Good morning, South Bend.

Families in South Bend will enjoy Harvest Fest at the Indiana Dinosaur Museum next weekend as part of Wicked Weekends with pumpkins, face painting, hayrides and interactive exhibits—Goodwill adds a discounted Halloween costume pop-up shop and dinosaur guest appearances.

The event runs from October 17th to 19th and is geared to connect children with nature.

Local groups are hosting a series of community meals from Oct.

14 to Nov. 13 that offer soup nights, mac & cheese tastings, burger dinners, fry events and more at venues like the YMCA, American Legion posts and downtown restaurants—giving locals a chance to enjoy different flavors and meet neighbors.

At the South Bend Animal Resource Center, Taka is a calm, loving dog who has been in care for about a month and a half after arriving as a stray—he loves stuffed toys, plays well with other dogs, may need cat testing, and is best suited for a home with older or no children, while his brother Mufasa may be adopted separately.

South Bend and nearby communities will host a busy week of fall festivals and events from today until Oct 19, with Mactober Fest featuring a mac and cheese contest on Oct 15, a choral concert at Bethel University scheduled for Oct 16, and a screening of Coco at Howard Park on Oct 17. Other events include a neon hayride, ghost tours, seasonal pumpkin train rides, and several craft fairs and markets—offering family-friendly activities for all ages.

The Tribune is asking local readers to celebrate students by voting for Student of the Week as nominees from LaVille Jr/Sr High and Adams High await votes until noon on Thursday — details on the winner will appear online Friday and in Monday's print edition.

Starting today, the portion of Ironwood Drive between Mishawaka Avenue and Jefferson Boulevard is closed for the final phase of South Bend’s Wall Street Streetscape Project — drivers can use Twyckenham or Logan to detour.

The road is expected to reopen at the start of November.

The final steel beam was placed on the new patient tower at Memorial Hospital during a topping out ceremony on Oct.

10 in South Bend. The $250 million project will be finished in late 2026.

Memorial Hospital is installing its final steel beam as it works on a $250 million expansion to build a new patient tower that will add 200 new staff members and a second intensive care unit—boosting local care capacity.

The project will soon enhance health services in the community.

Notre Dame and USC will face off on Saturday, October 18th at 7:30 p.m. at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend—Notre Dame is an 8.5 point favorite with the game airing on NBC, streaming on Peacock and broadcast on WSBT and WNSN.

Notre Dame football fans can join Wednesday’s Pod of Gold podcast by submitting a question or comment on the team’s rivalry game with USC—submissions must include the sender’s name and hometown.

The IHSAA football state tournament is almost here as the high school regular season wraps up Friday, Oct 17, and South Bend area teams have their sectional matchups released.

Local leaders from unbeaten teams such as the Penn Kingsmen and Saint Joseph Huskies face tough paths since the Kingsmen risk drawing undefeated Crown Point—while the Huskies share a section with the 7-1 Mishawaka Cavemen.

Notre Dame football won 36-7 over NC State on Saturday as an early injury to receiver Micah Gilbert allowed redshirt sophomore KK Smith to play 29 snaps, mostly out wide — earning praise from coach Marcus Freeman.

South Bend Tribune is now accepting votes for Week 8 Football Player of the Week with unlimited voting allowed until 11:59 p.m. ET (October 16).

Nominees include high school players from Buchanan, Concord, Dowagiac, Elkhart, LaVille, Mishawaka, Penn and South Bend Adams (listed alphabetically), and fans can support their favorite candidates.

Beatles vs Rolling Stones Tribute Show

7-8:30 p.m. — Morris Performing Arts Center — Ticket prices vary — Experience an electrifying mash-up duel between top tribute bands of the iconic British rock legends.

Fall Frolic 5K/2K Race

12-11 a.m. — The Montessori Academy Edison Lakes — Registration fees vary — Celebrate the tradition with a heartwarming race for a good cause.

Object Oriented Analysis and Design Training

Mon, Oct 20 – Fri, Oct 24 — South Bend Community School Corporation Adult Education — Cost info not provided — Enhance your software development skills through an intensive training on UML.

Bloodline 2025

4:00 PM — The Well Coffee House — Free entry — Experience the dynamic performance of singer-songwriter James Koan III with lyrical poetry.

St. Joseph County Health Fair

4-7 p.m. — Century Center — Free entry — Access free health screenings, vaccines, and community resources with special giveaways for the first attendees.

Foot Chase 5k/10k

8:30 AM – 12:30 PM — Central Park — Registration required — Enjoy a family-friendly run along the scenic Riverwalk paths of Mishawaka’s Parks.

South Bend Indoor Fantasy Faire

11 a.m. – 2 p.m. — Morris Performing Arts Center — $25+ — Immerse yourself in a magical celebration featuring enchanting merchants, authors, and character meet-and-greets.

The Traveling Salvation Show

5:00–8:30 p.m. — Morris Performing Arts Center — Ticket prices vary — Experience Neil Diamond's greatest hits in a high-energy tribute show featuring stunning visuals and captivating performances.