NEW ALBANY — From touring historic homes to dancing to Salsa music and even racing zucchinis, this weekend will be filled with events in New Albany.

The New Albany Farmers’ Market is celebrating the statewide “Going Local” event Saturday, kicking off at 8 a.m. Besides the usual shopping, there will be a zucchini 500 race, watermelon-eating contest and an Iron Chef competition.

After that will be the annual New Albany Historic Home Tour, which is followed up by an afterparty — Bourbon, Beer and Barbecue fest. Also on Saturday night, the Hispanic Ministry of the New Albany Deanery is hosting the Fiesta Latina, which will feature authentic foods, crafts and music from various Hispanic countries.



FARMERS’ MARKET

Susan Kaempfer, market manager, said she hopes the day filled with events will bring more people downtown.

“We’re trying to make coming to downtown New Albany a part of everyone’s weekend plan,” she said, adding that the market always hosts bands and has other various events going on regularly. “The goal is to emphasize that if you buy from your local producers, you help you local economy, because those are the dollars [the farmers] spend here.”

This weekend will feature chefs from downtown restaurants going head-to-head in an Iron Chef competition. Kids can put wheels on zucchini for a race. Older children and adults can compete in the watermelon-eating contest.

Kaempfer said the zucchini race is an idea she got from another farmers’ market.

“It’s a fun way to get kids comfortable with vegetables. Zucchinis are kind of frightening,” she said. “I don’t hear kids saying, ‘Give me some more zucchini!’”



HOME TOUR

The historic home tour starts with people buying tickets and picking up their booklets at the Farmers’ Market. Tickets for the afterparty will also be sold there.

David Barksdale, Floyd County historian, said he expects about 400 people to tour four of New Albany’s historic districts.

“They don’t realize that downtown Louisville is historic, but all of New Albany is historic,” said Tim Glasscock, owner of the Losson E. Bettinger House at 221 E. Ninth St.

Built sometime between 1852 and 1855, the house will be showcased on the tour along with Stanton R. Welch Building, the Alexander Dowling House, the David Hedden House, the German Methodist/Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church and more.

Tickets for the tour cost $15 for adults and $5 for children younger than 15. It starts at 10 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. The afterparty is from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Arts Council of Southern Indiana. Tickets are $30.

FIESTA LATINA

Fiesta Latina also kicks off at 5 p.m. Saturday with food from various Latin American countries, crafts, games and music. This annual event hosted by the Hispanic Ministry of the New Albany Deanery is usually at St. Mary’s Catholic Academy. However, this year it has been expanded and moved to the New Albany Amphitheater.

Juanita Richardson, co-coordinator of the event, said people should come out to learn about different cultures.

“Sometimes our fears are based on lack of experience, so if you’ve never interacted with people of different cultures you tend to fear them more,” she said. “This way, they can interact more.”

Richardson said there will be things for all ages, including face-painting, an inflatable moonwalk for the kids and booths showcasing Colombian arts and crafts.

“We hope everybody who is interested ... we’d love to have them come,” Richardson said. “It’s going to be relaxed [atmosphere] with Mexican and Latino music and foods.”

The event goes until 10 p.m. Admission is free.