The annual Northern Indiana Lakes Festival brings excitement to those of all ages, especially the youngsters. This year’s festival will be held June 11-12 at Center Lake Park. (Photo provided)

By MADISSON HEINL
Communications Specialist, Center for Lakes & Steams At Grace College

WINONA LAKE  — The annual Northern Indiana Lakes Festival is this June 11 and 12 at Center Lake Park in downtown Warsaw. This year’s Lakes Festival will be a full weekend event, complete with entertainment, educational workshops and recreational activities at Center Lake.

The Lakes Festival is an annual celebration of our local lakes and waterways. The 2016 festival will include such events as the Crawfish Adventure Race, the first annual Paddle Wars, evening concert, Sunday ski show, and the first ever fireworks show over Center Lake on Saturday.

Festival admission is free and other activities include a swim race, kayaks for kids, food, a live animal show, petting farm, open swimming, kids’ activities and exhibitors.

Commercial vendor applications and food vendor pre-applications are still being accepted; the deadline for these applications is June 1. Other festival event information can be found online at lakesfestival.org.

This year’s top sponsors include Zimmer Biomet, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Kosciusko County Convention, Recreation and Visitor Commission, DePuy Synthes, Louis Dreyfus Commodities, Maple Leaf Farms, and Silveus Insurance Group.

The Center for Lakes & Streams at Grace College conducts applicable research, engages and educates residents, and collaborates with other organizations in efforts to make the lakes and streams of Kosciusko County cleaner. For more information or to support their efforts, visit lakes.grace.edu.