MAYBELLE MUSIC FEST CELEBRATES FEMALE VOICES, ART & COMMUNITY
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6 FALL INTO FUN Family-Friendly Festivals, Parades & Spooky Events Fill the Season in Muncie
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FALL INTO FUN
FAMILY-FRIENDLY FESTIVALS, PARADES & SPOOKY EVENTS FILL THE SEASON IN MUNCIE
Writer / Melissa Gibson
As the weather cools, the leaves change color and the holidays are around the corner, the activities and events in the community often bring families and friends outdoors to enjoy the fresh air and fun.
The City of Muncie, businesses, museums, the college campus and many others offer plenty of those family-friendly and perhaps a bit spooky activities for the community leading into the fall.
Get ready for the season by stopping by Spangler Farms Market for your fresh fall produce and everything you’ll need to decorate your home or business. They have
pumpkins, both large jack-o’-lantern-size and flat for a stackable design on the front porch, mums to brighten up the look and corn stalks and straw for the finishing touches.
As far as activities go, the month kicks off with a special edition of First Thursday – Arts Walk and the annual Soup Crawl from 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 2.
“First Thursday – Arts Walk features local handmakers and artists displayed in booths throughout the town,” says Lena Reid, communications manager at Destination Muncie. “Muncie Maker Market vendors will be there and the popular Soup Crawl returns.
This is a ticketed event and it’s walkable. You go from one location to the next and judge the soups. In the end, a winner receives a prize for the best soup.”
The Soup Crawl is sponsored by PrimeTrust FCU and benefits Second Harvest Food Bank.
Throughout the evening, visitors can enjoy live music on the Canan Commons stage. Sample street fare and drinks from local food trucks or stop in to dine at your favorite downtown restaurant.
On Oct. 10 from 5:30 to 8 p.m., another
popular fall event will return with the annual Boo-levard Bash in Minnestrista.
Dress up in your favorite costume and bring the entire family to experience trick-ortreating, games and activities for all.
“There’s always a great turnout for this event,” Reid says. “They’ll also have their fresh-pressed apple cider on site — very popular this time of year.”
The local college campus won’t disappoint either. The week of Homecoming at Ball State University is Oct. 13-18 and will be packed with exciting events for students and the entire community.
Not only will there be decorating contests, food truck festivals and a campus dinner with a homecoming-themed meal, the 46th annual Bed Race on Oct. 17 will pit teams of five people pushing a bed on a 100-yard course. The fastest team wins a plaque and bragging rights.
On Oct. 18, the Chase Charlie 5K is at 8:45 a.m. followed by the traditional Homecoming Parade, with both campus and community participants at 9 a.m.
As Halloween approaches, things become a little spookier. If you enjoy a haunted house or want to hear some creepy tales, there are plenty of options offered across Muncie.
Be sure to stop by Pumpkin Pulp to check out the custom masks, props and merchandise for all things Halloween.
The store is open by appointment only throughout the year but will post regular hours in the month of October. They’ll also bring back Scarevania, a haunted house attraction.
Perhaps a little less scary but still educational and informative, the Charles W Brown Planetarium will feature “Halloween: Celestial Origins” planetarium show on Oct. 17-18. Find out what stars and planets will light up the sky this Halloween.
To find out more about eerie happenings and hauntings in Muncie and Delaware County history, attend the “Eerie Muncie: Even More Tales from the Dark Side of Local History” from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 21 at the E.B. and Bertha C. Ball Center. The event is free but registration is required.
On Oct. 25, the Albany Lions Club will host its annual Halloween Parade from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Since 1936, they’ve been the go-to place for games and activities in the afternoon with the popular parade to follow.
Cammack Station will also host its annual Trunk or Treat event on Halloween night, Oct. 31.
Whether dressing up in costume and drinking hot apple cider around a bonfire is your thing or enjoying a Halloween scare this season is up your alley, Muncie is offering a little bit of fall fun for everyone.
