Winter has arrived.
The holidays are over. The parties and warm Christmas get-togethers are all done. The snow, cold and ice of the upcoming winter has a way of convincing people to cuddle up and stay indoors as much as they can.
But not all is lost for fun-loving folks throughout the county. The staff at Mallow Run Winery have other ideas.
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryIn an effort to give people another entertainment option while the weather is nasty, the winery has planned a new concert series for Friday nights throughout the winter. Cabin Fever Fridays will feature some of the areas top bands, such as Toy Factory, Blue River Band and The Doo! performing rock, R&B and other party favorites.
Planned at the Sycamore at Mallow Run, the winery’s adjacent special events complex, the events also will include local barbecue and pizza, a full bar and beer in addition to Mallow Run’s selection of wines.
“There’s that three-month stretch after Christmas where people get cabin fever. There’s just not a lot going on,” said Sarah Shadday, marketing coordinator for the winery. “It’s nice to have something to look forward to, to get out of the house.”
The Friday night concerts are an extension of Mallow Run’s existing winter entertainment. For eight years, the winery has been serving soup paired with mellow music on Saturday and Sunday afternoons as part of their Winter Warm-Up Weekends.
People could come to the winery’s tasting barn and try loaded potato, fiesta taco or roasted tomato basil soup while listening to area groups such as Acoustic Catfish and Exit 99.
“That’s a little bit of a different feel. People make an afternoon of it, have a relaxing time,” Shadday said. “So we also wanted to do something beyond that.”
Having a facility such as the Sycamore made that possible. The building opened in 2016 as a rustic yet elegant venue for wedding receptions, business presentations and galas. The large main room can fit 250 people, another room can host showers or birthday parties, while the entrance area is ideal for a cocktail hour.
Building the new space was a response to the growing requests for the winery to host weddings and larger events.
Throughout the warmer months and even into the fall, the venue is booked every weekend for weddings and corporate events. Planners never had an opportunity to open it up to the public.
But as the schedule lightened in January, February and March, it seemed like an ideal time to use the Symamore in another way.
“A vast majority of our business there is private events, but that slows down around now,” Shadday said. “This is the only time of year where we can do something like this.”
And so, Cabin Fever Fridays was born.
The events will also be 21-and-over only, the first time Mallow Run has done so. Usually, families are welcome at the daytime events. But since the Sycamore offers a full bar and other drinks, these concerts will be for adults only, Shadday said.
“The winery is in the afternoon, it’s a little more light-hearted,” she said. “It’ll have a more adult, late-night feel to it that the winery doesn’t have. It’s neat that we can offer both.”
With weekends booked at the actual winery through the end of March, Mallow Run had an opportunity to create a new outlet for people. Shadday approached well-known acts from throughout Indianapolis to perform.
Most of the names are familiar to Johnson County music fans from concert such as WAMMfest in Greenwood and Smoke on the Square in Franklin. Many of the bands have performed at Mallow Run events in the past.
But this is an opportunity to see them in a new atmosphere.
“A lot of times, the only place to see these bands is at those summer events and outdoor festivals. This will be a chance to see them in an indoor, up-close setting,” Shadday said. “It’ll be a really great way to experience some of these really great bands.”
Mallow Run has partnered with some local food providers, such as Brozinni Pizzeria and Johnson’s BBQ, to provide food.
“It’s two-fold: Providing a fun community event for the community to look forward to … and making sure we are using that beautiful space in the winter,” Shadday said.
Cabin Fever Fridays will offer a unique entertainment option veering away from the traditional winery atmosphere, a good option for a date night or evening out with friends or to hear some good music without going to a bar, Shadday said.
“It’s a little more elegant, a little more classic. It’s kind of going to be like going to a wedding reception, just less formal. You’re enjoying a night out, without getting all dressed up,” Shadday said.
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Cabin Fever Fridays
What: A new concert series planned by Mallow Run Winery for Friday nights in the winter
Where: The Sycamore, 7070 W. Whiteland Road, Bargersville
When: 7 to 10 p.m. on select Fridays
Schedule:
<ul>
<li>Friday: Blue River Band</li>
<li>Jan. 20: Stella Luna & the Satellites</li>
<li>Feb. 3: Toy Factory</li>
<li>Feb. 17: Tastes Like Chicken</li>
<li>March 10: The Doo! Band</li>
</ul>
Admission: $10
Who can come: The events are 21-and-over only
Food: Options from Brozinni Pizzeria and Johnson’s BBQ will be available to purchase.
Information: sycamoreevents.com
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