Shown are the Stone’s Trace Festival grounds during last year’s event. This year is the 51st annual festival featuring two days of reeactments, craft demonstrations and entertainment. Photo provided by Stone’s Trace Historical Society.

News Release

LIGONIER — There isn’t many pioneer festivals which have lasted over 50 years. The Stone’s Trace Pioneer Festival is one of the lucky ones as it celebrates its 51st anniversary. The festival will be held Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 7-8.

Established in 1827, the historic tavern, built by Richard Stone in 1839, is one of the oldest restored buildings in Noble County. It was listed on the National Historic Register in 1984.

The Pioneer Festival and Regulators Rendezvous will be held 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 8.

One of the vendors at last year’s Stone’s Trace Festival has wares on display outside their tent while inside they assist a customer. There will be a number of craft demonstrators and vendors at this year’s festival, which will be held Sept. 7-8. Photo provided by Stone’s Trace Historical Society.

Stone’s Trace is located 1 and 1/2 miles south of Ligioner at the junction of U.S. 33 and SR 5. Parking is available at West Noble High School with shuttle buses ready to transport visitors across the highway to the festival.

The 51st fall festival will feature The Stone’s Trace Regulators demonstrating black powder shooting, primitive archery and hawk and knife throwing, Native American re-enactors, craft demonstrators and vendors, and a Civil War encampment.

There will be a variety of entertainment, from Johnny Appleseed roaming the grounds telling stories to performances from Hand Hewn, Fiddlesix, Browns, The Applejack Cloggers, Lisa and Mark, Time Travelers and Inclognito Cloggers. Be sure to bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on and enjoy the music.

Mousetrap Puppet Theater will be on the grounds with shows at 10:30 a.m., noon and 2:30 p.m. Saturday and 11:15 a.m. 1:30 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. Sunday.

For children, there will be a scavenger hunt, face painting and other games and activities.

There will be food vendors available on-site.

Many demonstrations will also be taking place, including weaving, felting, wheat weaving, chair caning, broom making, wool dying, basket weaving, spinning, black smithing and more.

The festival will start with an opening ceremony featuring the national anthem and a flag raising and end with the lowering of the flag at the end of each day. Mark Gropp will play the bagpipes and march through the festival grounds for the flag raising and lowering.

Pets are not allowed on the festival grounds. Service animals are welcome.

Admission is $8 for those 12 and up. Those age 11 and under are free.

For more information visit stonestrace.com.

General Ulysses Grant entertains guests at his tent during last year’s Stone’s Trace Festival. Photo provided by Stone’s Trace Historical Society.