A full schedule and details can be found at destinationmuncie.org.
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SHINING HOPE
HOPE IN THE DARK MINISTRIES BRINGS LIGHT TO SURVIVORS
Writer / Juli Knutson
It wasn’t her idea. But there was no denying it.
Cindy Bozell knew what she had to do.
Hope in the Dark Ministries was born from a calling that Bozell could not explain. Her experience with domestic violence had left her unsure of what the next chapter of her life would hold — until she was given a mission she could not deny. She fought the notion at first, but she knew God was telling her she needed to use her story to help other women.
She wanted to bring light into the dark, just as others had done for her.
“When you are in that situation, you can feel very alone,” Bozell says. “I had a lot of
support, both emotionally and financially, but I still struggled. Many women face additional challenges. It takes a lot to recover and get back on your feet.”
Bozell’s story spans 20 years, from the first traumatic incident to the night she left for good. Her story is recounted in her book, “No Rain, No Roses,” which details her intimate journey of emotional and physical abuse, childhood trauma and other significant life events. Her primary purpose for sharing her story is to give hope to women experiencing similar crises.
Many excellent organizations help victims of domestic violence with immediate needs, assisting them on the path to safety and stability. When a woman goes out on her own to independent living,
these organizations can initially provide essentials like rent, utilities, groceries and clothing, but they cannot financially assist the same woman multiple times in that transition to independence. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), most women attempt to leave an abusive situation seven times on average before leaving permanently.
Hope in the Dark Ministries exists to fill the gaps for these women and their children, in the Delaware County. The organization is ramping up, making important connections in the community and planting seeds of awareness and support.
By collaborating with established programs like A Better Way, The Family Resource
Center, the YWCA and others, Bozell believes women will get the right help at the right time. Hope in the Dark aims to assist with essential ongoing costs such as child care, gas and bus tickets, and referrals to other transitional services. Continued mentorship and support networks can be vital to help women achieve financial stability and regain independence.
Hope in the Dark will also help educate survivors and the public about domestic violence by distributing educational and resource packets, providing copies of “No Rain, No Roses” to shelters and speaking to community groups to increase awareness and support. Bozell will provide mentorship to women and will add additional Christian mentors as the ministry grows.
One in three women have been physically abused by an intimate partner in the U.S. Further, 30% to 60% of perpetrators also abuse children in the household, according to NCADV. The need is great.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness
Month, and Hope in the Dark will be doubling down on awareness efforts and launching a pledge drive to support its important work.
“God has guided me and put the right people around me to make this happen, but we are just getting started,” Bozell says. “If communities work together, united, we can empower these women. We have to stop
the cycle of violence and give them hope.”
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” – John 1:5
Hope in the Dark Ministries is located in Muncie. You can email Cindy Bozell at cindy@hopeinthedarkministries.org or visit hopeinthedarkministries.org.
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VOICES RISING
MAYBELLE MUSIC FEST CELEBRATES FEMALE VOICES, ART & COMMUNITY
Writer & Photographer / Heather Collins
The Maybelle Music Fest is Saturday, Oct. 4, from 2–10 p.m. at Elm Street Brewing Co. in Muncie.
The fifth annual Maybelle Music Fest features 35 female-led performances, including 17 local bands. Muncie Civic Theatre actresses will perform monologues of The Carter Family and The Spice Girls lyrics.
Female muralists from the U.S. and Canada, including local muralist Ashley Runkle, will paint a vintage bus live at 7 Rock Brew. The family-friendly festival features chick bands, artists, actresses, poets and flowers.
Maybelle Music Fest celebrates the rawness and sensitivity of women in music.
“Community-built, live events help foster the flowering and flourishing of a healthy, connected society,” says Maybelle Music
Fest Executive Director Heather Collins.
The festival includes female-owned vendors, Rusted Kreations flower truck and an A-1 for Fun zone with a princess carriage bounce house, bubble activities and classic games including four-way tugof-war, giant Jenga and potato sack races. Record Parlor of Muncie will sell records and spin a DJ set.
