Hardin County Weekend Events Mar 27-29 — Food Trucks, Easter

Key Takeaways

• Best of the Heartland Food Truck Championship is Saturday at the Hardin County Fairgrounds in Glendale — 21 trucks, free admission, Easter egg hunt on site
• Spring Block Party on North Main Street tonight with live DJ, street tacos, sidewalk sale, and 50% off at Mud Puddle
• Three Easter egg hunts across the county on Saturday for families with kids
• Murder mystery dinner, wine tasting dinner, and live music round out Saturday night options
• Sunday wraps up with vendors at Phillips Grove in Radcliff and mahjong at Social Food Hall

Summary

This weekend in Hardin County is one of the fullest calendars of the spring so far. From a massive food truck competition and Easter egg hunts to live music, a murder mystery dinner, and family-friendly vendor markets, there's something for every age and every interest from Friday through Sunday.

The headliner is Saturday's Best of the Heartland Food Truck Championship at the Hardin County Fairgrounds in Glendale — 21 food trucks, blind judging, bouncy houses, vendors, and a Grace Heartland Easter egg hunt. Admission is free.

Tonight kicks things off with the Spring Block Party on North Main Street in downtown Elizabethtown, and the weekend closes Sunday with a vendor market in Radcliff and charity mahjong downtown.

Full Article

If you're looking for a reason to get out of the house this weekend, Hardin County is giving you about fifteen of them.

Jon O'Brien ran through the full events lineup on this week's Hardin Local Weekly, and the stretch from Friday through Sunday is stacked. Spring is fully here, Easter is around the corner, and the community is showing up.

Tonight's highlight is the Spring Block Party on North Main Street in downtown Elizabethtown, running from 4 to 8 PM. The city is shutting down that block between Birdwhistell Books and New Style Records for what amounts to a Friday evening downtown takeover. There's a live DJ set at New Style, Juanito's food truck will be serving up street tacos, both Birdwhistell and New Style are doing a sidewalk sale, and Mud Puddle is offering 50% off their studio fee. Jon mentioned he just went to Mud Puddle again last weekend on a whim — "We were walking around downtown and just said, oh, let's swing in there and paint something." That's the kind of energy this event is built for.

If you're looking for a Friday night out after the block party winds down, John Langley is playing live at Bourbon Barrel Tavern from 8 PM to midnight. It's an all-request show, free to get in, 21 and up.

Saturday is the main event. The Best of the Heartland Food Truck Championship takes over the Hardin County Fairgrounds in Glendale starting at 9 AM. Twenty-one food trucks are competing in a blind-judged format, and the grounds are packed with vendors, bouncy houses for the kids, and a Grace Heartland Easter egg hunt happening right on site. Admission is completely free — you only pay for the food you want to try. Hardin Local spotlighted organizer Tucker on last week's episode, and this Saturday is the big day. If you love food trucks, this is your weekend.

Easter egg hunts are scattered across the county all day Saturday. The Radcliff Optimists are hosting theirs at Radcliff United Methodist Church starting at 11 AM — and Jon made sure to note that the egg hunt starts promptly at 11:10. "Not a minute later," he said. Kids up to age 12, hot dogs, drinks, and the Easter Bunny will be on site. Over in Elizabethtown, Heavenbound Baptist Church has their egg hunt from noon to 2 PM with age-group hunts, bunny pictures, prizes, and free hot dogs and chips. And if you just want bunny photos, there's a picture station at 125 North Mulberry Street downtown from noon to 4 PM.

The family fun continues with the Central Hardin Spring Fling from 10 AM to 2 PM at Central Hardin High School — free entry, 40-plus vendors, crafts, food, and gifts. And for something a little more creative, the It's-a Mario Cookie Party at 11 AM at Firefly Nutrition and Wishing Well Nutrition is a Mario-themed cookie decorating class that's beginner friendly.

Saturday evening has options for every taste. The Empty Bowls Gathering at The House on Helm at 5 PM is a fundraiser featuring soup, bread, art, and a keepsake bowl auction — reserve your spot on their website. A Deadly Delight at the Chocolate Factory at the Hilton Garden Inn starts at 6 PM — it's a murder mystery dinner benefiting JT's Way, the organization that assists families grieving the loss of a child. Tickets are $45. Jon shared some background on the cause: "They do assistance with funeral expenses, emotional support, guidance through the grief process." Good food, good entertainment, great cause.

The Totally Rad 80s Prom Gone Bad at JTA Gym from 6 to 8 PM is a fundraiser for the North Hardin High School band, complete with a mystery theme and dessert bar. Adults are $25, ages 13 to 17 are $15. And if you want something a little more refined, Poured and Plated at Waters Edge Winery and Bistro starts with wine tasting at 6:30, followed by a three-course dinner by Chef Jeremy Weatherly at 7:30. It's $65 and includes wine and dessert.

Live music rounds out Saturday night with 4 Speed Muncie at Cosmic Golf starting at 8 PM.

Sunday closes out the weekend with the Spring Vendor Market at Phillips Grove in Radcliff from 11 AM to 4 PM — vendors, food trucks, drinks, and bounce houses in a family-friendly setting. And for something different, PinkDot Mahjong is hosting classes and open play from 1 to 4 PM at The Overlook at Social Food Hall. It's a charity event with a donation drive for PinkDot, and mahjong has been catching on across the community at several venues recently.

Rachel summed it up perfectly after Jon's rundown: "Something for every age group — Easter egg hunts, food truck championship, murder mystery dinner, wine tasting — Hardin County does not slow down."