Parke County Covered Bridge Festival – Bridgeton

The Parke County Covered Bridge Festival in Bridgeton, Indiana, runs for 10 days from October 10 to October 19, 2025. It is Indiana's largest festival, celebrating the county’s 31 historic covered bridges amid beautiful fall foliage. Bridgeton itself is a quaint historic village with a designated Historic District featuring landmarks like Dr. Crooks’ old office building, the Bridgeton Country Store (both from 1868), the Old Schoolhouse from the 1920s, and the working Bridgeton gristmill alongside Indiana’s most famous covered bridge.

The festival vibe is festive and charming, combining Americana with autumnal scenery, artisanal crafts, and local culture, drawing crowds interested in history, handmade arts and crafts, and fall food specialties. Visitors are encouraged to enjoy walks along the covered bridges, picnics in the park, and casual creek fishing.

Activities at the festival include:

• Quality handmade crafts and fine arts sales, showcasing local artisans.
• Food courts offering traditional and festival-specific foods, including regional specialties like apple butter.
• Shopping in local shops and around the festival grounds.
• Live entertainment featuring music and community performances.
• Historic tours, including the Bridgeton covered bridge and the gristmill.
• Opportunities to explore other festival locations within Parke County, each with unique specialties such as chicken and noodle dinners in Bloomingdale or crafts at Billie Creek Village.
• Outdoor recreation, including hiking nearby at Turkey Run or Shades State Park.
• Special events such as the first-ever 5K and Family Fun Walk organized by local trail alliances.
• Model T Ford tours through the bridges and Amish community.

A rough schedule generally includes daytime hours for crafts, food vendors, and tours, with live entertainment scattered throughout the day and into early evening. Specific tours, such as guided walking tours of the historic district or covered bridge tours, typically align with daytime hours. Food and craft vendors operate daily, offering a wide selection of goods and festival cuisines in multiple locations across the county.

Historically, the festival has been held annually since it was founded to celebrate and preserve the heritage of Parke County’s covered bridges. The event promotes tourism and local culture and supports preservation efforts of these iconic structures which have significant cultural and architectural value for Indiana and the Midwest.

Bridgeton acts as one of the nine main festival hubs where visitors can deeply experience the historic ambiance, hallmark food, and crafts, combining natural beauty with cultural richness in a small-town setting. The entire county, dubbed the "Covered Bridge Capital of the World," becomes a picturesque autumn destination during the festival.

For visitors planning a trip, it is recommended to explore each community’s offerings for a full experience. The festival is well known for friendly Midwest hospitality, vibrant fall colors, and a genuine celebration of craft, history, and community.