Support for this edition comes from WALLA, the Wabash Area Lifetime Learning Association. WALLA provides adults in our community with a variety of engaging classes on many interesting topics each spring and fall. The brochure and registration for Fall Session starting Oct. 5 is now available online at wallaonline.org. WALLA also offers bus trip getaways, fun local tours, enjoyable social events, a book club, an ongoing film festival, and companionship over coffee every month. We are a non-profit run by local volunteers. Join us! For more information, check out our website, call our office at 765-746-2006, or follow us on Facebook.
A few notes for a Thursday morning …
A PACKED BOILER GOLD RUSH: If it seems a bit more crowded than usual as freshmen fan out across campus and along the edges in West Lafayette for Boiler Gold Rush, Purdue’s annual, weeklong orientation for incoming students, there’s a reason. Purdue reports that 9,300 incoming students – including 8,800 on the West Lafayette campus and 500 in Indianapolis – are taking part ahead of the first day of classes Monday, Aug. 24.
This week, West Lafayette Mayor Erin Easter told the city’s board of works that numbers reported to her were that Purdue would be “a little bit further than just 10,000” in the West Lafayette campus’ freshman class.
Purdue officials said this week that was a fair accounting, even though an official enrollment census won’t come until Sept. 10, three weeks into the new semester.
If that number holds, it will rank among the three largest freshman classes in Purdue’s history.
Purdue’s top freshman classes came in this decade, according to university records: 10,628 in fall 2024; and 10,191 in fall 2021.
The freshman class had 8,914 students in fall 2025, which was the sixth largest for the West Lafayette campus in university history.
In an interview with Based in Lafayette in August, interim President Mitch Daniels hinted that the large freshman class was on its way. He also said the campus to expect numbers to grow.
“We’re going to have a very strong class this fall on the order of recent classes, probably larger than the most recent,” Daniels said at the time. “We’re talking about the class that will apply and enter in ‘27, and I look for it to be of comparable size. The demand here is tremendous. We continue to have to turn away some extremely well-qualified students. And that bothers me, given our mission to broaden education as much as we can. This is one thing that Indianapolis, of course, can help us address – give us greater capacity at West Lafayette standards. We’ve grown over the last decade-plus from 28,000-some undergrads to 41,000. We’re not getting any smaller, I can tell you that.”
As for town-and-gown logistics, Easter urged patience and grace as the move-in ramps on campus and in surrounding neighborhoods.
“There are a lot of new students on campus starting as of this weekend,” Easter told the city’s board of works. “We can anticipate another 30,00 to 35,000 moving in over the course of the next week. So, as we approach school starting for Purdue University, just a reminder: If you need something, go early to do your grocery shopping, and be patient. I know that it can be overwhelming having your community double in size in what seems like overnight, but we want to make sure that we all have a great start to the academic year. So thank you for your patience, and enjoy watching all of those students learn what college is all about.”
COUNTY ROAD 50 WEST CLOSING FOR ROUNDABOUT CONSTRUCTION: Construction of a roundabout on County Road 50 West for the future County Road 425 North, just at the northern edge of West Lafayette, will close 50 West – the extension of Salisbury Street – from Aug. 31 until November, according to a closure approved this week by the city’s board of works.
No through traffic will be allowed between Burnley Drive and the 4300 block of County Road 50 West. Access to businesses and residential properties will be available during construction.
The work is part of a road project that would connect Yeager Road and Soldiers Home Road. The road, between Kalberer Road and County Road 500 North, is being designed as a major collector road that will include three lanes for traffic, along with storm sewer, curb, sidewalk and trail work. Plans show roundabouts at County Road 50 West and at Soldiers Home Road.
The joint project between West Lafayette and Tippecanoe County is expected to be done in 2028.
HISTORIAN RICK ATKINSON NEXT UP FOR PRESIDENTIAL LECTURE SERIES AT PURDUE: Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian Rick Atkinson will be the guest of interim Purdue President Mitch Daniels on Sept. 16 for the first Presidential Lecture Series of the fall 2026 semester. Atkinson is the author of the New York Times bestseller “The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777,” the first volume of his acclaimed Revolution Trilogy. The second volume in the planned trilogy, “The Fate of the Day: The War for America, Fort Ticonderoga to Charleston, 1777-1780,” was a New York Times No. 1 nonfiction bestseller in 2025. Among his other work, he won a Pulitzer Prize for history with “An Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa, 1942-1943,” the first in a series of accounts of the liberation of Europe in World War II. The conversation with Daniels will be 6 p.m. Sept. 16 at Fowler Hall in Purdue’s Stewart Center. Admission is free, though tickets are required. To get tickets and more information, here’s the link.
