Indy’s Ethnic Heritage

"Indy’s Ethnic Heritage", the 15th annual genealogy conference, will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 13 November in the Indianapolis Senior Center, 708 East Michigan Street, Indianapolis. It's sponsored by the Genealogical Society of Marion County.

Cost (which can be paid at the door) is $30. To register, send an email to GSMC-Indiana@Comcast.net.

Among the topics are Native Americans in Indy, German-American Landmarks of Indianapolis, Scottish and Scots-Irish in Indiana, Ethnic Populations of Indy and the Roman Catholic heritage of Indianapolis.

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Ethnic Groups Stage New Year's Eve Parties

At least three galas are scheduled for New Year's Eve by ethnic groups in Indy:

The New Year's Eve Dance begins at 8 p.m. in the German-American Klub, 8602 South Meridian Street, Indianapolis. Sponsored by Die Fledermaeuschen Tanzgruppe, tickets are $15. For reservations, call 317:460-4270. There'll be dancing to the music of Jay Fox and the Bavarian Showtime Band. We will have fun, music, dancing, noisemakers, snacks and a champagne toast at midnight.

A family-centered New Year Celebration also begins at 8 p.m. in the India Community Center, Indianapolis. Sponsored by India Association of Indianapolis, tickets are $5 family, $2 individual. For more innformation, call Sumit Thaker: 317:374-7472.

A Multiethnic New Year's Eve Party takes place at the Latvian Community Center, 1008 West 64th Street, Indianapolis. Join the Latvians, Scots, Poles, Finns, Lithuanians and others for an international celebration.

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Germans, Scots Meet in Indy on Wednesday

Two ethnic group members of the Nationalities Council of Indiana have their regularly scheduled meetings on Wednesday (9 December).

Jeanette Footman and Alice Matsuo will talk about "The Wonderful World of German Breads and Pastries" at the 7:30 p.m. meeting of the Indiana German Heritage Society in the Max Kade Room of the Athenaeum, 401 East Michigan Street, Indianapolis. The meeting is preceded by an optional Stammtisch (no-host dinner) at 6:30 p.m. in the Athenaeum's Rathskeller Restaurant. For more information, contact Claudia Grossman, 317:464-9004.

Scottish toasts are the topic for the 6:30 p.m. meeting of the Scottish Society of Indianapolis. The evening begins with a pitch-in dinner at the Latvian Community Center, 1008 West 64th Street, Indianapolis.

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The Award Winners are Announced

Awards for the just-completed 2009 International Festival have been announced. First and second place awards are given to Nationalities Council of Indiana member-groups in each of five categories: theme, educational value, creativity, quality and food. In addition, the best overall culture booth received the grand prize trophy, nicknamed "The Betty".

Winners are as follows:

Creativity: 1st - Confucius Institute at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis; 2nd - India Association of Indianapolis.
Educational value: 1st - Indiana Association of Chinese Americans; 2nd - Italian Heritage Society of Indiana.
Quality: 1st - Sons of Norway; 2nd - Scottish Society of Indianapolis.
Theme: 1st - Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis; 2nd - Swiss Club Of Central Indiana.
Food: 1st - Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis; 2nd - German American Klub.
Best Overall Cultural Booth Trophy: Indiana German Heritage Society (pictured).

This year's Volunteer Service award (nicknamed "The Steve") went to Dan and Sophia Anderson.

The outside judges for the awards came from IUPUI.

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Ethnic Fairs This Weekend

Greek, Native American, German, Scottish, French, Chinese -- "welcome to the world in Indiana isn't just a slogan this weekend: check out these ethnic festivals in the Hoosier heartland!

36th Annual Greek Festival, today and tomorrow; Carmel.
35th Annual (German) Oktoberfest, today and tomorrow; Indianapolis.
19th Annual French Market, tomorrow; Indianapolis.
18th Annual Scottish Festival, tomorrow and Sunday; Columbus.
2nd Annual Chinese Festival, tomorrow; Indianapolis.
Andersontown Powwow and Indian Market; tomorrow and Sunday; Anderson.

Don't forget Indy's International Festival, coming up in November!

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September is Ethnic Festival Month!

The glorious weather of September means more ethnic festivals than there's time to attend!

Some of those on the calendar are:

Oktoberfest sponsored by the German-American Klub, on Indiana State Fairgrounds, Indianapolis: 4, 5, 6, 11, 12 September

Little Italy Festival in Clinton: 4, 5, 6, 7 September

Kenya Festival at Second Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis: 5 September

Greek Festival at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Carmel: 11-12 September

Chinese Festival in Military Park, Indianapolis: 12 September

French Market at St. Joan of Arc Roman Catholic Church, Indianapolis: 12 September

Scottish Festival at Bartholomew County Fairgrounds, Columbus: 12-13 September

Andersontown Powwow in Athletic Park, Anderson: 12-13 September

Irish Fest in Military Park, Indianapolis: 18-20 September

(Hispanic) Fiesta on the American Legion Mall, Indianapolis: 19 September

Scottish Highlander Festival in Trafalgar: 26-27 September

There are more details on these (and many other events) at the Nationalities Council's calendar: click here. (And, don't forget that Indy's International Festival is coming up in November!)

