SHIPSHEWANA – The award-winning Giant Straw Bale Art Trail will return to Shipshewana and the surrounding Amish Country communities from Sept. 1 through Oct. 24.
Now in its third year, the free, self-guided trail will include 33 sites across four communities. Visitors will find 22 displays in Shipshewana, seven in Middlebury, three in LaGrange and one in Howe.
This year’s displays will use a grand total of 139 locally grown straw bales in all shapes and sizes, including 63 large round bales, eight large rectangular bales, 21 small round bales, 45 regular rectangular bales and two mini rectangular bales.
Local artists work alongside participating businesses to transform the bales into colorful characters, animals and imaginative scenes. This year’s designs include Raggedy Ann and Andy, Old Glory, a firecracker, an all-American burger, bingo balls, characters from The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland, Mini Minions, Highland cows, Louise the Grilled Cheese and Poppy the Popcorn, and plenty of other surprises.
Creating the displays involves much more than painting. One large, 5-foot round bale typically takes two to three hours to paint, depending on the number of colors and the intricacy of the design. Many displays also include smaller round and rectangular bales to help complete the story.
Artists begin preparing long before the bales arrive. Hats, candles, flippers, facial features and other pieces are often built from plywood or additional materials and secured to the bales with rebar. Each display is designed specifically for its location.
The Straw Bale Art Trail received the 2025 Arts United Award for Outstanding Artistic Endeavor. The award recognized the trail’s creativity, community impact and collaboration among local artists, farmers and businesses.
“You never know what you’ll find around the next corner,” said Sonya Nash, CEO of the LaGrange County Convention and Visitors Bureau. “One minute you’re traveling past cornfields and buggies, and the next you’re face-to-face with a larger-than-life character made from straw. The trail is creative, surprising and something you can only experience here in Amish Country.”
Visitors can pick up a free map at the Shipshewana Visitors Center, located at 350 S. Van Buren St., Shipshewana, and explore the trail during daylight hours. The trail is free and open to all ages.
Visitors are encouraged to take photos, explore the locally owned shops and restaurants along the way and share their adventures by tagging @VisitShipshewana and using #AutumnAdventure26.
For maps, artist biographies and additional information, visit visitshipshewana.org/events/autumn-adventures/straw-bale-art.
The Giant Straw Bale Art Trail is made possible in part by Arts United of Greater Fort Wayne, Inc. and the Indiana Arts Commission, which receives support from the State of Indiana and the National Endowment for the Arts.