Elm Street Brewing Company will brew a signature Maybelle beer and have specials on Maybelle margaritas and JohnTom’s BBQ sauce pulled pork sliders. The festival footprint encompasses the new McKinley DORA spanning from Elm Street Brewing Company to 7 Rock Brew.
“I love that local East Central Indiana talent is at the heart and center of Maybelle Music Fest,” says Meredith Laine of Prairie Creek Sirens. “There’s a real sense of community that comes from the festival — all brought together by the
power of women in music.”
Maybelle Music Fest was founded in 2020 by singer-songwriters Ashley Gray and Heather Collins. Gray was inspired to launch Maybelle in Muncie after performing at an all-female festival in Philadelphia.
Collins is an Indiana State Festivals Association board member, music director for Earth Day Indiana, radio DJ for Midnights with Bebop & Lula on 101.5 WNAP The Buzzard and a Ball State graduate. Locally, Collins works with Sight & Sound Productions, Muncie Magazine and The Landing at Redwing. She launched the inaugural Carmel Jazz Fest in 2023 and managed the City of Carmel entertainment bookings.
Collins is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for Lovesick Moan, an original 1960s rock ‘n’ roll band inspired by past “moaners” including Howlin’ Wolf and Tiny Tim. Lovesick Moan was featured at the 2023 and 2024 Muncie Three Trails Music Series.
Gray is an active performer in the Philadelphia music scene and returns to her hometown of Muncie for Maybelle Music Fest each year. Both Gray and Collins worked and performed at the former Muncie music venue Doc’s Music Hall, owned by local musician and
Ayurvedic physician Dr. John C. Peterson of Doc & The Little Chicago Band.
“Many thanks to Mother Divine and Saraswati for bringing these wonderful women musicians to this incredible gathering,” Peterson says. “Saraswati is the goddess of music and the arts, known for bringing wisdom and creativity to the universe.”
Gray says Maybelle Music Fest has a true vibe of camaraderie and artistic admiration.
“In the last five years, Maybelle has blossomed from a budding vision to the beautiful bloom of a dream manifested,” says Gray, production director and director of women’s support for BRA (Bureau of Rad Artists).
Despite coordinating a large group of local women, Collins assures the festival is catfight free.
“It’s not girl power politics,” says Chad Nordhoff, lead guitarist of Lovesick Moan. “But rather, an atmosphere of respect. It’s easy for everyone to breathe in the flower-scented excitement.”
Vendors include Helz Yeah Pottery, Phantom Apothecary, Boom Vintage,
From the Garden and Enchanted Plants.
“Maybelle is about community as much as music,” says Kim Sherwood, Maybelle vendor coordinator and associate event planner. “Maybelle Music Fest is testament to the power of community, creativity and the joy of women coming together to create.”
Hot pink and orange mums will be provided by Blaylock Farms. Walls Furniture will provide patio furniture. Horizon Convention Center will provide garden chairs.
“Maybelle continues to glow and grow, creatively stretching its celebration of women and their diverse talents,” says Cheryl Crowder, events director at Muncie Downtown Development Partnership.
The music lineup includes Foxxy, Prairie Creek Sirens, The Earthtones, Lovesick Moan, Ashley Gray, Oxford Baking Company, Four Rivers Band, Barrelhouse Cats, Raven & Rose and Doc & The Little Chicago Band.
Solo performances include Bianca DiCarlo Sulanke, Hayden & Awendela, Annette Miller, Birdy Gosser, Kathy Yuhl and Meredith Laine.
Local poets include Debra GindhartDragoo, Phantom Knoet, Jennifer Criss, Lylanne Musselman and Rachel Adams.
During the holiday season, the Maybelle Carolers — featuring the leading ladies of Maybelle Music Fest — perform rock ‘n’ roll holiday tunes and spark spontaneous caroling throughout the community.