FLOODING ISSUES FORCE WABASH RIVER RIDE CANCELATION: The Wabash River Cycle Club announced Wednesday that it would cancel Saturday’s 48th annual Wabash River Ride due to concerns caused by high water in the past week. Club officials said flooding along parts of routes that extended 100 miles caused damage to some roads, along with the Wabash River Ride’s staging site at Fort Ouiatenon, just west of West Lafayette. Club leaders said: “The Wabash River Cycle Club will offer a discount to registered riders for the 2027 Wabash River Ride, and we look forward to welcoming you to our roads under better circumstances. … We extend our thoughts to our Hoosier neighbors as they recover from this flooding.” For more details, go to wabashriverride.com.
STANDING IN FOR TIM’S PICKS
Tim Brouk, the man behind BiL’s Tim’s Picks, has the week off, so we’re all on our own for what’s up this weekend and beyond. But Tim left a few suggestions, and I’ve filled in with a handful of others.
Here goes with a makeshift effort that’s still worth your time …
East End Block Party, 5-10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21, 10th and Main streets, Lafayette – A block of Upper Main will host the next in a series of East End Block Party events from 5-10 p.m. Aug. 21, at 10th and Main streets. Music starts at 6 p.m., featuring Rain on the Rocks followed by the Mudhounds at 7:30 p.m. (This is a bit of a do-over, after the acts got rained out June 6 at this year’s first East End Block Party.) Drinks and food available to carry out into the party in the block’s DORA district setup. Admission the block party hosted by East End Grill, Ripple & Company, The Cellar and others: Free.
Summer Movie Night, 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21, Tippecanoe County Amphitheater, 4449 Indiana 43 North, West Lafayette — See Woody and the gang under the night sky at the Tippecanoe County Amphitheater and help your community at the same time. “Toy Story” (1995) started it all in terms of computer animated feature film excellence, and that Pixar formula still works today — spectacular animation, loveable characters, talented voice actors, laughs and usually some tears. With “Toy Story 5” earning more than $1 billion in worldwide box office, it’s time to see the original “Story” like you’ve never seen it before. The screening is free, but movie fans are encouraged to bring clothing, baby items and nonperishable food to benefit local charities Food Finders Food Bank, Bravely Women’s Health and The HIVE Recovery Hub.
“Imperfectly/Perfect” and “Body English” opening reception, 6 p.m. Aug. 21, Art Museum of Greater Lafayette, 102 S. 10th St., Lafayette — Two Indiana artists that have an impressive portfolio of eye-catching work will open their newest exhibits this weekend. Sculptor Mary Pat Wallen has had an impressive run of shows featuring her stylized female figures in clay, plaster and other materials. The expressive pieces often feature long skinny legs and blank faces. It’s the postures of the figures that do the talking, which viewers will experience in her “Imperfectly/Perfect” show. Bloomington’s Caleb Weintraub will introduce his newest paintings full of vibrant colors, motion and expression. Most of his pieces feature cartoonish, almost abstract human subjects in mid stride. His “Body English” exhibit will be a fine compliment to Wallen’s. And mark your calendars for a sort of closing reception for the shows: Members of the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra will perform at 7 p.m. Nov. 13 at the museum.
Lafayette Rotary Ice Cream Crawl, 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, various locations – Lafayette Rotary is hosting its ninth annual Ice Cream Crawl, offering a chance to visit any or all of nine participating Lafayette/West Lafayette ice cream shops for samples. Passports/tickets are $10 for individuals and $25 for families of five or fewer from the same household. An Ice Cream Crawl passport gets you samples from 12 Greater Lafayette locations: Every’s Ice Cream, Igloo Frozen Custard, The Original Frozen Custard, Budges Drive In, Culver’s East, The Silver Dipper (two locations), Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers (two locations), Westside Scoops and Kurtoskalacs Chimney Cakes. Proceeds this year will go to two community housing initiatives: Homestead Resources and the Greater Lafayette Family Shelter. Get tickets and more information here.
