Blue Gate Theatre-Shipshewana, IN #TravelTuesday #BlueGateTheatre

How many of our readers have ever heard of Shipshewana, Indiana? Probably quite a few, because although not as well known as some vacation destinations, I had heard of this Amish country locale for several years before we ever visited. Last month, my sisters and I took our mom for a two-night "girls getaway" to Shipshewana with the highlight being a visit to the Blue Gate Theatre for a concert by her favorite Gospel music group, the Inspirations. We did a lot of research before heading out, so I knew there would be plenty to do in town and nearby. We had a full day set to spend in Shipshewana and it was so neat to who some shopping at the local businesses, watch all the horse-drawn buggies go by, and just enjoy the slower pace of life there.

As I said though, our highlight was our visit to the Blue Gate Theatre. Blue Gate is a family-owned business that also operates a fantastic restaurant and bakery as well as the Blue Gate Inn, so be sure to plan a stop in for dinner, some delicious baked goods, or check out their package deals that include lodging, tickets, and a meal.

The "show" started at 7:00 on the evening we attended, so we showed up a little early to have a chance to look around. The theatre, bakery, and restaurant are all in the same building so you can eat dinner before the show or at least wander through the bakery and pick up a treat to take home. *The smells alone are enough to make you want to browse for a while!* We headed upstairs to the theatre about 6:30 and were pleased to see that the Inspirations had their product table set up so we could buy a new CD or just chat with the guys for a few minutes. We weren't sure how the setup would be at the theatre as far as being able to talk with the Inspirations (usually we see them in a Church or concert venue setting) so we were pleased that they had their product table out. Before the show started, it's apparently tradition to give a pie away to one of the attendees, so the emcee got announcements out of the way and then proceeded with the giveaway. Unfortunately, we didn't win-although we did try making friends with the winner so we could at least get a taste! (Not really, but we thought about it!)

We were told that it depends on the show or concert as to whether or not there's an intermission, and the Inspirations had opted to just run their concert straight through. M and I had front row seats so we were excited to be literally within touching distance of the stage. The concert was incredible, as we have come to expect from the Inspirations. It was a unique experience having it at a theatre rather than a church setting. It's a very close, intimate setting though, so you definitely don't feel lost in the crowd or claustrophobic if you (like my mom) don't really enjoy big crowds. When we left that evening, we were thoroughly satisfied with the experience, and extremely happy we had driven the distance (six hours) to visit. We're pretty sure it won't be our last visit either, as they have a great lineup of other Gospel concerts throughout the year as well as various shows and performances. We heard from Matt, lead singer from the Inspirations, that he had attended the afternoon showing of Stolen: The Musical, which is an Amish-based suspense that he said was incredibly well done, entertaining, and great for the whole family. Our family loves the old Hollywood musicals, so I'm thinking another trip to see Stolen might be in our future!

For more information about Blue Gate Theatre and their upcoming shows and concerts, be sure to check out their website. Your whole family will love the atmosphere of Shipshewana as well as the delicious food and clean, fun entertainment!!

Disclaimer: Reviews may be facilitated by complimentary admission in return for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way by the company.