If you appreciate the heritage of old barns, you won’t want to miss a two-day event sponsored by the Indiana Barn Foundation. This group is dedicated to the preservation of historic barns in Indiana.

The first day, July 21, includes a bus tour of barns in Hancock and Madison counties. The second day, July 22, features the annual meeting of the Indiana Barn Foundation, a tribute to the late Mauri Williamson, food and entertainment. It will be held at the historic Normandy Barn on the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis.

You can attend one day or both days. Cost for the first day, all inclusive, is $55 per person. Cost for the second day is $45 per person.

Williamson was instrumental in saving the Normandy Barn, which began as a dairy barn north of Indianapolis. It was moved to the property across from the Indiana State Fairgrounds, where it served as headquarters for many of Williamson’s undertakings. It was remodeled there, and the hayloft became a popular meeting place. The Master Farmer awards ceremony sponsored by Indiana Prairie Farmer and Purdue University College of Agriculture was held there during the Indiana State Fair for several years.

Most recently the Normandy Barn was moved to the north side of the Indiana State Fairgrounds, inside the fairgrounds, not far from Pioneer Village. It serves as headquarters and a display area for the Indiana State Department of Agriculture during the fair.

The program on July 22 begins at 9:30 a.m. Experts in barn restoration and preservation will discuss many topics related to restoring and updating old barns while maintaining their historic character. An afternoon panel of people who own old barns and have converted them into commercial uses could spur your imagination toward starting a venture of your own.

One of the panelists, Tom Dull, Thorntown, and his wife, Kerry, operate a Christmas tree business. An original, uniquely stored barn is one of the mainstays of a visit to their choose-and-cut Christmas tree experiences. The barn was remodeled several years ago with support from the Campbell Soup Co. and several FFA chapters from Indiana and Illinois.

To get more information or to register, go to indianabarns.org. Or you can email Gwen Gutwein, co-chairwoman of this event, at [email protected].