The Yellowstone Trail Fest is a family-friendly annual festival held at the Starke County Fairgrounds in Hamlet, Indiana, celebrating the history of the first trans-continental road with a wide variety of activities, food, and entertainment. It runs two days, August 16–17, 2025, and features old-fashioned contests like cornhole toss, eating contests, an escape room, fireman contests, a rendezvous, a huge car show/swap, a beer tent, lively music, a parade, and fireworks.

The festival’s vibe is community-oriented and festive, with a historical theme linked to Yellowstone National Park and the pioneering road connecting the region. There is a blend of nostalgic, outdoor fun with interactive and themed entertainment, such as meet and greets with Yogi Bear characters, interactive dinosaur shows, and magical elements like throwing a gnome over the fence and a large two-headed dragon display. The event emphasizes family-friendly activities and local engagement through vendors and contests.

Event History and Founding
The festival commemorates the United States’ first National Park and the historic Yellowstone Trail, the original trans-continental road that passed through the area. It has grown into a significant local event with strong community and sponsor support, including benefits for local causes such as the Starke County Humane Shelter connected with the car show.

Key Activities and Descriptions

All-Day Activities (Both Days):

Meet and greets with Yogi Bear, Boo Boo, Cindi Bear, and park rangers
Photo opportunities with Yellowstone National Park themes
Escape room experience
The Ol’ Faithful Express and hourly Ol’ Faithful Geyser demonstrations
Food trucks and vendors offering festival foods and themed beverages
Live music performances

Saturday, August 16:

Car show registration starts 9:00 AM (sponsored by Street Freaks)
Donut eating contest at 9:30 AM
Coloring contest at 10:30 AM in the commercial building (bring pencils)
Dinosaur interactive show at 11:30 AM at the Farm Bureau Patio
Men’s Hammer Toss at noon in the horse arena
Women’s Skillet Toss at 12:30 PM
Potato race at 1:00 PM
“If Tombstones Could Talk” Cemetery walk led by reenactors at Fletcher Cemetery from 2:00-4:00 PM
Cooking contest winners and car show awards at 2:00 PM
Antique Tractor Pull at 3:00 PM
Party Bingo at 5:00-7:00 PM in the commercial building
Evening dinosaur show at 5:00 PM (Midway Pavilion)
Scavenger hunt at 6:00 PM
Fireworks show at dusk

Sunday, August 17:

Donut eating contest for adults at 10:30 AM at the Farm Bureau Patio
Dinosaur show at 11:30 AM on the patio
Parade lineup begins at noon on Indiana & Hamlet streets; parade starts at 1:00 PM from the firehouse, featuring Yogi Bear, Boo Boo, and Cindi as Grand Marshalls
Ant walks at 1:30 PM and 3:30 PM at the Farm Bureau Patio
Another dinosaur show at 3:00 PM
Vendor and food truck area closes at 4:00 PM
Live music until 1:00 PM

Event Locations Within Fairgrounds:

Commercial Building (coloring contest, bingo)
Farm Bureau Patio (dinosaur shows, donut contests, ant walks)
Horse Arena (hammer and skillet toss contests)
Midway Pavilion (dinosaur show)
Fletcher Cemetery (historical walk)
Streets for parade (Indiana & Hamlet streets)

The event is fully handicapped accessible, free to attend, and embraces both historical education and entertaining, hands-on activities for all ages. Vendors are encouraged to decorate their spaces, adding to the festive atmosphere, with a 2025 theme of “Mischief and Magic” involving magical-themed entertainment and beverage contests. The festival is known locally for its significant car show and community-pleasing fireworks displays.

Contact can be made via the phone number (574) 806-0500 or the official website for more details or vendor participation.

About This Festival