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Greencastle Music Fest named Best Festival by Indiana Tourism Association
It’s hardly news to locals that Greencastle Music Fest is a special event.
For 13 years now, the annual festival has been packing downtown Greencastle with music fans for what has become a two-night celebration of music and community.
On Tuesday the event got some statewide recognition, with Music Fest founder Gail Smith accepting the Best Event/Festival (market budgets under $300,000) award from the Indiana Tourism Association.
Bestowed during the annual Indiana tourism conference, held this year in Elkhart, the Indiana Tourism Awards honor tourism businesses that are creative, innovative and maximize the dollars invested.
Music Fest was one of 14 entities honored across various categories. (See full list below.)
Founder Gail Smith said she was surprised with the honor, even though she had been encouraged to submit Music Fest for consideration.
“I’ve been encouraged by some tourism people and some entertainment people, but I really didn’t think,” Smith trailed off, “well, I was just in shock when they awarded it to me.
“I’m thrilled. It will be great exposure on the state level for the Music Fest to be honored like that,” she added. “All the leaders in tourism in the local level, county level and state level are there.”
She added that the award was made extra special in that it was awarded by veteran Indianapolis-based journalist Gerry Dick of Inside INdiana Business.
Even if Music Fest hadn’t been honored, Smith would have been in attendance, as she makes the convention part of her calendar every year, with more than 200 tourism leaders coming together for networking and educational sessions over three days.
“It’s great networking,” Smith said. “In my realm of work, I think it’s important.”
The setback of the 2020 cancellation in the midst of the pandemic notwithstanding, the story of Greencastle Music Fest has been one of growth from a one-off celebration to an annual destination event.
“Our biggest year was probably 2019, then of course in 2020 we didn’t have it,” Smith recalled. “In 2021, we still had effects of the pandemic. Then this past year, I wouldn’t say it was as big as 2019, but it was close. And who knows what 2023 is going to be, as long as the weather holds out.”
The years of Music Fest have coincided with an era of a revitalization of downtown Greencastle, coinciding initially with the Stellar Communities grant and later with First Fridays, which were inspired by the festival.
“It’s a good thing not only for the Music Fest, but all the things attached to downtown,” Smith said. “The First Fridays were born from that — Music Fest started in 2010, and then First Friday was in 2014. It’s just been a snowball effect. Most importantly, we keep our locals in town, then we bring in folks from outside because we’ve got the cool.”
Downtown Greencastle also has the dining now, growing from a time Smith’s Almost Home was one of few downtown dining options, to now when no less than a half dozen dining options are within a block of the Putnam County Courthouse.
Planning is well under way for the 2023 Greencastle Music Fest, set for Aug. 25 and 26.
The Indiana Tourism Association’s mission is advocating the value of tourism in Indiana and supporting the best practices of its members. Established in 1980, the association partners with the Indiana Destination Development Corporation, Association of Indiana Restaurant and Lodging and other statewide associations to support tourism investment and promotion as an economic contributor to the state.
The Indiana Tourism Award winners were:
Best Advocacy Initiative – Indiana State Festivals Association
Best Brochure – Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari
Best Cooperative Partnership – Elkhart County CVB
Best Culinary Focused Marketing Campaign – Indiana Foodways Alliance and Indiana Destination Development Corporation
Best Digital Marketing Campaign – Visit Bloomington
Best Event/Festival (Marketing Budgets under $300,000) – Greencastle Music Fest
Best Event/Festival (Marketing Budgets over $300,000) – Visit Michigan City LaPorte
Best New Experience (Marketing Budgets under $300,000) – Steuben County Tourism Bureau
Best New Experience (Marketing Budgets over $300,000) – Visit South Bend Mishawaka
Best New Merchandise – Visit Fort Wayne
Best Overall Marketing Campaign – Indianapolis Zoo and Borshoff
Best Specialty Item – Shelby County Tourism and Visitors Bureau
Best Visitors Guide (Marketing Budgets under $300,000) – Visit Madison, Inc.
Best Visitors Guide (Marketing Budgets over $300,000) – Visit Fort Wayne
In addition to the above awards, the Indiana Tourism Association gave out an individual award based on merit. Luanne Mattson of SoIN tourism was awarded the Indiana Tourism Association Member of the Year, which honors someone who stepped forward and provided exemplary service and leadership to the industry and the association.