Midwest Travel Network Conference comes to Shipshewana – Inside INdiana Business

The fifth annual Midwest Travel Network Conference is set to be held in Shipshewana this week at the Blue Garden Inn and the Farmstead Inn and Conference Center.

With a goal of connecting bloggers, journalists, travel writers, and influencers with destination representatives, this is the first time the conference is coming to Indiana.

The Shipshewana/LaGrange County Conference and Visitors Bureau won the bid to host this year’s conference after a rigorous process that included a two-day in-person visit.

Sonya Nash, executive director of the CVB, decided to submit a proposal to host the conference after meeting Sara Broers, co-founder of the Midwest Travel Network, at the Visit Indiana Media Marketplace in Indianapolis. 

“We went through that application process, and from what I understand they had about eight or nine different destinations applying,” Nash said. “They reached out and said we were one of the finalists and that they’d like to come and see it in person to get an understanding of the facilities and what it would be like. So we hosted them in March 2023; we were able to secure that bid after hosting them.”

The Visitor Center reached out to Shawna Atwater, owner of Shawna Rae’s Cafe & Bakery in Shipshewana, to host about eight people as part of the March visit.

“We do sweets and all that, but we’re also known for our really fresh salads. We pick all the vegetables and cut them every morning. So we made some really nice salads, wraps and desserts,” Atwater said. “And then we talked about opening The Black Sheep, which is going to be as farm-to-table as we can be, a from-scratch kitchen. We will smoke our own meats, serve beer and wine and all that.”

RELATED: Q&A with Shawna Rae’s Bakery & Café owner Shawna Atwater

Sara Broers and Lisa Trudell started Twitter chats about travel in the Midwest. Their efforts eventually morphed into the Midwest Travel Network, with almost 50 people attending their first conference in Clear Lake, Iowa.

“The Midwest Travel Network came to be because we did not have a place where tourism destinations and content creators could connect, and I noticed that my tourism friends struggled to find the people to help them tell their stories,” Broers said. “We pride ourselves on connecting destinations with the best people to help them tell their stories because if you get the wrong person telling your story, it’s not going to be the story that you want.”

More than a 100 people are expected to attend this year’s conference, which runs June 13-15, driving economic impact for local businesses, showcasing Shipshewana’s charm and demystifying Amish culture.

“Not only are we bringing people who are staying in our hotels and filling up our conference rooms, but a majority of these content creators have their own following, their own blogs,” Nash said. “They have their own social media campaigns, so one of the benefits is that Shipshewana will be elevated. The local print shop made 20 signs for them, so there’s all kinds of additional economic impact.”

Brandy Gleason, who runs the Ohio Road Trips Facebook Page with over a million followers, is also expected to attend this year’s conference.

“She will be posting about places that she’s seeing, food that she’s eating when here. So obviously that reaches new audiences from a visitor standpoint that we might not be able to reach otherwise,” Nash added. “Hosting this conference shows our partners that our organization really is working hard on economic development on their behalf.”

Broers lives in Mason City, Iowa, while Trudell, who runs @thewalkingtourists on Instagram with her husband, lives in Omaha, Nebraska. Despite being about four hours away, the two were able to forge a strong partnership online. Previous conferences have been held in Medora, North Dakota; St. Cloud, Minnesota; and Kansas City, Kansas.

“The story is important. We want to be in a destination with a story and we really want to find the hidden stories and the stories that people maybe don’t know about because we are storytellers,” Broers said. “A big thing for Shipshewana is the Amish lifestyle. We also learned that peanut butter and pie are a very large part of Shipshewana. Many are intrigued by Amish culture and think it is secretive, so I think it’s important for people in our network to get into that community, and we like to immerse ourselves wherever we are.”

For a town of 850 residents, Nash said the facilities, amenities, activities and support Shipshewana offers made them stand out during the selection process. 

