Milky Way Festival
Celebrating Crawford County's Dark Night Sky
August 7 & 8 at Cave Country Canoes
This photograph of the Milky Way galaxy was captured by Kelly Davenport at Sycamore Springs Park in English, Indiana.
Milky Way Festival
Friday, August 7th & Saturday, August 8th
Cave Country Canoes: 112 W Main St, Milltown, IN 47145
Discover the beauty of the Milky Way Galaxy in Crawford County, Indiana! Crawford County boasts the best stargazing in Indiana, thanks to our exceptionally low levels of light pollution. Don’t miss this opportunity to marvel at the night sky like never before! This is a FREE event, perfect for all ages and abilities. Louisville Astronomical Society volunteers will bring telescopes to provide optimal viewing of bright objects in the sky.
FAQ:
1. Can I bring a flashlight? Red lights only at Milky Way Festival and any other stargazing events, please! Red lights do not disturb your night vision the way white lights do. If you do not have a red light, putting a red balloon over your flashlight can sometimes do the trick, depending on how bright your light is.
2. Do I have to bring a telescope? No, but you are more than welcome to bring your own scope! Louisville Astronomical Society volunteers will be stationed around the event with their telescopes to help show people the night sky.
3. What should I bring? You don’t NEED to bring anything, but a pair of binoculars can be fun to use when viewing the Milky Way Galaxy. If you plan to stay and stargaze for a while, bring a picnic blanket or lawn chair for your personal comfort.
4. Can I stay overnight? Yes, please do! There are a variety of overnight accomodations available nearby, ranging from tent and rv camping, to Air Bnb’s, hotel rooms, and cabins! View all options at the bottom of this page.
5. How can I change my phone settings so that my screen is red light during the event?
iPhone instructions:
- Open Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Color Filters.
- Turn on Color Filters.
- Select Color Tint.
- Adjust Intensity and Hue sliders all the way to the right
Android Instructions:
1. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Color Filters
2. Turn on Color Filters, pick Color Tint
3. Set Intensity to max, Hue all the way to red
4. Then go to Accessibility Shortcut and set it to Color Filters
5. Now just triple-click your side/home button to toggle it on/off
Disclaimer: Due to the nature of this event, the events are subject to weather-related cancellation at any time. Make sure to check this page regularly to stay informed!
Where to Stay
Old Homestead Hotel
Old Homestead Distilling Co. is home to a 28-room boutique hotel with contactless check-in: 8 rooms have 1 King bed and a full size pull-out couch; 20 rooms have 2 Queen beds (2 of these are ADA compliant). All rooms have Wi-fi, keyless entry, mini fridge, flat screen TV with cable, and a full bathroom with walk-in shower. Only a scenic 32 minute drive from Old Homestead Hotel to the Milky Way Festival.
Cabins & More
Please click the button below to visit the Plan a Visit page to view our full list of local accomodations!
Camping:
Cave Country Canoes:
Take an unforgettable camping experience in Milltown, IN! We offer primitive space camping, non-electric riverside sites and 13 electric sites. The grassy campsites are situated next to the river and all boast a river view!
Cave Country Canoes:
Take an unforgettable camping experience in Milltown, IN! We offer primitive space camping, non-electric riverside sites and 13 electric sites. The grassy campsites are situated next to the river and all boast a river view!
Patoka Lake State Park:
With 26,000 acres of land and water, Patoka Lake is a fine example of lake ecology. An 8,800-acre lake provides habitat for freshwater jellyfish and bald eagle nesting sites. River otters and osprey were reintroduced at Patoka by the DNR.
The property also was home to the DNR’s resident, non-releasable bald eagle, C52. This raptor lived at Patoka Lake from 1988 until he died in 2009, at age 21.
The lake is located just south of the historic towns of French Lick and West Baden, and just east of historic Jasper.
Sycamore Springs Park:
At Sycamore Springs Park there are sites to suit all camping styles including RV full utilities with 30 and 50 amp service, RV Electric and Water, Primitive Tent camping, with or without electric. We are a “no alcohol” park, so please leave drinks at home.
Marengo Cave:
Stay the night & save gas. Crowds are rare here, so kick back and enjoy the scenic, shaded camp site and beautiful creek.
No need to rough it.Amenities include a fire pit, grills, picnic tables, and nearby modern showers and restrooms. We also have free WIFI available at the gift shop! All sites have 50 amp electric hookups as well as 4-110 outlets and a 11′ by 11′ Pavilion.
Bonus Activities
Night Sky Photo Contest
Weekday Activities & Viewing Tips
For more information contact: info@crawfordcountyindiana.com