The Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Association would like to welcome forest industry professionals, families and wood-lovers to the inaugural Hoosier Hardwood Festival.
The Hoosier Hardwood Festival will debut August 27-29 at the Marion County Fairgrounds.
Highlights include:
- 10-event Lumberjack Show happening once Friday, twice Saturday and once Sunday
- Lumberjack Camp for kids (and adults) where you can try log-rolling, axe throwing and two-person cross-cut sawing
- 20+ Chainsaw Carvers carving art available for purchase all event long
- LIVE music, food & drinks, shopping, wood crafts & more!
All are welcome to attend the festival and there will be plenty of entertainment. Headlining the festival is the touring All American Lumberjack Show. Competitors will be split into red and blue teams and compete in 10 lumberjack skills events. These include Log Rolling, OP Race, Axe Throwing, Spring-Board Tree Topping, Single Buck, 2 Man X-cut Sawing, Stock Saw Racing, Hot Saw Racing, Quick Carve and Log Boom Racing! This hour-long, competition-style event will take place on Friday, August 27, at 4:30 p.m., twice on Saturday, August 28, at 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. and on Sunday, August 29, at 12 p.m.
When the All American Lumberjack Shows aren’t happening, the Lumberjack Camps are in full swing. During this event, the public is welcome to try their hand at one of three skills performed in the competition: log rolling, 2 man x-cut sawing or axe throwing. Competitors from the show will be available to help with each skill.
“The lumberjack show and camp will be great entertainment,” says IHLA Executive Director, Ray Moistner. “We’re also very excited to have over 20 chainsaw carving artists from around the country coming to our festival!”
22 chainsaw carving artists are scheduled to showcase their unique skills throughout the festival. Carving will take place nearly non-stop and festival goers will have the opportunity to purchase the completed chainsaw art pieces via a buy now price OR at one of two auctions taking place on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Saturday’s auction proceeds will benefit the Future Farmers of America and Sunday’s auction goes back to the artists themselves.
Lumber industry professionals will have a chance to see the latest equipment, gear and safety tools. Plus trained loggers from around the state will have a chance to earn the title of Indiana’s
Best Logger in a competition designed to showcase the safety and skills loggers use every day! Competitors will be judged on chain sharpening, speed cuts, bore cuts and spring pole cuts. In the competition finale the lumberjacks will be challenged to fell a tree, through a stake in the ground and into a bullseye, with incremental points given for accuracy of the fell.
Attendees will have an opportunity to learn more about the lumber industry through a series of education sessions and displays like the Woods on Wheels exhibit, which boasts interactive displays that will immerse the senses while covering key topics of forestry. Education session topics include fire safety tips from Smokey the Bear, tree identification, invasive insects & species, a panel discussion for woodland land owners and more!
Plenty of indoor and outdoor shopping will be available for everything from small woodworking arts & crafts to large industry equipment. Festival style food and food trucks will be on-site as well as a spirits & beer garden, presented by Hard Truth Distillery and Quaff On Brewing. Near the food / drink garden will be an entertainment stage with live music from local artists.
Located at the Marion County Fairgrounds, 7300 E. Troy Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46239. Show dates for 2021 are August 27-29. Show hours are Friday 12 p.m.–8 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.–8 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m.–3 p.m. General admission tickets are $10, $5 for ages 7-12 and free for kids 6 & under. Parking is free along the Fisher Road entrance on the east side of the fairgrounds.
For more show information, event schedules, discounts and to purchase tickets, visit HoosierHardwoodFestival.com