Annual promotional events for Maybelle Music Fest include Maybelle Flower Power, a 1960s shindig, and the Maybelle Jam, a community jam with Maybelle performers.
For more information, follow Maybelle Music Fest on Facebook and Instagram. Elm Street Brewing Company is located at 519 N. Elm St. in Muncie.
OCTOBER CROSSWORD PUZZLE
Solutions
ACROSS 1. Inquiry
Emotional eruption
Lowest female voices
Moderation
Disgraces
Be sullen
Resign
Clearly expressed
Overstate
Brown pigment
Cosmetic pencil
UK & Eire, The British ...
DOWN
1. Fluid units
2. Unruly protest
3. Refuse heap
4. Terminate
5. Say correct way
6. Flash (of lightning)
9. Dingy
11. Drools
13. Negligent 15. Darts
16. Waits in line
18. Pinches (nose) 19. Once more 21. Fishing spool 22. Morays
New FREE COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Post your local events to our online community calendar - featuring events from over 200 local websites!
OCTOBER
Submit Your Events!
1-5, 8-12, 1519, 22-26, 29-31
GOOD NIGHT FOREST
MINNETRISTA, 1200 N MINNETRISTA PKWY.
9 A.M.-NOON, 12-5 P.M.
Visitors will feel like they are stepping into a beloved children’s storybook as they encounter whimsical scenes and engaging sensory activities in this nature-inspired experience.
2
BALL STATE WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL VS. NORTHERN
ILLINOIS
JOHN E. WORTHEN ARENA, BETHEL AVE. & MCKINNLEY AVE.
6 P.M.
BUFFALO ROSE
PRUIS HALL, 2000 W UNIVERSITY AVE.
7:30 P.M.
Buffalo Rose is a charismatic six-piece modern folk/Americana band from Pittsburgh, PA.
FIRST THURSDAYS
WITH THE MUNCIE MAKERS MARKET
ADAMS & WALNUT IN DOWNTOWN
5-8 P.M.
Join our local Growers and Makers of the Muncie Makers Market for a really fun community experience EVERY MONTH for First Thursdays in Downtown Muncie! ALL OUTDOORS!
3-12
THE DAVINCI CODE
MUNCIE CIVIC THEATRE, 216 MAIN ST.
7:30 P.M.
Muncie Civic Theatre presents THE DAVINCI CODE on the Mainstage October 3-12. Unravel mystery in this gripping stage adaptation of Dan Brown’s best-selling novel.
3
BALL STATE WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL VS. WESTERN
MICHIGAN
JOHN E. WORTHEN ARENA, BETHEL AVE. & MCKINNLEY AVE.
6 P.M.
4
BALL STATE FOOTBALL VS. OHIO
SCHEUMANN STADIUM, TILLOTSON AVE. NOON
MUNCIE CARS & COFFEE
CORNER OF WALNUT & CHARLES STREETS, OLD NATIONAL BANK PARKING LOT (116 W CHARLES ST.)
9 A.M.-NOON
Open to all years, makes and models. Come out, check out the vehicles and talk Cars with other gear heads and car enthusiasts. Hosted by the Muncie Volkswagen Club.
VETERANS
COFFEE
CLUB
AND SPOUSE AUXILIARY
MUNCIE DELAWARE COUNTY SENIOR CENTER, AUDITORIUM (2517 W 8TH ST.)
9-11 A.M.
Meets First Saturday at the Muncie/Delaware County Senior Center from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. to share information about benefits, share experiences, outreach for PTSD, etc.
4, 11, 18, 25 FARMERS MARKET AT MINNETRISTA: OUTDOOR MARKET
MINNETRISTA MUSEUM & GARDENS, 1200 N MINNETRISTA PKWY.
9 A.M.-NOON
The Farmers Market is the perfect place to discover fresh produce, baked goods, plants, eggs, meats, and more! Connect with local vendors and experience what our community has to offer.
