Hendricks County Receives Two Indiana Tourism Honors

FORT WAYNE, IN (March 6, 2025) – VHC won in the Best Visitor Guide category for a project in which they partnered with their marketing agency, Williams Randall, and Mama Bird Bakery in Plainfield to provide a new look for the cover, a cookie theme that was carried on throughout the 45-page guide.

The out-of-state judges loved the fresh take on a guide that nearly every destination produces, “In the sea of visitors guides, you've found a way to stand out! It's a refreshing design that instills a sense of curiosity. As a reader, I wanted to keep turning the page.”

VHC also won for Best New Experience (Among Marketing Budgets over $300,000) after nominating Hendricks Live! for its new entertainment venue which hosted more than 50 performances, productions and community events in its theater and welcoming 30,000 visitors in 2024. It marks the second consecutive year a Hendricks County attraction won the award after The Prewitt Restaurant + Lounge won in 2024.

“On behalf of the entire team at Hendricks Live!, we are truly honored and humbled to receive this incredible award after our first year of operations,” said Chris Petrelli, Hendricks Live! Executive Director. “We are dedicated to being a world-class destination for arts and entertainment in west central Indiana while driving tourism and commerce. As we look back on our inaugural year, we are proud of the memorable experiences we created, and we are excited for the ones to come in the year ahead.”

The Best New Experience award celebrates a new attraction, photo spot or special exhibit. The judges were impressed with the “gorgeous facility,” and the success it has already shown in its first year including its activations with local artists.

The awards were two of 19 handed out at the Indiana Tourism Conference. Visit Hendricks County and Hendricks Live! beat numerous other nominees in each category.

“It’s an incredible honor to win the best attraction award for the second year in a row, said Jaime Bohler Smith, CEO of Visit Hendricks County. “The addition of the Best Visitor Guide award as a second win was such a shock because of the great competition, but these mean so much more because of our incredible team and partners.”

In addition to the two awards, Visit Hendricks County also celebrated two staff members’ successes. VHC Senior Research and Data Manager Kim Fox graduated from the 2025 Indiana Tourism Academy and received her Certified Indiana Tourism Professional (CITP) designation at the same ceremony. It was also announced that Director (VP) of Marketing Strategy Kyle Johnson was accepted into the 2026 Indiana Tourism Academy.

The Hendricks County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc. d/b/a Visit Hendricks enhances tourism and improves residents’ quality of life through destination development, fostering industry-community connections, and promoting the county through trusted and impartial leadership. Find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/VisitHendricksCounty and become a fan for updates and reminders, contest info and much more. You can also get updates by following or subscribing to our tourism blog at VisitHendricksCounty.com/blog. For more information, visit our website at VisitHendricksCounty.com or call (317) 718-8750.