About This Festival

The Indiana Button Society Annual Button Show is a two-day event held at the Brown County Inn in Nashville, Indiana. Scheduled for March 14-15, 2025, it features a clothing button competition, antique button dealers, silent auctions, displays, and button crafts. The event has an admission fee of $5 and is handicapped accessible.

This show is part of a long tradition by the Indiana State Button Society, which is hosting its 83rd annual button show around these dates at the same location. The venue, Brown County Inn, situates the event in the scenic Brown County area, known for its natural beauty and welcoming small-town atmosphere, which adds to the cozy and niche vibe of the show focused on button collecting and craftsmanship.

The atmosphere typically is friendly and centered on enthusiasm for the art and history of buttons. Collectors, crafters, and antique dealers gather to share their passion for buttons, engage in competitions, view exhibitions, and acquire unique pieces from vendors.

Key activities likely to be included (based on similar annual shows and the description) are:

  • Clothing button competition: Participants showcase and compete with unique or antique buttons.
  • Antique button dealers: Vendors offering buttons for sale, including rare and collectible specimens.
  • Silent auction: Bidders can quietly bid on special button-related items throughout the event.
  • Displays: Educational or artistic installations about button history, styles, and uses.
  • Button crafts: Demonstrations or workshops involving creative uses of buttons.

A rough schedule for such shows usually includes:

  • Morning opening with registration and viewing of displays.
  • Scheduled times for the button competition judging.
  • Vendor sales and browsing throughout the day.
  • Auctions typically held in the evening.
  • Possibly closing with awards or announcements on the final day.

Regarding the founding and history, the Indiana State Button Society has been active for more than eight decades, making it one of the longstanding button collecting organizations in the U.S. That longevity indicates a rich heritage of promoting button collecting and related arts, fostering a community of enthusiasts in Indiana and beyond.

In summary, the Indiana Button Society Annual Button Show at the Brown County Inn is a specialized, welcoming event celebrating button collecting through competitions, sales, displays, and crafts in a scenic and historic setting. It offers both a social and educational experience for collectors and those interested in button art.