My hometown is a teeny tiny place near the Indiana-Ohio border called Winchester, Indiana. There are many negative things I could say about living in a small town, but, as it so happens, I’m going to focus on some of my favorite things about the town I call home. There may not be a whole lot to do, but if you find yourself cruising on State Highway 27 and happen to pass by Winchester, here are some things you just can’t pass up.

1. El Carreton

There may be a little bit of bias here seeing as how I could eat Mexican food every day of my life for the rest of my life, but you have to go here for a meal. Even if you don’t like Mexican food, you can still enjoy the friendly staff, the cheery music, and the giant fruit sculptures that decorate the restaurant (along with the other art). If you do like Mexican food and don’t know what to order, you can’t go wrong with Daniella’s Special or a classic chimichanga. If you’re good on time, I’d recommend ordering the fried ice cream too (it’s the best I’ve ever had).

2. Mrs. Wick’s

Half of my favorite memories from high school were made at this small, cozy eating establishment. Like many of the restaurants in Winchester, it is family owned, and I promise that you will not find better food for a better price and/or experience anywhere else. I’m very partial to their breakfast food (shout out to the French toast, omelets, and GIANT cinnamon rolls), but really you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. In addition to the amazing food, it goes without saying that you have to “try the pie.” If you’ve ever heard of Wick’s Pies, this family business is where they come from. Coconut cream is my personal favorite, but yet again, you literally cannot go wrong.

3. Haines

If the best memories of my childhood were not made at Mrs. Wick’s, they were made here. Haines is the quintessential small-town experience. Their vanilla cokes are TO DIE FOR. If Dusty Shannon is working, tell him what a wonderful human being he is, and, if your sweet tooth is especially hangry, order a marshmallow vanilla coke. Just trust me on this one, it will change your life. In addition to the soda fountain, Haines serves as a gift shop with countless greeting cards, gifts, and memories that you won’t soon forget.

4. Pizza King

First thing’s first, if you’re not an Indiana native, you need to drive yourself to a Pizza King right away. Now if you’re really devoted, drive specifically to the one in Winchester because my biased opinion thinks it’s definitely better than the ones in the rest of the state. My favorite thing to get from here is sausage and mushroom pizza (which I won’t eat anywhere else, mind you. It’s just that good). Pizza King is one of the very few places that stay open until the wee hours of the morning, thus making it a perfect stop after school dances, football games, and any other activity that leaves you hungry after 8 pm. The real secret to their success, though, is their breadsticks. Treat yourself to an order of ¾ baked breadsticks and you won’t regret it, I promise.

5. The 4-H Fairgrounds

If you happen to be passing through during mid-July, you might be lucky enough to stop by during our annual 4-H fair. Besides the elephant ears and world’s best lemon shakeups that are provided daily, nothing gives you that small town glow more than watching the horse and pony show or taking a walk through Husted Hall to see the preserved foods and baked goods that line the walls. 4-H was a big deal for me growing up, and now that I work at the fairgrounds during the summer, I still look forward to the week of the fair when everyone’s hard work comes to fruition.

6. The Force of Winchester

Disclaimer: The Force is not a place, but an organization, and it’s near impossible to talk about Winchester without mentioning our award-winning marching band. If you get a chance during your summer to hear them play, you won’t regret it. The work that the students and staff put in to put together a brilliant and well-performed show each year is unbelievable. You try holding and playing the tuba for the duration of a show while coordinating your feet to the music, and let me know how easy you think it is (I played the piano so I sat there and minded my own business, but I’ve heard it’s not easy). They have a specific community viewing close to the day they are to compete at the Indiana State Fair where you can sit down with ice cream and appreciate the hard work that everyone puts in. Obviously, I recommend checking them out seeing as how they’re on this list, but seriously go watch them play.

Here’s a link to the show I was in the summer after my senior year (the little piano bit you hear is me, and I won’t pretend like I wasn’t playing it in my sleep for two months after band season was over):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3rfsnVnuqM

7. Mardi Gras

Don’t let the title of this item confuse you. Winchester doesn’t actually have a Mardi Gras festival during the time of Mardi Gras. What we do have, however, is a pretty neat week in October where there are more than slightly sketchy fair rides, an abundance of fried food, and a chance to walk around the square exploring some of the small businesses our town has to offer. Even though I’m in college, I still make an effort to go home sometime during the week of Mardi Gras to snatch an elephant ear that’s so big it has to be put on three paper plates to be held. If you’re going to try and catch a slice of the fun, I’d recommend going on the Saturday at the end of the week so you can make it to the parade. Speaking of slices of fun, I also recommend the aforementioned Wick’s Pies deep-fried sugar cream pie.

I could probably add 50 more items to this list, but I’m reaching a word limit that is going to have you quit reading if I don’t stop soon. The places and people behind the items on this list are some that have given me some of the greatest memories of my childhood. Small towns aren’t always exciting, and I, for one, have complained my fair share about there being “nothing to do.” On a positive note, though, the items on this list are some that I want to share with the world so that they can see just how great the place that raised me can be. Growing up in Winchester is just another piece of the puzzle that is who I am, but maybe it can have a place in your life as well.