News Release

WARSAW — A new event in downtown Warsaw arrives Friday.

The event is a cooperative effort between merchants, artists aligned by the Lakeland Art Association gallery,  and street musicians providing an evening of local shopping, sipping and sidewalk artistry.

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Retail shops will be providing complimentary wine and cheese to shoppers while art vendors and musicians line downtown sidewalks.

Shoppers will check in online at each retail shop they visit to obtain their complimentary beverage and be entered to win a $50 gift certificate, according to a news release from Main Street Warsaw.

Six artists will have items for sale with booths spread around downtown.

A handful of musicians will provide live music.

“The event not only highlights our downtown retail shops and our focus on becoming a cultural and art destination but also the unique benefit of Downtown's DORA district, which allows for walking through downtown with an alcoholic drink in DORA-approved cups,” said Terry Sweeney, downtown development director for Main Street Warsaw.

Male Fashions is one of the eight retail shops that will be participating in Sip N Shop.

“We are excited to welcome shoppers for this event and hope they enjoy downtown’s charm and ambience as they stroll the sidewalks from shop to shop,” said owner Tim Hamman.

Other shops include Finely and Co., Brooch Boutique, The Cove-Elysian, Glam Boutique and Buffalo Street Emporium, Nicodemus Games and Cards, and Moving Pictures Tattoo Cinema.

Lakeland Art Association, which moved into downtown earlier in 2025, will be open as well and has recruited the art vendors lining the street.

Lakeland Art Association President Melodie Koher said, “It's great being downtown, and taking advantage of the foot traffic and working with fellow downtown merchants. We are excited to offer the opportunity for artists to participate and look forward to increasing the number participants in the upcoming Sip N Shops.”

Artists participating include Madelene Bussart, Brenda Stichter, Elizabeth Wamsley and Laura Wildwoods and street musicians include Ben Essick, Chris Collat and Luis Osorio.

Future dates for the monthly Friday night series include Aug. 22, Sept. 12 and Oct. 3. The Oct. 3 event will feature live mannequins in the boutiques as downtown kicks off a new event called Fashion Weekend.

For more details, click here.

The post Sip and Shop in Warsaw features art, wine and shopping on Friday appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

WARSAW — Artwork from a 24-year old graphic artist and native of Warsaw has been incorporated into a social media photo used by Slate Auto.

[caption id="attachment_114861" align="alignright" width="420"] Photo taken from Slate Auto's Facebook page.[/caption]

The connection between art and corporate marketing came together on May 29 when the future electric truck maker which recently announced plans to begin manufacturing vehicles in Warsaw hosted a spur of the moment unveiling of the truck across from Moving Pictures Tattoo Cinema on Center Street.

The moment was the first chance for locals to see the prototype that will be built in a reconfigured former RR Donnelley plant, and it attracted a good number of curiosity seekers, including a few who work at the tattoo shop on Center Street.

Two people from Moving Pictures Tattoo Cinema, including owner Nathan Underneath, ventured over to check out the car and ended up having a conversation with two of Slate's marketing people.

After a long conversation, some samples of artwork, including one from fellow employee and artist Baxter Rowland, ended up with Slate, Rowland said.

[caption id="attachment_114972" align="alignright" width="210"] Baxter Rowland[/caption]

One of the pieces by Rowland features the word "Warsaw" across a heart and has the feel of a cool tourism logo.

It soon ended up in a photo on Slate's Facebook page and appears in the back window of a pickup with the words, "Hi From Warsaw, Indiana."

Rowland didn't receive money in exchange for use of the art, but Slate did tag him in a similar photo on Instagram.

"It was a pretty cool little surprise," Rowland said about learning it had been used by Slate. "It works as a nice way to get my name out there."

Rowland's been doing graphic design since high school and attended school in Chicago before returning home and looking into a career as a tattoo artist.

He worked as an apprentice with Moving Pictures Tattoo Cinema for about a year and began tattoo work about six weeks ago, he said.

The artwork was a chance to show the pride he has in his hometown.

"Warsaw is a really special place," he said.

Slate Auto's recent announcement — and plans to hire 1,700 people — has been the talk of the town this summer as officials see it as way to boost the economy and diversify the workforce beyond orthopedics.

Highlighting Warsaw, albeit briefly, is the latest effort to endear itself to the community.

Shortly before the Fourth of July, the company announced it would help sponsor the annual fireworks over Winona Lake and used the opportunity to showcase the pickup truck at the event.

Chris Wilkey, a marketing professor with Ball State University, said he thinks the recent moves are more about building goodwill rather than selling vehicles.

"Instead of buying a bunch of billboards, they went and found people within the community and said, 'Hey, we want to make you special, we'll highlight you," Wilkey said.

Corporate sponsorship of a fireworks show is something established companies are more inclined to do to make existing employees feel good, he said.

"I think it's a pretty smart move. It's one thing to come in and say, 'Hey, we have all these jobs, it's another thing to come in and invest in the community," Wilkey said.

Rowland said the use of his art provided a confidence boost.

"When you're an artist, not a lot of people realize that you kind of hate everything you do a little bit. You're always your worst self critic," Rowland said. "When other people recognize what you've done and use it for something special like this, it makes you feel really good."

[caption id="attachment_114870" align="aligncenter" width="718"] This photo of the Slate Auto vehicle was posted on KEDCO's Facebook page after the pickup truck was unexpectedly parked on Center Street in Warsaw as part of a spontaneous unveiling on May 29.[/caption]

The post Artist’s affection for Warsaw displayed in Slate Auto’s social media campaign appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

WARSAW — Nathan Underneath makes a living by making a mark in society as a tattoo artist, but would like to make a bigger mark on the community in another way.

The post Storeowner seeks to eliminate WCS lunch fund debt with fundraiser appeared first on News Now Warsaw.