by a local business or organization, and table members engaged into a memorable evening of Bunco. A cash raffle and silent auction were held at the event, with all proceeds going towards supporting the Women United initiative.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON RIDERS ATTEND ANNUAL BLESSING OF THE BIKES AT HARLEY-DAVIDSON OF VALPARAISO
The smell of gasoline was thick in the air during the annual Blessing of the Bikes on Saturday, May 20, at Harley-Davidson of Valparaiso. As bikers coasted into the parking lot, old friends and new riders gathered together to enjoy the sights and sounds of the highly-anticipated event.
Participants spent an hour mingling with fellow riders and then gathered around for the blessing and prayer.
COMMUNITY ENJOYS ANOTHER EXCITING SUMMER THANKS TO VALPARAISO EVENTS’ SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
If there’s one thing people love most about Valparaiso, it’s all the fun things the summer has in store. On Thursday, July 20 Valparaiso Events held the second concert in its 2023 Summer Concert Series. People from all over the Region gathered in Valparaiso’s Central Park Plaza for a laid-back evening of delicious food, delicious drinks, and some rockin' tunes.
The second concert in this summer’s concert series is one that nobody will be forgetting anytime soon. The event opened with the very talented Ally Christian, a young singer currently studying at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). As attendees set up their lawn chairs and picnic blankets they applauded her and yelled out words of encouragement.
CAPTURING THE BEST MOMENTS OF POPCORN FESTIVAL: 15 YEARS OF GREAT NEWS
GreatNews.Life and the City of Valparaiso have grown together over the past 15 years, and that is most clear at Valparaiso Events’ Popcorn Festival. Whether attending the parade, discovering local musicians at the kickoff concerts, or participating in one of the Valparaiso Parks Department’s fun runs and races, GreatNews.Life has been there to report on all of the wonderful, ecstatic, heartfelt moments celebrating our home city’s biggest event.
When GreatNews.Life was just getting its start in 2009, we were out at Popcorn Fest capturing videos, photos, and interviews. We were getting our name out to the Region with a promise to return next year.
INDIANA BEVERAGE HELPS SPONSOR VALPARAISO’S 13TH ANNUAL BREWFEST TO GIVE SUMMER ITS LAST HOORAH
September 23, was one of the last warm days of the year, so it left many locals wanting something to do. Valparaiso’s 13th annual Brewfest had the region's residents buzzing. Hundreds of Indiana locals could be seen enjoying brews, good food, and live music in Valparaiso's Center Park Plaza.
Over 200 different varieties of craft beers, sours, and ciders were a pour away for attendees to try. If you were the designated driver they catered to you too, with a designated driver booth with everyday drinks. Many of the vendors had non-alcoholic drink choices for all to enjoy. Along with drinks going around, a big part of this event was the food. There were local favorites like Tomato Bar Pizza and Tocayos, but they also had food trucks from Rudy’s BBQ, Sizzle, and snack booths.
MEMORIAL OPERA HOUSE’S UPCOMING VETERANS DAY PERFORMANCE REWRITING THE SCRIPT ON VENUE’S VETERANS RELATIONSHIP
Memorial Opera House (MOH) was originally created as a memorial for Porter County soldiers who passed during the Civil War, but it has since grown to be a spot for veterans of all conflicts and their families. As such an important fixture for veterans in the community, MOH honors fallen and returned veterans every year on Veterans Day, but former Administrative Coordinator Natalia “Natalie” Klobuchar feels it’s time to take things to the next level.
“We currently offer a veteran's discount on tickets, and then we also offer one event a year, which is the Veterans Day concert that is free for veterans,” Klobuchar said. “In our opinion, that’s not enough.”
VALPARAISO COMMUNITY SCHOOLS CELEBRATES THE VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS AT 36TH ANNUAL “THIS IS OUR STORY”
It was a full house at Valparaiso High School (VHS) on Monday evening, as the school hosted the 36th annual rendition of “This Is Our Story.” Spread across two nights – the tradition sees over 1000 students from across Valparaiso Community Schools show off their talents in the arts, and ring in the holiday season with a huge set list of Christmas music.
The night began with the VHS Jazz Ensemble performing a prelude of holiday music, and caroling by the VHS Varsity singers as attendees toured a gallery of art created by students across the school district. Artists from elementary schools all the way up to VHS displayed their works – ranging from portraits, landscapes, to more abstract pieces and beyond. With the effort of the effort of so many students on display, “This Is Our Story” is always more than just a concert.