Along the M.
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This festival is a county-wide event with several participating towns. The review covers our experiences at the three largest locations, as well as three smaller spots.
Bridgeton⭐⭐⭐⭐Highly Recommended! Beautiful setting along the creek with a covered bridge & mill. Vendors offer higher quality goods and many handmade crafts. Good food selection. Finding the best path can be tricky. Paid parking available.
Rockville⭐⭐⭐⭐Highly Recommended! Located in the heart of Parke County. Not overrun with flea market items, unlike Mansfield. Food offerings are spread out and fewer vendors overall. Easier to find free parking, though a church near the town square charges. Tip: Bridgeton is larger, so if you're short on time, stick with Rockville. If not, try to visit both.
Mansfield⭐⭐⭐Beautiful scenery along the creek, featuring a mill and a covered bridge. Food selection is generally good, but be wary of vendors without price lists (paid $18 for a small piece of alligator on a stick). Shopping is dominated by vendor after vendor offering flea market knock off items. Paid parking available.
Smaller Locations (Recommended If On Your Route)
These stops are quick and not worth a dedicated day trip, but offer unique features. Free parking is available at all of these locations.
Mecca⭐⭐⭐Very few vendors and limited food. The main attractions are the covered bridge and an old schoolhouse.
Tangier⭐⭐ Small enough that you'll still get a personal welcome. Known for their "buried beef" (BBQ is recommended—good portion and taste). Food sales support the community; this is not the place for typical "fair food", as there are no outside food vendors. Shopping takes only 5 mins or so.
Montezuma⭐⭐Very few food vendors, but known for crullers (we regret not trying them). Offers an hour-long canal ride for $5, running at the top of each hour (due to timing we didn't go).
Other Festival locations include Rosedale, Bloomingdale, and Billie Creek. We have not visited these during the festival, but enjoyed Billie Creek years ago and believe they would be worth checking out.
Beyond the Festival
Regardless, Parke County and its beauty have a lot to offer. Be sure to include some of the covered bridges on your route, and if time allows, stop in at Gobblers Knob for some goodies. If you have more than a day or two, Turkey Run State Park is a must!