Lowell's century-old festival, Griffith's Rock 'N' Rail street party, Hobart's Watermelon Fest, and the last guarded beach days at the Indiana Dunes. Here is how to close out summer the right way.
There is a particular magic to Labor Day weekend in Northwest Indiana. It is the last long weekend of the season, the final chance to take the family to the beach, ride a carnival, or linger on a restaurant patio before the school year and the harvest season fully take over. After 30+ years in Lake County, I can tell you the 219 does this weekend right. Here is your insider guide to the parades, festivals, steam trains, and last beach days worth planning around.
Lake County is where the weekend really shines. Small towns roll out their biggest celebrations of the year, and you can string together a full long weekend of events without driving far from Crown Point, Munster, Highland, or Schererville.
The anchor event of the weekend, Lowell's Labor Day Festival runs September 5-7 and includes food, a beer garden, live music, vendors, a Kids Zone, the 72nd Annual Kiddie Parade, fireworks Sunday evening, and the 107th Annual Labor Day Parade Monday morning.
A free street festival that takes over downtown Griffith with live music, great food, a beer garden, art and craft vendors, a kids' fun zone, and a car and motorcycle show. The kind of laid-back, bring-your-lawn-chair evening that makes small-town Lake County feel like a real community.
A tongue-in-cheek end-of-summer celebration at Johnson's Farm Produce on East Ridge Road in Hobart. Watermelon-themed fun, farm treats, and a good excuse to enjoy one more day at a working Lake County farm before fall takes over.
Operating steam trains roll through the woods, a tractor parade shows off vintage machines, and the whole family can climb aboard for a ride. A beloved LaPorte County tradition that pairs perfectly with a dunes day trip.
Labor Day weekend is a popular time to enjoy the Indiana Dunes before summer winds down, with beaches, trails, and outdoor activities offering plenty of ways to spend the holiday weekend. The beaches at the Indiana Dunes stay open, and there is something special about the calm of late-season sand and water. One note from a local: If swimming is part of your Labor Day weekend plans, West Beach is the only beach within Indiana Dunes National Park with lifeguards. Lifeguards are scheduled there through Labor Day Monday, generally from 10 AM to 6 PM. Other National Park beaches are not lifeguarded, so always check current lake conditions before entering the water. These are the spots I send people to for a final hurrah.
The classic Lake Michigan beach with a long guarded swim area (staffed on weekends through Labor Day after mid-August), sweeping dunes, and picnic grounds. One of the best ways to squeeze in a final summer swim.
National Park shoreline with a bathhouse, boardwalks, and trails that climb the dunes. West Beach is a favorite for families, while Dunbar offers a quieter stretch of sand.
Mount Baldy is one of the most distinctive dunes in Indiana Dunes National Park, rising about 126 feet above Lake Michigan. The beach access trail is open, but the dune face and summit remain closed except during authorized ranger-led programs, so visitors should stay on designated routes.
A city beach with a lighthouse, pier, and playground right at the water's edge. Easy access, parking, and a full-service day at the lake without a long hike.
Beyond the big festivals, Labor Day is a quiet-luxury weekend for lake life. Cedar Lake, the largest natural lake in Northwest Indiana, still has plenty of life in it: a final boat ride, a last fishing trip, or a picnic at the water. In Cedar Lake, the Aloha Market & Island Festival takes over the Town Grounds on Saturday, September 5 from 2-9 PM, bringing vendors, food, entertainment, and an island-inspired atmosphere to the lakefront.
Want to make lake life permanent? Whether it is a cottage near the water or a family home close to everything, I would love to help you find your spot in the 219. Let's talk about your move to Lake County.
The best weekends string a few stops together. Here are three curated routes that mix festivals, beaches, trains, and good food into a perfect long weekend across Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties.
Sunday: Head to Lowell for the Kiddie Parade at 1 PM, then enjoy festival activities, food, vendors, live music, and fireworks at dusk. If you're extending your weekend through Labor Day Monday, the 107th Annual Labor Day Parade steps off at 10 AM.
Start with a morning at the beach (West Beach or Indiana Dunes State Park), then head to downtown Griffith for the Rock 'N' Rail Music & Street Festival in the evening. Live music, great food, and a sunset you earned with sand between your toes.
Ride the steam trains at the Hesston Steam Museum in the morning, then drive to Mt. Baldy or Washington Park in Michigan City for the afternoon at the lake. A classic LaPorte County pairing that families remember for years.
Common questions about closing out summer across Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties.
The Lowell Labor Day Festival is the standout. A beloved Lake County tradition in the town of Lowell, it features the longest-running Labor Day parade in Indiana, a carnival, live music, and days of family activities. It is the closest thing the 219 has to a hometown holiday spectacle.
Yes. The beaches at Indiana Dunes State Park and Indiana Dunes National Park stay open through Labor Day. If swimming is part of your Labor Day weekend plans, West Beach is the only beach within Indiana Dunes National Park with lifeguards. Lifeguards are scheduled there through Labor Day Monday, generally from 10 AM to 6 PM. Other National Park beaches are not lifeguarded, so always check current lake conditions before entering the water. West Beach, Dunbar Beach, and Mt. Baldy offer excellent late-summer shoreline options, along with Michigan City's Washington Park.
The Hobart Watermelon Festival at Johnson's Farm Produce is a fun one, with watermelon-themed activities. Griffith's Rock 'N' Rail Music & Street Festival is a free street party with live music, great food, a beer garden, art and craft vendors, a kids' fun zone, and a car and motorcycle show. Lowell's festival adds a carnival and parade that kids love.
Yes. The Hesston Steam Museum near La Porte hosts its annual Labor Day Weekend Steam & Power Show, with operating steam trains and a tractor parade. It is a great pairing with a trip to the dunes and a hit with train-loving kids.
And fall in Northwest Indiana is worth sticking around for. Ready to make it your home?