9
FLU-LAPALOOZA
MERIDIAN HEALTH PEDIATRICS, 205 N. TILLOTSON AVE. 1-6 P.M.
Flu-Lapalooza is back! Flu-Lapalooza is a one-day FREE flu shot clinic on Thursday, October 9, from 1–6 p.m. at many Meridian locations across Indiana.
10
BALL STATE WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL VS. TOLEDO
JOHN E. WORTHEN ARENA, BETHEL AVE. & MCKINNLEY AVE.
6 P.M.
BOO-LEVARD BASH
MINNETRISTA, 1200 N MINNETRISTA PKWY.
5:30-8 P.M.
Hosted by Minnetrista Museum and Gardens, children can collect treats from the Ball family homes and enjoy the beautiful fall scenery.
KYLE MERCER
OASIS BAR & GRILL, 1811 S BURLINGTON DR. 9 P.M.
Arizona-raised and based out of Nashville, TN since 2010, Kyle spends most of his time on the road playing shows throughout the Northern and Southern United States while growing his fan base.
11
BALL STATE WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL VS. TOLEDO
JOHN E. WORTHEN ARENA, BETHEL AVE. & MCKINNLEY AVE.
4 P.M.
11-12
NOFFA FREE FLIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
ACADEMY OF MODEL AERONAUTICS, 5161 E MEMORIAL DR. MODELAIRCRAFT.ORG
16
THIRD THURSDAYS WITH THE MUNCIE MAKERS MARKET AT MADJAX
MADJAX MAKERFORCE, 515 E MAIN ST. 5-8 P.M.
Join our local Growers and Makers of the Muncie Makers Market for a really fun “night market” vibe EVERY MONTH for Third Thursdays at MadJax Maker Force! ALL INDOORS!
24
BALL STATE WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL VS. OHIO
JOHN E. WORTHEN ARENA, BETHEL AVE. & MCKINNLEY AVE.
6 P.M.
25
BALL STATE WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL VS. OHIO
JOHN E. WORTHEN ARENA, BETHEL AVE. & MCKINNLEY AVE.
4 P.M.
NESTLED CABINS AT BOB ROSS EXPERIENCE
MINNETRISTA, 1200 N MINNETRISTA PKWY.
9 A.M.
TROUBLE MAN, A MARVIN GAYE TRIBUTE
EMENS AUDITORIUM, 1800 W. RIVERSIDE AVE.
7:30 P.M.
Get ready for a night of soul, passion, and the timeless music of Marvin Gaye, brought to life by L. Young’s powerhouse vocals and dynamic stage presence.
TRUNK OR TREAT AT REMAX OF MUNCIE
RE/MAX REAL ESTATE GROUPS PARKING LOT (2200 W MCGALLIARD RD.)
4-6 P.M.
Join us for our 5th annual “Trunk or Treat” event! Come in your best costume and enjoy one of our most popular annual events.
28
BALL STATE WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL VS. MIAMI
JOHN E. WORTHEN ARENA, BETHEL AVE. & MCKINNLEY AVE.
6 P.M.
30 MRS DOUBTFIRE EMENS AUDITORIUM, 1800 W. RIVERSIDE AVE.
7:30 P.M.
Everyone’s favorite Scottish nanny is headed to Muncie in this internationally acclaimed hit musical critics call wonderful, heart-warming, and laugh-out-loud funny.
EMPOWERING ABILITY
ERSKINE GREEN TRAINING INSTITUTE TRANSFORMS LIVES & BUILDS COMMUNITY THROUGH INCLUSIVE EMPLOYMENT
October 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, an annual recognition of the positive impact of people with disabilities in the American workforce.
“Celebrating America means celebrating the value and talent that all Americans — including people with disabilities — add to our nation’s workplaces and communities,” says Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer in a press release.
Muncie is the first city in the nation to launch a postsecondary vocational training program with a live-in component for people with disabilities.
