CarmelFest

Went to Carmelfest for the first time and my family and I really enjoyed it! It felt like we were at a smaller version of a carnival with a Carmel feel to it. We started off grabbing a funnel cake and then walked around all the pop up shops!We headed over to the kid zone which was a ton of fun they had bounce houses and a few rides along with a petting zoo with goats, bunnies and horses. We did a pony ride and got to pet and feed the animals! Then to end our day we watched the concerts going on and had a blast listening and dancing to the music. Overall it was a fun experience and we look forward to coming back next year!

How have I never been to carmelfest? If you've never been, think State Fair but carmel style. Carmelfest is so fun and it's free! There is food, games, music, and other vendors. There is tons to do and see and they have fireworks in the evening. A really fun activity for those who stay in town for 4th or July Weekend!

I've lived in Carmel my entire life, but this year was my first time attending the local favorite event, Carmelfest. This is a two-day festival that takes place primarily at Carmel Civic Square by the gazebo / fire station / fountain. Locals infamously stake their parade spot days in advance but to be honest...you can just show up day of and find a spot to stand and watch the parade. It's not that big of a deal.The actual festival has vendor booths selling / promoting stuff, live entertainment, a kids zone area and what I refer to as "state fair" concessions. Grab a lemon shakeup and elephant ear and sit back and people watch. This event draws a crowd!Stick around for the incredible fireworks show, too. Tip: Carmelfest is easily accessible by the Monon Trail, so if you're willing to walk, park in the Midtown or Arts & Design District to avoid the most congestion.

The city and people of Carmel are kind, and you really see this during CarmelFest. Where else can you leave chairs out on the sidewalk for four days before a parade in order to secure a spot ... and no one will move them or steal them. (Pro tip: In order to secure a decent spot for the CarmelFest parade, you probably should leave your chairs out. Just saying.) The parade is just one aspect of the festival. There are also food trucks, bounce houses, carnival games, caricatures and face painting, musical acts, and lots of vendors. The fire house is open, so kids can look at the fire trucks and even hop in them. This is a very popular festival every year, so expect lots of people!

My partner in crime (13 year old daughter) and I really had a craving for some street corn and since it was July 3rd, we figured we would try to find something at CarmelFest. We had never gone before so we weren't quite sure what to expect. They did have a ton of vendors but they all seemed to be offering very similar things. I think it would have been nice to have a bit more variety in their food selections. We couldn't find elotes but did settle on some chicken on a stick which cost us about $12.50 for one stick. I know fair food is a bit pricey but I felt the cost a bit too high for just one. The events were very nice and it was a great evening to people watch and partake in some of our guilty food pleasures. I know my review was average but I do want to point out that we attended on the 3rd which was without fireworks so I cannot tell if the next day was a lot more exciting. Based on just the one day we attended, I would recommend the event as average.

This event is ok. It's everything you think it will be - carnival type food, well heeled locals milling around, local organizations and their booths, vendors selling trash and trinkets that buyers never use or see after they get home, etc. There are also two stages for music and other performances.What it needs is something more edgy. Carmel is like that near perfectly round, smooth rock that has been in the waves for years such that anything obtuse, sharp, and edgy has been smoothed out. This event epitomizes that and bores the crap out of me after 10-15 minutes.Where are the ethnic food vendors? How many varieties of burgers and carny fries do we need?Where are the booths advocating for the rights of excessively tattooed, atheist, midget amputees?Where are the gangsta rappers from 38th Street throwing down rhymes about Carmel PD harassing people for DWB?Show me something *interesting*.

This year was the first time I went to the CarmelFest and I really enjoyed it! It was spread across a good size of downtown Carmel. There were two bounce areas for kids, one for younger kids and one on the opposite side of the fest for older kids. There were also many food carts to choose from! I got a Lemonade shake-up, which is always a good choice, and a corn dog. Prices were as expected at a festival, but if you ordered a shake-up many food trucks refilled for cheaper a price. The bounce area for the younger kids was a great time. My nieces and nephew loved it. The wristbands were $25 per kid, or $10 a piece for ages 6 and under. With the band they were able to go on any of the bounce areas unlimited times. The fireworks were great! They were shot off right in front of the Palladium. They had a great grand finale, one of the best I've seen in a long time! There were many places to choose from to sit and watch them as well.

Ask yourself: Is it really the Fourth of July if you don't come here? Would Katy Perry be proud of you if you didn't watch the fireworks?Cue CarmelFest. Walk in, buy your elephant ear, and meander through the concerts, games, contests, and vendors. You'll be in the American spirit within minutes and it's exciting because the Fest gets bigger & better every year. The south-end of the festival boasts a lively children's area full of rides, huge inflatables, and a kid's stage. The coolest part are the mini trampolines with harnesses that you can pay to try. The harnesses allow you to jump and do cool flips in the air. Beginner Cirque de Solei? You also have to pay for the other games as well. Fairly cheap. The gazebo in the center of CarmelFest has live music with local bands that play both days. There's always a singing competition during the day on the fourth and the finalists perform again that night. Always chalked full of local talent. Everyone brings a picnic blanket, chairs, and coolers, then lays out in the lawn all day, staking their spot.And the food? It's your typical fair food (in a good way) plus some. Yep, it's got your fried options, incredible Indian corn, swirly ice cream cones, and lemon shake-ups. There's also guests like Bella Pizzeria and a new stir-fry-made-to-order booth. Cash is needed. There are about a hundred sponsor booths, hippie vendors, and interactive stops around the festival and without spending a dime, you could be entertained for at least an hour. If you haven't been, check it out next year! Always on July 3rd & 4th and no entry fee.

All American 4th of July festival 30+ Food Vendors and twice as many Art vendors! Great place to celebrate our freedom! Love this country! Thankful for the courage of the men and women who made it possible to enjoy this day

Such a fun holiday activity for Independence Day! Maybe one of these days I'll make it to the parade as my friends on Facebook all seemed to be there! My husband and I like to eat our way around the place basically. It's fun to see the kids area and all the vendors, but my favorite part is the northern end where the beer tent is. Sun King is always there, but the wineries seem to change. Last year Huber Winery was there, and this year was Peace Tree (I think?) winery. To be honest, I missed Huber! The food trucks seem to be higher quality on this end as well. Market District had a truck! I was super excited to see it and wanted to try more of their offerings, but I was quickly becoming stuffed! Which Wich was also there. You have to stop and get an elephant ear or funnel cake before leaving this place! I've never taken in the fireworks display at the end of the festival, but if they're as good as the rest of the festival, I'm sure it's a good time! A note on parking. The website for the festival has a map, but last year it was outdated, and we ended up driving around for a while before finding parking. This year I decided to stick with our spot from last year at the Carmel United Methodist Church which has a huge parking lot. We then walk down Rangeline for maybe a half mile to get here. Bring cash! Some of the vendors don't take cards (but a lot do these days). You definitely don't want to forget and pay $4.50 for an ATM.