Posted Under "Grabill"

About 30 minutes from the heart of Fort Wayne sits a quaint Amish community called Grabill. Its heritage dates back to 1852, when Mennonite settlers first arrived in the area as part of the Anabaptist movement after Luther’s European Reformation.

Drive carefully! You will see families traveling by the traditional means of their trusty horse and buggy.

Today, members of Grabill’s Amish community continue to enjoy a simpler way of life. They dress in very plain, modest clothing – something akin to what you might have seen during America’s pioneer era.

For transportation, Amish families rely on the trusty horse and buggy. Visitors sometimes find it surprising that buggies and cars travel alongside one another on the town’s streets. Most drivers – including those traveling via car or buggy – demonstrate great respect for those around them.

Amish homes do not have electricity, and many Amish families practice trades and perform other daily activities without modern conveniences.

When you visit the quaint town of Grabill, be sure to visit some of the town’s beloved shops.

When you visit Grabill, be sure to visit some of the town’s beloved shops. The town’s general store, for example, includes an eclectic mix of bottled soda, Amish cookies, collector toys, rustic house wares and more. The town also has a great fabric store, book store and antique store.

Visitors will also want to stop in and enjoy a meal at one of Grabill’s unique restaurants. You’re sure to enjoy hearty plates of home-cooked chicken, pies and apple dumplings.

Spend an afternoon in Grabill, and enjoy life as it once was. Click here for more information about this quaint Amish town.

Come experience Indiana’s Amish heritage at this year’s Grabill Country Fair in Grabill, Indiana.  This annual event, held since 1973, attracts about 100,000 visitors each year. Grabill is a small town located just northeast of Fort Wayne in the heart of Amish country. Enjoy an extensive craft fair, home-cooked food and activities for all ages at this year’s event, held September 8 through 10.

Browse the streets of Grabill, enjoying the crafts and snacks!

On average about 130 craft vendors will attend the fair, showcasing woodworking items, needlepoint, crochet and knit patterns and more. Contests, including a horseshoe tournament, run non-stop during the fair. For the ladies, enter the apple pie baking contest, or for the gents, try the nail driving or cross-cut sawing contests.

Other fair highlights include a grande parade and gospel music concert. When your hunger strikes, enjoy traditional foods including apple dumplings and corn on the cob. A shuttle service is offered from Leo Junior/Senior High School, at 14600 Amstutz Road, to and from the fair for your convenience.

For more information about the Grabill Country Fair and a full schedule of events, click here. Fair events this year include:

Thursday, September 8
6:30 a.m. – Pancake, Sausage, Biscuits and Gravy Breakfast Begins
10 a.m. – Artisan, Craft and Food Booths Open
1 p.m. – Weaving Demonstrations
5 p.m. – Children’s Games and Rides Open
6 p.m. – Egg Toss
6:30 p.m. – Watermelon Eating Contest

Friday, September 9
10 a.m. – Corn Husk Craft Demonstration
1 p.m. – Rug Hooking Demonstration
5 p.m. – Beef and Noodles, Pork Chops and Pie Dinner Begins
6 p.m. – Baby Crawl
7 p.m. – Pet Parade

Saturday, September 10
10 a.m. – Parade Begins
11 a.m. – Artisan, Craft and Food Booths Open
11:30 a.m. – BBQ Chicken Meal Begins
2:30 p.m. – Cherry Spit Contest
3 p.m. – Spelling Bee
4:30 p.m. – Magic Show
6:30 pm. – Cross-cut Saw Cutting
8 p.m. – Gospel Music Concert

If you love taking day trips, Grabill, Indiana is the perfect place to wile away the hours – and have a great time doing so! Located in the middle of a large Amish settlement, visitors enjoy a  picturesque town with the occasional horse drawn vehicle.

The Grabill General Store Offers A Glimpse to the Past

When you arrive it’s as if you step into a time warp and enter a quaint, folksy little town. Several houses along the main streets are converted into charming shops and tea rooms with antiques, candles, country crafts, and other knick-knacks for visitors to browse.

Located at the heart of the city is the Country Shops of Grabill offering a whopping 30,000 square feet loaded with antiques, primitives, finished oak, glassware, painted furniture, and other unique items.

Attached to the Country Shops is H. Souder & Sons General Store, which offers visitors a glimpse of the past with Coke memorabilia, ice cold bottled soda like Dad’s Rootbeer, penny candy (a real hit with kids of all ages), homemade jams, fresh roasted coffee, and local Amish cookies and baked goods.

After browsing the Country Shops and General Store, you’ll definitely want to wander the streets and peruse the many shops scattered throughout town. Shops include the Catalpa Tree Shops, Mother Hubbard’s, and the Lumberyard Shops where you’ll find Simple Pleasures, a country shop filled with gift items and decorative accessories for the home.

When your stomach begins rumbling – and it will from all the browsing you’ll do – enjoy lunch at local tea rooms or sandwich shops or visit the town’s full-service restaurant, the Grabill Inn, located at the west end of town. Grabill Dairy Sweet is another pallet pleaser and offers a wide array of ice cream novelties as well as lunch and dinner.

Most women will opt to leave the men in their lives home, but if yours wants to tag along and gets bored with your browsing, send him over to Grabill Hardware, where he can do a little browsing of his own!

Whether it’s a half day – or more, take time to enjoy the picturesque town of Grabill, Indiana.