NOBLESVILLE, IN — This weekend, the annual Peony Festival will draw thousands of visitors to Noblesville, highlighting the flourishing tourism industry in Hamilton County.
The event serves as a celebration of Indiana's state flower, with residents and visitors alike reveling in the vibrancy it brings to the area.
Kelly McVey, founder of the Indiana Peony Festival, emphasized its importance.
"It's a great way to celebrate our Hoosierness because the peony is such a big deal for so many of us," McVey explained.
With increasingly popular events like the Peony Festival, Hamilton County is becoming a prime destination for tourists.
"Each one of our communities here in Hamilton County is seeing great tourism for a variety of different things from amazing events like the Peony Festival in Noblesville, to the Carmel Christkindlmarkt, to Grand Park Sports Campus, to the Fishers Event Center," Gabby Blauert from Visit Hamilton County noted.
Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen says it's brought new life to the county and its communities.
"It's a game changer. I think it's part of the regional conversation that we've had in Central Indiana the last couple of years," adding, "Indiana, especially Indianapolis, does host well."
The significant increase in tourism has translated into substantial economic benefits.
In 2023 alone, visitors contributed about $1 billion to local Hamilton County businesses.
"Our downtown restaurants depend on it, our hotels depend on it. We have a bunch of mom-and-pop operations here in Noblesville, small businesses that make up the backbone of Noblesville's fabric, and they are hugely supported by events like this," Jensen explained.
Moving forward, the tourism industry in the Indianapolis suburb is poised for growth.
"We're going to be working on a new strategic plan, really understanding what are the areas where we can grow or what the ways are that we can enhance some of our local events," Blauert explained.