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23rd Annual Indiana Highland Games and Scottish Festival

The Indiana Highland Games and Scottish Festival takes place Saturday (13 June) on the Concordia Theological Seminary Soccer Fields, 6600 North Clinton Street, Fort Wayne, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is $10.

Rising Gael performs in the Entertainment tent. Clans participating include: Bruce, Mackay, Baird, Cunningham, MacLaren, Donald, Shaw, Armstrong, Donnachaidh, Ramsay, Mackenzie, Maclean and MacLaine of Lochbuie.

The annual event is sponsored for the 23rd year by the Scottish Cultural Society of Fort Wayne. For more information, check the website.

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Ye banks and braes of bonny Doon, How can ye bloom so fresh and fair...

Yes, it's that time of year again when Scots worldwide pay homage to their favorite bard, Robert Burns!

The 28th Annual Burns Supper sponsored by the Scottish American Club starts at 6 p.m. 31 January in Ritz Charles, Carmel. Tickets range from $15 to 55. For information, contact Marguerite Hendrie, 317:872-8179.

The evening starts with a complimentary whiskey tasting, cheese and fruit plate, and gourmet dinner followed by a traditional Burns Supper program and songs of Burns by Pat Grant. A lively ceilidh completes the evening with performances by the Indiana Caledonia Pipe Band, exhibition of Highland dancing, and Scottish Country dancing for all. There will be a special children's program during the formal speeches and a silent auction.

Burns penned "Auld Lang Syne" and is also responsible for "the best laid schemes o' mice and men", "my love is like a red red rose" and other familiar refrains.

To get in the mood, surf on over to some poetry sites and recite a bit of Rabbie Burns yourself!

International Festival 2008 is History

It's all over for 2008 -- and the award winners have been announced for Indy's International Festival.

First and second place awards are given to cultural booths of Nationalities Council of Indiana Group members. In addition, the best overall culture booth wins "The Betty" trophy for 2008.

1. THEME: Include in cultural booth historical, geographical, culinary, social or educational aspects of the particular culture.
First: Russian-Speaking Students at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis; second: Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis.

2. EDUCATIONAL VALUE: Provide relevant information to visitors about the culture.
First: International Tibet Independence Movement; second: Barangay Club of Indiana.

3. CREATIVITY: Demonstrate an effective and enjoyable method to attract visitors.
First: Scottish Society of Indianapolis; second: Indonesian Community of Indianapolis

4. QUALITY: Overall excellence. Examples would be people in native costumes and friendly approach to visitors.
First: Indiana Okinawa Kenjinkai; second: Swiss Club Of Central Indiana.

The Betty was awarded to Society for Promotion of Persian Culture (see photo).

Food Booths of NCI Group Members are evaluated for 1) quality and authenticity of food and 2) appearance and sanitary conditions of the booth.
First: Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis; second, German American Klub,

Volunteer Service award (“The Steve”) is presented to the individual who has demonstrated commitment to the goals of NCI and has actively worked toward their achievement. It was awarded to Susan McKee.

Ethnic Influences at Hoosier Storytelling Festival

America's immigrant heritage is a recurrent theme for the Hoosier Storytelling Festival, set for its 21st run 8-11 October in downtown Indianapolis' Military Park and across the street at the Indiana History Center.

Some of the featured storytellers at the event, sponsored by Storytelling Arts of Indiana, are Charlotte Blake Alston (African), Brenda Wong Aoki (Chinese, Japanese, Spanish and Scottish) and Gene Tagaban (pictured; Cherokee, Tlingit and Filipino).

To find out more (and, to buy tickets), click here.

The Scots Invade Columbus

The 17th annual Scottish Festival in Columbus is scheduled for 13-14 September at the Bartholomew County Fairgrounds.

Don't miss Sunday's Rugby Tournament, not to mention the clan tents, bagpipers, Scottish country dancers and the working sheep dogs. You can read all about it here.

Tartan Ball in Lafayette

The Lafayette Tartan Ball: An Evening of Music, Dinner & Dancing begins with a cash bar at 6 p.m. Saturday (3 November), followed at 6:30 p.m. by dinner and an evening of Scottish Country Dancing. All this takes place at Duncan Hall, 619 Ferry Street, Lafayette, and it's sponsored by Fountain Trust Pipe Band.

Jayne White, 765:294-4405, has more information. There'll be entertainment by the Fountain Trust Pipe Band (of course) plus The Whole Nine Yards Scottish Country Dancers, fiddler Deb Shebish and guitarist Johnandrew Bellner. Formal attire, highland attire or business attire is requested. Tickets are $40 per person before 15 October, and $45 per person if postmarked after 15 October. Tickets are limited to the first 160 registrants, and will be sent in the mail. No tickets will be sold at the door.

Celtic Music Rocks Indy on Sunday

Hello, Indianapolis!

This is Michael Robbins with the BorderCollies. We're a Celtic band based out of Atlanta, and have a gig coming up in Indianapolis for the first time and wanted to get the word out.

It's a free concert at Northminister Church on Sunday, February 11th from
4pm to 6pm.

We're a really good band and play a variety of Irish and Scottish songs and
tunes as well as our own originals. We've been playing around the southeast
since 1999. We've recorded a Dougie MacLean song on each of our last two
CD's (and are excited about seeing him play here in Atlanta next week).

Please come out!