Current Programs and Events

 

Your national park adventure begins here!

Get in the know with our current programs and events listed below, which is updated about mid-month. You can also check out our yearly main events listed near the bottom of this page. All events are subject to change without notice.

Just looking for something else to do here at the park? Visit our Things To Do page to learn about many of our outdoor activities. Remember, safety is of upmost importance. Please take all necessary precautions when venturing outdoors. For more information, visit our Safety page.

National Park passes are required. For more information, visit our Fees and Passes page.

---

 

September - November 2025 Activities

Indiana Dunes National Park has an entrance fee of $25 per car for a 1–7-day pass. A $45 annual pass for the national park is also available. Please purchase passes or pay the entrance fee at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center, Paul H. Douglas Center, West Beach Entrance Station or at www.recreation.gov/sitepass/indu. Veterans/Military/Gold Star Family, Access, and 4^th Grade passes are available for free. For more information on national park passes visit the fees & passes page.

• Fee-free days: National Public Lands Day (September 27) and Veterans Day (November 11).
  Fee free days only apply to locations within Indiana Dunes National Park, NOT Indiana Dunes State Park.

Outdoor Adventure Festival happeing Region-wide

Friday, September 5 thru Sunday, September 21
All Day
Celebrate the outdoors at the Outdoor Adventure Festival. The festival has over 50 events taking place at different parks and preserves throughout Northwest Indiana. There are events for visitors of all ages and activity levels, including hiking, biking, photography, forest bathing, yoga, geocaching, earth-caching, birding, and more. Please visit DunesOutdoorFestival.com for the schedule of events, locations, dates, times and descriptions of events.

Weekdays

---

Music Heritage Series Concert at Bailly Contact Station – Chellberg Farm Parking Lot

Friday, September 19, October 17, & November 14
7:30 pm–9:00 pm
Enjoy an evening of folk music with The Save the Tunes Council, local musicians keeping traditional songs alive with classic instruments. Location has changed due to construction at the Visitor Center.

Veterans Day Film at Paul H. Douglas Center

Tuesday, November 11
2:00 pm–3:00 pm
Join us for Flying for Freedom: Untold Stories of the Tuskegee Airmen, a powerful documentary honoring the African-American pilots who broke barriers and served heroically in World War II. Experience their courage in combat and their fight for justice at home in this unforgettable tribute to our nation’s heroes.

Black Friday Opt-Outside Hike at West Beach Parking Lot

Friday, November 28
1:00 pm–4:00 pm
Join a ranger for a post-Thanksgiving hike instead of shopping on black Friday. This event is co-sponsored by Save the Dunes, the interactive hike will be led by regional experts in fields such as birding, botany, insects, geology, and ecology.

Saturdays

---

Chellberg Farm Open House & Feeding at the Farm* at Chellberg Farm

Every Saturday September-November - Open House
1:00 pm–3:00 pm
Every Saturday in September & October - Feeding at the Farm
Starting at 4:00 pm
Stop by the historic Chellberg Farm to tour the farmhouse and visit the animals. Volunteers will be on site to share the area’s history. After the open house, feel free to help the volunteers feed the resident farm animals.

Rail Rangers South Shore Train Program On the South Shore Train

Saturday, Oct. 25 & Nov. 15	8:30 am CT–11:38 am ET	Millennium Station to South Bend Station	Train # 503
	1:14 pm ET–2:27 pm CT	South Bend Station to Millennium Station	Train # 506

Join The Midwest Rail Rangers on the South Shore and learn about the sights outside the window. For more information visit railrangers.org. Train schedules may change, check mysouthshoreline.com for updates.

Stargazing at Kemil Beach Parking Lot

Saturday, September 6
- 8:30 pm–10:30 pm
Saturday, October 4
- 7:30 pm–9:30 pm
Saturday, November 1
- 6:30 pm–8:30 pm
Join the Michiana Astronomical Society to enjoy our night sky from one of the darkest spots in the park. Telescopes will be provided for your viewing pleasure. For safety purposes and to ensure parking, please arrive early.

Art in the National Park at Paul H. Douglas Center

Saturday, September 13, October 11, & November 8
1:00 pm–3:00 pm
Learn how to paint your own dunes-inspired painting with local artist from the Art Barn. Reservations are required at www.recreation.gov. Program fee is $25 to pay for art supplies and participants can take their art home.

End of Summer Open House* at Chellberg Farm Parking Lot

Saturday, September 20
12:00 pm–4:00 pm
Wrap up the summer with our amazing park Volunteers at Chellberg Farm! Step inside the historic house, craft your very own clove apple, and try your hand at games and pastimes that kept folks entertained back in the 1800s.

Fall Colors Hike at Chellberg Farm Parking Lot

Saturday, October 25 and November 1 & 8
3:30 pm–5:30 pm
Meander through a color swept forest with a ranger. Admire the vibrant fall colors of the maple and oak trees of the region.

