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The City of Bloomington will host the 2026 La Fiesta del Otoño from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, at Switchyard Park, 1601 S. Rogers St. The free event is open to the public and will feature music, dance, community organizations, activities, and food vendors. This year’s theme is “Unidos, Somos Más / Together, We Are More.”
Now in its 21st year, La Fiesta del Otoño is a long-standing Bloomington tradition that brings families, students, community organizations, local businesses, and visitors together during National Hispanic Heritage Month. Hosted by the Community and Family Resources Department’s Latino Outreach staff and the Commission on Hispanic and Latiné Affairs, the event recognizes Hispanic and Latiné cultures and provides an opportunity for residents to connect with local organizations and resources. For 2026, La Fiesta del Otoño is expanding across the Switchyard Park lawn and Pavilion, creating more space for community activities, live performances, games, arts and crafts, health and educational resources, and opportunities to connect with local organizations. Performances will take place on the City’s Mobile Stage on the park lawn, while the Pavilion will provide additional space for participating organizations and indoor activities.
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Boys & Girls Clubs of Bloomington is proud to announce a transformational scholarship initiative made possible through a partnership with the Ann St. John Legacy Foundation, creating greater access to affordable summer and school break programming for local families.
The Ann St. John Legacy Foundation awarded Boys & Girls Clubs of Bloomington a $265,000 gift to support scholarships that will significantly reduce fees for Summer Camps and annual Break Camps. This investment was matched dollar for dollar by community donors bringing the total available funding for scholarships and long-term support to $530,000. This funding represents a major investment in reducing financial barriers for families who rely on the Club for affordable, high-quality youth programming while school is out. Although afterschool programming at Boys & Girls Clubs of Bloomington costs just $20 annually per child, summer and school break programs still carry a fee of $20 per day or $100 per week. While scholarships are available, current funding only allows the organization to fulfill approximately 30% of scholarship requests received each year.  We’re inviting local educators to our Educator Open House at Dave & Buster’s Bloomington on Thursday, September 24th from 4–7 PM!
Come hang out with us for an evening of complimentary food, soft drinks, and game play, plus a chance to explore everything Dave & Buster’s can offer your school this year. FALL FREILECH: Celebration of Jewish Songwriters of Our Time Get ready for an unforgettable evening of music, community and celebration when we kick off our FALL FREILECH! The Celebration of Jewish Songwriters of Our Time takes the stage on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Bloomington. “Freilech,” a Yiddish word meaning a joyous occasion, captures the spirit of this special concert celebrating the music of some of the most influential Jewish songwriters of our time. This performance will feature an extraordinary lineup of Bloomington-area vocalists and ensembles, including Sylvia McNair, Jenn Cristy, Minka Wiltz, Amy Jackson, Lara Weaver, Quarryland Men’s Chorus, and the Unitarian Universalist Church Choir.  The City of Bloomington is asking residents to help name the new lanes planned for Hopewell South, the first phase of the City-led redevelopment of the former Bloomington Hospital site.
Residents may submit proposed lane names through Tuesday, Sept. 15, using the online form. City staff will review and verify the submissions and select finalists for a public vote beginning Wednesday, Sept. 16. Voting will remain open through Sunday, Sept. 20. Proposed names cannot use last names and cannot duplicate an existing road name in Monroe County. Hopewell South will include 98 new homes, along with new streets, utilities, and other public infrastructure. The project received unanimous approval from the Bloomington Plan Commission and Common Council. Hopewell South is the first of three planned phases—South, East, and West—of the larger Hopewell redevelopment. The lane-naming process comes as the City prepares the site for the next stage of development. After submissions close Sept. 15, the City will publish the finalists and voting information. Results from the public vote will help determine the names used for the new Hopewell South lanes.  Corks, Caps, & Casks Returns November 7 — Benefiting Hoosier Trails Council
Save the date: Hoosier Trails Council, Scouting America, is bringing back its signature fall fundraiser this year under a new name — Corks, Caps, & Casks (formerly the Wine-a-ree) — on Saturday, November 7, at The Commons in Columbus, Indiana. Now in its 17th year, this community favorite pairs wine, beer, and spirits tastings with a lively auction, with all proceeds supporting Scouting programs for youth across the 18 south central Indiana counties served by Hoosier Trails Council.  Most local business owners have not thought to ask an AI assistant what it says about them. In this post, David Martin of David Martin Design explains why that is worth twenty minutes of your time, and gives you a repeatable way to find out.
