Tippecanoe and You Too

Authentic 18th-century cuisine, the odd attraction of painterly opposites, and a support group for wolves. They’re all in Tippecanoe County, Indiana this weekend, where the span between Friday and Sunday contains one of the more eclectic weekend itineraries you’re likely to find this month. To run with the wolves—among other activities—read on:

• To the Moon
  There are historically themed festivals, and then there’s the 44th Annual Feast of the Hunters’ Moon. Here, you’ll find artisans creating artwork, jewelry, and fiber pieces using only materials and methods that were available in the mid-1700s at Fort Ouiatenon, the first fortified European outpost in what is now Indiana. The fest’s food prepared over open fires using recipes of the same era. Souvenirs are similarly old school: Pewter, leather, wood, and wool goods are for sale in the form of 18th-century clothing, toys, cookware, and blankets. The fest also features camps of re-enactors living as the era’s Native Americans, French settlers, and fur traders would have. (Watch out for flying tomahawks. Throwing contests run throughout the weekend.)

GO The 44th Annual Feast of the Hunters’ Moon at Fort Ouiatenon Historic Park, 3129 S. River Rd., West Lafayette; 765-476-8411, tippecanoehistory.org.

• Running (or walking) with the Wolves
  In nearby Battle Ground, Indiana, 14 wolves roam over a seven-acre wilderness within Wolf Park’s 75 acres, which also plays host to foxes, coyotes, and ten bison. On Saturday, September 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., packs of humans will follow an ambassador wolf (under the control of a park specialist) in the annual Walk for Wolves, a fund-raising ramble around the park. Funds go to educational programs about endangered species and conservation. Wolf Park weekend continues with Howl Night, when staff members enter the wolf enclosure after dark and offer a moonlit lecture on the animals.

GO Walk for Wolves at Wolf Park, 4004 E. 800 N., Battle Ground;
765-567-2265, wolfpark.org.

• Beauty and the beeswax
  At Lafayette’s Lala Gallery, works by Elizabeth Guipe Hall and Michal Lile are on display in an exhibit devoted to “The Strange Attraction of Opposites.” Hall works in encaustic collage, which involves using fire to fuse layers of molten beeswax and pigment. Lile is an abstract artist whose “concepts in paint” are created to be equally intriguing whether viewed straight-on or from a sideways angle.

GO The Strange Attraction of Opposites at Lala Gallery, 609 Main St., Lafayette; 765-714-7962, lalagallery.com.

Where to eat: Chef Ake Waratap moved Basil Thai & Bubble Tea (135 S. Chauncey Ave., Suite 2C, West Lafayette; 765-743-3330, basilthai.net) from San Francisco to Indiana in 2004, and wins raves for both flavor and authenticity; on request, he can also make most entrees vegetarian and/or gluten free. In business since 1999, Bistro 501 (501 Main St., Lafayette; 765-423-4501, bistro501.com) offers French cuisine, an extensive wine list, and discounted Champagne on Saturdays.

Where to stay: The Union Club Hotel (101 N. Grant St., West Lafayette; 800-320-6291, union.purdue.edu) offers upscale accommodations on the Purdue University campus; rates range $99–$285 per night. The University Plaza Hotel (1600 Cumberland Ave., West Lafayette; 765-588-1331, universityplazahotelwl.com) has standard rooms and luxury suites within minutes of the nationally ranked Kampen golf course; rates start at about $119.

Photograph: MONTY SLOAN