“Not only do we have an excellent Blue Gate Inn and Farmstead Inn Conference Center that has facilities and capacity with our hotel rooms at a rate that is economical, we had the cultural Amish experience, the concerts at the performing arts center, the in-home Amish meals, a chance to learn about the culture and the crafters and makers market,” Nash continued.  “And then here on our team, we have six full time staff, and each of the staff have been engaged in multiple capacities to help them bring this all to life. So it’s that support that really has helped as well.”

While they are appreciative of the conference’s growth and allure to attendees and sponsors, Broers plans to limit attendance at each conference to 150 people, so as not to lose the personal connections she and Trudell work to build with every attendee.

“Lisa and I want to know everybody who attends our conference, we want to have a conversation with them,” Broers said. “While we’re in Shipshewana, that in-person piece is very important to us and when you get really big, you don’t have that personal touch. And that’s what our network prides itself on.”

Gary Kroeger, who made appearances on Saturday Night Live, will give the keynote speech on Midwestern culture and values. Sessions will also include camera photography training, tips for flying a drone and why ‘No’ should be a creator’s best friend. 

“Kroger has a fantastic story. He left Iowa and was on Saturday Night Live, and he’s come back to Iowa, to the Midwest, and his story about why he came back is compelling,” Broers said. “It’s a reminder of why we are rooted here in the Midwest, and why our stories are so important.”

Attendees will have dinner in downtown LaGrange, and several tour groups will visit the leather maker, the jam maker, the bulk food store and ride on the carousel in town. The Visitors Bureau is also offering self-guided tours and shopping so that visitors can explore, share and learn based on their personal interests. 

“Merchants and the retailers in Shipshewana are extremely excited. They were just talking yesterday about making sure all the plants in the downtown shops are all watered the day before,” Nash said. “They’re very appreciative and excited to have this opportunity to showcase our community.”

The conference coincides with the Shipshewana Flea Market’s extended flea market days on Friday and Saturday, providing attendees with another opportunity to experience a town favorite. On the same weekend, the Pumpkin Vine Trail is celebrating 17 miles of completed trail with a bike ride that Nash expects will draw about a thousand people. There is also the Makers on Morton Festival featuring locally made artisans. The Blue Gate Performing Arts Center will also have a show with a Bee Gees cover band.

“We are a small community, but our visitation normally is over 2 million a year so we are not unfamiliar with visitors in our community,” Nash said. “So we have a mix of RV’s, semi-trucks delivering cattle and hay, Amish buggies and cars with people who’ve never seen a buggy all on the same road at the same time. It’s a unique experience.”

Broers rediscovered her love for writing in 2005, when an illness forced her to relearn walking entirely. Her writing developed into a blog and quickly included travel. Her work landed her jobs as a social media instructor at the World Wide College of Auctioneering in Iowa and America’s Auction Academy in Dallas, Texas.

“I did it for 10 years and I gave that up a year ago because I’m now an Iowa author. I’ve written several Iowa books and I’ve been on a book tour of the state of Iowa,” Broers said. “So I have had two books out in the last two years and it was just another way to share those stories and to share the love of my home state.”

Broers is currently working on her third book, Unique Eats and Eateries in Iowa.

Tourists should be aware that most stores in Shipshewana only accept cash or checks. There are ATMs available and the Visitors Bureau also has a list of businesses that accept cards.

“Many of our shops close at 5 p.m. It’s a very faith-based family community; they like a work-life balance,” Nash said. “That’s different from a lot of communities who welcome visitors. So we always encourage you to call us at the Visitor Center so we can help you plan so you’re not stranded and think that there’s no place to go or eat.”

And if businesses are closed, Nash encourages visitors to “sit on a rocking chair, listen to the birds and listen to the clip clip of the horses. Sometimes you don’t have to be doing everything all the time. And that’s really what this destination is all about.”

Nash and her team are thrilled about the growth and opportunity that could result from hosting this year’s conference.

“When you come into this community, you feel a different vibe and you can feel this is a special place,” Nash said.

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