Recreation celebration: RecFest showcases all Johnson County Park has to offer

Spread out over more than 600 acres in southern Johnson County, a natural paradise awaits those in the know.

Nature lovers can hike trails through prairies and forests filled with wildlife. Fishermen can cast a line in the smattering of lakes and ponds filled with bass, bluegill and more. People can play disc golf, go camping and see world-class horse competitions.

But even though Johnson County Park has been part a county amenity for decades, many people don’t even know it exists.

“So many people in Johnson County don’t realize we’re down here. We would like for more people to discover us,” said Christy Howe, recreation director for Johnson County Parks & Recreation.

A recent addition to the park’s event calendar aims to change that. RecFest — a celebration of parks and recreation departments now in its second year — will feature live entertainment, a classic car cruise-in, a vendor market, and bounce houses and inflatables for kids. A beer and wine garden is planned for the 21-and-over crowd as well.

Admission is free, and organizers see the event as a way to showcase the hidden beauty of Johnson County Park in an exciting new way.

“July is National Parks and Recreation Month, so we wanted to have a nice community event to celebrate that and get people outdoors to enjoy the parks — to put on something people can do with their families and enjoy,” said Kevin Leonard, parks superintendent.

A major focus of Johnson County Parks & Recreation staff in recent years has been planning more special events to get people to the park. An eclipse festival, the Scrambled Eggs adult Easter egg hunt, a vintage camper rally and the Pours in the Park tasting event were all designed to get people to the park who otherwise might never give it a chance.

Combined with the park’s campground, and the Hoosier Horse Park hosting major competitions throughout the year, it’s a chance to bring to light all it has to offer.

“We have over five miles of walking and hiking trails for people to enjoy. We have prairies, we have Lake Cottonwood that the public can come and fish at. There are a lot of different activities where people can at least come out and enjoy the park itself,” Howe said. “We definitely want to showcase our campground and our park for the beauty of it.”

Park staff had the idea for RecFest in 2023, envisioning a new event that would spark interest in the outdoors. A $2,500 grant from Festival Country Indiana, the county tourism organization, allowed the department to create the new festival.

The event was a success, drawing large crowds last year. So parks officials planned to bring it back, once again with the help of a Festival Country Indiana events grant.

This year’s RecFest will be centered by live music. The headliner is Five After Midnight, an Indianapolis-based party band that plays a wild mix of cover songs, from Stevie Wonder, Shania Twain and Justin Timberlake to the Beatles, Toto and Destiny’s Child.

Opening for the band is Orvis & Friends, a unique variety band led by Orvis Kirkman, lead guitar player for The Flying Toasters.

One of the highlights of the festival is the vendor market, featuring a wide array of different craft vendors and artisans selling a variety of goods.

An cruise-in is planned throughout the festival, where people can bring whatever vehicles they’d like — classic cars, vintage vehicles, hot rods, Jeeps, motorcycles, trucks and everything in between. All makes and models of vehicles are welcome, and there is no cost and no awards.

“It’s just for people who want to come and hang out,” Howe said.

An expanded feature this year are additional activities for adults and kids, among them a rock-climbing wall, balloon artist, yard games and bounce houses. Organizers have lined up a bounce area for toddlers, then another for adults and older children as well, Howe said.

Throughout the day, festival attendees can fuel up with a wide variety of food, as nine different businesses will offer barbecue, ice cream, lemon shake-ups, burgers, tacos and more. Mallow Run Winery will be serving up their wines and ciders along with another local brewery in the beer and wine garden.

All of it adds up to an event suitable for revelers of all ages and interests who want to discover something new, Leonard said.

“It means a lot to showcase what we have to offer, and provide something where families can come out, relax and have a good time together,” he said.

IF YOU GO

RecFest

What: A family celebration showcasing the Johnson County Park, in recognition of National Parks and Recreation Month.

When: 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday

Where: Johnson County Park, 3097 E. 32nd St., Nineveh

Schedule

4 p.m.: Cruise-in; food trucks, beer and wine garden open; vendor market; bounce houses

5 p.m.: Music by Orvis & Friends

6:30 p.m.: Music by Five After Midnight

Information: jocoparks.com/recfest