The approach is simple. Open two or three assistants, ask the same four questions of each, and write down what comes back. Martin covers what to look for in the answers, how to sort the results into problems worth fixing and results worth ignoring, and where inaccurate information usually originates. He is also clear about the limits: results shift between tools and between sessions, and there is no ranking to buy or verify, so any promise of a guaranteed placement in an AI answer should be treated with suspicion. Chamber members who have recently moved, rebranded, or changed what they offer will find this especially useful, since those are the changes that stale listings tend to miss. Read the full post here: https://davidmartindesign.com/seo/what-ai-says-about-your-business The Commission on the Status of Black Males invites middle school- and high school-aged males in Bloomington to attend the seventh annual Black Male Youth Summit. The one-day summit, focused on African American and Latino male-identifying students, is open to young men of all races and backgrounds. This year’s theme is “Building the Blueprint: Architecting Our Future.” It takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17, at Bloomington City Hall, 401 N. Morton St.
The summit will feature a Q&A with Dr. Russell Ledet and speaker Jamartae Jackson. Dr. Ledet co-founded The 15 White Coats, an organization committed to increasing diversity in medicine. Dr. Ledet has been featured on CBS, BeyGood, CNN, People Magazine, NPR, and the Washington Post. Jamartae Jackson is Director of First-Generation and Limited-Low Income Student Programs at Indiana University and a professional photographer. The Monroe County Community School Corporation, which is partnering to present the summit, will excuse registered middle school and high school attendees from classes during the hours of the Summit. Registration for the free event must be made by Monday, September 14, at bloomington.in.gov/csbm. Thinking about starting a renovation or new construction project but not sure where to begin? The term “interior designer” gets mentioned often, but what does that role actually entail, and are they the right fit for your project? Questions about the value a designer brings, how the process works, and what to expect along the way are common. From understanding the role of a designer to navigating budgets, timelines, and the design journey, this guide answers the questions most frequently asked by clients before a project begins.
1) “What services does an interior designer offer?” Services are tailored to each client's needs and can include space planning, finish and material selections, furniture specification and procurement, lighting design, construction documents, 3D visualizations, project coordination, and on-site support throughout construction and installation. Projects can range from furniture, accessories, or even wayfinding-only, to refreshing a single space, to planning a full multi-floor renovation. Designers guide the project from concept to completion. They coordinate with contractors, vendors, and manufacturers, and may subcontract with architects, engineers, and other consultants as needed to ensure projects stay organized, on schedule, and aligned with the client's vision. 2) “What if I don’t know what I want?” That's where interior designers come in! Clients don't need to have every detail figured out before starting a project. Through conversations, inspiration image presentations, and a thorough understanding of how the space will be used, designers help identify client goals, preferences, and priorities. They narrow endless, overwhelming ideas and possibilities into one cohesive design solution that reflects each client's unique needs, vision, and lifestyle. This discovery process takes time, as developing a thoughtful, personalized design requires collaboration and exploration and should be factored into the overall project timeline. City of Bloomington Utilities Awarded $2.3 Million EPA Grant to Strengthen Water System Resilience9/9/2026 The City of Bloomington Utilities (CBU) has been awarded a $2.375 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to strengthen the community’s drinking water system against cybersecurity and extreme weather threats.
The funding comes through the EPA’s Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability grant program, which supports projects designed to improve the ability of utilities to withstand and recover from disruptions. The EPA announced more than $11 million in resilience grants to 10 midsize and large drinking water systems nationwide. CBU received the largest award in this grant program alongside the City of San Diego, California. CBU will use the grant funding to improve the resilience of Bloomington’s water system through upgrades to the Monroe Water Treatment Plant, including backup generators and enhancing its control systems. The facility is located in a rural, heavily wooded area near Lake Monroe, making it particularly vulnerable to power outages caused by high winds and fallen trees. |
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