The Erskine Green Training Institute (EGTI), founded by The Arc of Indiana in 2016, is located at the Courtyard by Marriott at Horizon Convention Center. More than 20% of the employees at Courtyard Muncie have a disability. The hotel was purchased by the Arc Foundation to house EGTI’s training and residential program.
Many EGTI students live at the hotel while training at Courtyard Muncie, 1925 Pubhouse or IU Ball Memorial Health.
“The Horizon Convention Center proudly showcases what sets both our
venue and the city of Muncie apart from other cities in Indiana,” says LaShanta Vaughn, CEO and president of Horizon Convention Center. “Our host hotel, the Courtyard by Marriott, is a pioneering training hotel designed specifically for individuals with disabilities, making it truly one of a kind. When you stay at this remarkable hotel, you’re not just enjoying a unique experience — you’re also making a meaningful impact on the community.”
During the program, EGTI students are immersed in Munsonian life. A total of 345 students have completed the training program in Muncie. The current group of students will use their meal cards to spend $17,000 at local restaurants and grocery stores. Zach Arland, 31, works at the front desk at Courtyard Muncie. A 2016 EGTI alum, Arland has cerebral palsy and uses a power wheelchair. He said he was more independent in the first week of the program than ever before.
“EGTI has empowered me with my own life,” Arland says. “Because of EGTI, I got the job and I’ve been doing very well at it. I can make my own money, build my own connections and relationships here in town, pursue my own interests and develop my identity as an individual.”
An avid Batman fan, Arland is covered in DC Comics tattoos. He is a regular customer at Fox & Sparrow Tattoo and Casa Del Sol in downtown Muncie. He is also an actor in the upcoming production of The Da Vinci Code, presented Oct. 3–12 at Muncie Civic Theatre.
“My life would look nothing like it does today if I hadn’t done EGTI,” Arland adds.
This year, Arland celebrates his eighth work anniversary at Courtyard Muncie. The EGTI program has an 80% employment rate.
“Being able to access the community independently is something many people take for granted, but for our students, this opens the door to living a more fulfilled life and builds tremendous confidence that bleeds into other areas of their life,” says Megan Stevenson, director of EGTI.
Stevenson says 10 students have permanently relocated to Muncie after the program.
Alex Nunez also works the front desk at Courtyard Muncie. Nunez has cerebral palsy and is physically limited on his right side. He says the EGTI program helped him tap into his full potential and improve his math and communication skills.
Writer / Heather Collins
Photographer / Chris Carroll
Nunez adds that he enjoys meeting people from all over the world at his job.
“If they seem to need assistance, I’ll help them any way I can,” Nunez says.
Nunez enjoys drinking a Chuck Berry brew, eating buffalo wings and smoking a cigar on the patio at Savage’s Ale House. He volunteers at the Cowan Fire Department and participates in 5Ks.
“Work brings stability, happiness, friendship — it brings sustaining life. Work is a key component of living their best life,” says Daniel Gurule, manager of community outreach at EGTI. “Parents are in Muncie looking at EGTI as a place where their children are going to be transformed.”
Per its mission, The Arc of Indiana is committed to all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities realizing their goals of living, learning, working and fully participating in the community. The Arc of Indiana is the largest chapter of The Arc in the nation.
Courtyard Muncie is managed by General Hotels Corp.
“The program at Courtyard Muncie isn’t just about training — it’s about transforming lives,” says Jim Dora Jr., president and CEO of General Hotels Corp. “These students and their families have made a meaningful investment in themselves, working to improve both their own futures and local communities. Supporting Erskine Green Training Institute and its students has truly been an honor for us.”
EGTI programs offer training in hospitality, food service, health care and inventory distribution. Its new Indianapolis commuter program provides training opportunities at Riley Hospital for Children and Allison Transmission.
EGTI’s administrative office is located at 601 S. High St. in Muncie. For more information, visit erskinegreeninstitute. org or call 317-268-0250.
