Shipshewana is a busy spot full of visitors during the summer, however, there are some days that are less busy than others if you are looking to skip the hustle and bustle. Check out the list below to see the least busy times to make a trip to Amish Country.
Non-Flea Market Days
Our town is home to the renowned Shipshewana Flea Market, which is open on Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s each week (besides the few weekend flea markets per year). This draws lots of people to Shipshewana which can cause some traffic and full local restaurants (although it’s never big-city traffic).
If the flea market isn’t on your agenda during your visit, then choose a weekday other than Tuesday and Wednesday. Typically, the most relaxed days in town are Mondays and Thursdays, which do not have weekend or flea market crowds.
Non-weekends
Although Fridays and Saturdays do not have the flea market crowds, they have the natural crowds from it being a weekend! Since a lot of people have weekends off from work, they tend to visit Shipshewana over Friday-Saturday. So, visit Shipshewana on the weekdays to avoid the crowds drawn by weekends!
Non-holidays
Although Shipshewana is open during most holidays such as the 4th of July, Memorial Day, and our annual Lighting Ceremony, they are some of the busiest times during the summer. Lots of people have days off from work and take that time to visit Shipshewana, causing us to be exceptionally busy during the summer holidays. So, plan a date that is not on a holiday or holiday weekend, to miss the crowds.
Concerts and MEC Events
Year round there are concerts and events at the Blue Gate Performing Arts Center and at the Michiana Event Center. When the concerts and events are full or sold out, it is going to draw huge crowds for the day of the event. So, check out the Shipshewana events HERE. In order to miss these crowds, either visit Shipshewana early in the day of the event, or plan to come on a date not during an event.
Summer
The busiest season in Shipshewana is by far summer. So, in order to miss the crowds caused by the summer months, make a visit to Shipshewana during early spring, late autumn, or any time during winter. These are the best seasons to visit in to miss the crowds.
Although Shipshewana is a small town geographically, it draws a ton of visitors per year due to the local Amish community, and attractions like the flea market and Blue Gate Restaurant and Theatre. If you are looking to skip the crowds, listen to this list of times and you will be just fine! We hope to see you here in Shipshewana soon!