Indiana Bacon Festival, Saturday, Aug. 22, courthouse square, Delphi – Delphi celebrates all things bacon Saturday, Aug. 22, at the annual Indiana Bacon Festival at the Carroll County Courthouse square. The event runs from 2:30-11 p.m. with bands and plenty of food and variations on the culinary namesake. (Entry into the bacon eating contest is $25.) Tickets and more information are here.
Lafayette Comic Con, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 22, Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds, 1406 Teal Road, Lafayette — The fifth annual Lafayette Comic Con will draw comic book collectors young and old, new and those that have their basement filled with long boxes containing a billion meticulously bagged and boarded back issues. Of course, comic books transcend paper. Just look at the money “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” has made since its July 31 release — a cool $1.15 billion worldwide so far. The Lafayette Comic Con will welcome all, and it will showcase comics, toys and card games. Comic book artists will be on hand and there will be a cosplay contest. $10.
Battle of the Badges, 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, Loeb Stadium – It’s the Lafayette Police Department vs. the Lafayette Fire Department at Columbian Park’s Loeb Stadium in the second annual Battle of the Badges softball game. First pitch: 4 p.m. Tickets are $5, supporting the Lafayette Police Foundation and Lafayette Fire Support Foundation.
“Heroes Versus Villains” drag competition, 9 p.m. Aug. 22, People’s Brewing Company, 2006 N. Ninth St., Lafayette — It’s good vs. evil, babyface vs. heel, and the fierce vs. the less fierce at the “Heroes Versus Villains” drag competition where the audience chooses the victors. Hosted by Alexapro, the event will feature top drag performers from Greater Lafayette and beyond. The show will also mark the People’s debut of Grapefruit, an Indianapolis clown and magician for hire. Just give Grapefruit a stage and a microphone and strap in. Tickets.
Joyful Journey Classic, 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 23, Loeb Stadium – Speaking of softball at Loeb Stadium, Joyful Journey will host its fifth annual Classic, featuring a home run derby at 12:30 p.m. followed by a celebrity game at 2:30 p.m. Pay what you wish to get in, with proceeds going to support Joyful Journey’s adult day service and caregiver support programs in West Lafayette. Home run derby entries and more information here.
Beers and More Along the Wabash, Aug. 29, Riehle Plaza, downtown Lafayette – With work continuing on the John T. Myers Pedestrian Bridge, Beers Across the Wabash moves to Riehle Plaza and Second Street in downtown Lafayette for Beers and More Along the Wabash, an annual celebration of Indiana’s craft brews, wines, distilled spirits, ciders and non-alcoholic drinks. Early VIP admission is at 1 p.m. General admission starts at 2 p.m., with the last pour at 4:45 p.m. There will be live entertainment, games and food trucks in an event benefiting Food Finders Food Bank. The lineup: Teays River Brewing, People’s Brewing, Thieme & Wagner Brewing, Shake Up, Broad Ripple Brewpub, Fontana Farms Brewing, Crasian Brewing, Quaff On! Brewing, Tip A Canoe Brewing, Brokerage Brewing, Half Moon Brewery, St Benedict’s Brewing, Grand Junction Brewing, Evil Czech Brewery, Ash & Elm Ciders, Science Project Brewing, Moontown Brewery, Field Brewing, Klooz Brewing, Wildcat Winery, Mad Anthony Brewing, Generation NA, Wizard Wines and Vines Winery. Tickets are $45 for advance general admission, $65 for VIP entry. Designated driver pricing available, too. For tickets.
Correction
An Indiana Supreme Court order Tuesday agreed to consider an appeal filed by state Sen. Spencer Deery in the Senate District 23 recount and sent an expediated schedule for briefs from both sides between now and Monday, Aug. 24, before the court takes the matter under advisement. But the court had not accepted transfer of the case. An edition sent out and posted Tuesday afternoon has been corrected. Here’s the corrected version:
Thanks, again, for support for this edition from WALLA, the Wabash Area Lifetime Learning Association. WALLA provides adults in our community with a variety of engaging classes on many interesting topics each spring and fall. The brochure and registration for Fall Session starting Oct. 5 is now available online at wallaonline.org.
Thank you for supporting Based in Lafayette, an independent, local reporting project. Free and full-ride subscription options are ready for you here.
Tips, story ideas? I’m at davebangert1@gmail.com.