Winter Maritime Wanderers at Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk Pavilion

Saturday, November 1
8:30 am–10:30 am
Join Dunes-Calumet Audubon expert birders to look for and identify water birds visiting Lake Michigan. Bring your binoculars and chairs to view numerous bird species in the water or over the lake. Be prepared for a variety of winter weather.

Gales of November Shipwreck Program at Paul H. Douglas Center

Sunday, November 22
1:00 pm–2:00 pm
Learn about the treacherous side of the Great Lakes in this fascinating program about the storms and shipwrecks of the past.

Turkey Trot at Calumet Dunes Parking Lot

Saturday, November 29
1:00 pm–3:00 pm
Join a ranger in search of wild turkey and other wildlife as you work off Thanksgiving dinner. Hike along the ancient Calumet shoreline of Lake Michigan through forested dunes and small blowouts.

Sundays

---

Migration Birding Walk at Paul H. Douglas Center

Sunday, September 7 & October 5
9:30 am–11:00 am
Join a birding expert from the Dunes-Calumet Audubon Society for birding at one of the park's hotspots. Bring binoculars and dress for the weather.

Chellberg Farm Open House and Music on the Porch* at Chellberg Farmhouse

Every Sunday September- November - Open House
1:00 pm–3:00 pm
Sunday, September 14 & 28- Music on the Porch
5:00 pm–6:00 pm
Tour the farmhouse, meet the animals, and enjoy an evening of folk music with The Save the Tunes Council, local musicians dedicated to preserving traditional songs and instruments.

Critter Time Open House at Paul H. Douglas Center

Every Sunday starting October 5 thru November 30
1:30 pm–2:30 pm
Come learn about the ambassador animals at the Douglas Center! Find out why they're special, what they eat, where they live, and how park staff cares for them. Visit and find answers to these questions and more!

Volunteering - Drop In

---

Trash Trekkers at Indiana Dunes Visitor Center and Douglas Center

Visitor Center and Douglas Center- Daily
9:00 am–4:00 pm
Join our drop-in litter cleanup! Check in at the Visitor Center for supplies, pick a beach or trail, and start collecting. Fill your bag to earn a free reusable water bottle. Please leave collected trash in on-site bins.

Porter Beach Restoration at Porter Beach Parking Lot

Saturday, September 13, October 4, and November 8
9:00 am–12:00 pm
Team up with staff and fellow volunteers to help care for your national park! Equipment will be provided —just bring your energy and love for the great outdoors. RSVP at [phone] or e-mail us.

National Public Lands Day Clean-Up at West Beach Parking Lot

Saturday, September 27
9:00 am-12:00 pm
National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance America’s public lands. Join staff and fellow volunteers to help improve one of our many native habitats. Wear comfortable clothes; work gloves and equipment will be provided.

Drop-in Volunteering Chellberg Farm Care at Chellberg Farm Parking Lot

Saturday, September 20, October 18, & November 15
9:00 am–12:00 pm
Work with a ranger and fellow volunteers to help care for the park’s historic farm. Dress comfortably and get ready to roll up your sleeves—work gloves and equipment will be provided.

*These programs are sponsored by the Friends of Indiana Dunes, a non-profit group that is dedicated to enhancing and foster understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of the Indiana Dunes through the sponsorship of special educational programs and events throughout the park. For more information on how to get become a member, visit dunefriends.org

 

Yearly Main Events

These are our largest park events that encompass multiple ranger-led interpretive activities and presentations, which draw thousands of visitors each year.

Maple Sugar Time Festival: First weekend in March

Enjoy a sweet taste of spring during the annual Maple Sugar Time festival. Take a self-guided tour of the sugaring operation at historic Chellberg Farm which will be bustling with maple sugaring activities.

Logs to Lustrons Tour: First Saturday in May

From rustic landmarks to Mid-Century Modern, experience a century of architecture at Indiana Dunes National Park (IDNP) on our Logs to Lustrons tour, including log structures of early settlement days, frame homes from the Victorian period, and mid-century homes of glass, stucco, and metal.

Indiana Dunes Birding Festival: Third weekend in May

Hosted by Indiana Audubon, the national park plays an important role in this the Indiana Dunes Birding Festival. This incredible four-day event showcases dozens of birding spots around the region with expert led outings.

Indiana Dunes Outdoor Adventure Festival: Early September

The OAF showcases the region’s natural and cultural significance through activities such as hiking, paddling, biking, photography, birding, and others.

Century of Progress Homes Tour: Last weekend in September

Join national park rangers for a two-hour tour of five historic homes from the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. Advance reservation only. There is a fee. Visit IndianaLandmarks.org or call [phone]. Tickets go on sale early in August and usually sell out within one hour.

---

For more information on events and other programs at Indiana Dunes National Park, contact us or call [phone].

 

Park Calendar

For a different view of upcoming park events, visit our Calendar page.

 

❤ Support your park.

Donate to the Indiana Dunes National Park. Donations will be used to fund maintenance projects and enhance activities at the park.