Things to Do in Danville

Course architect Timothy Liddy designed The Trophy Club's 247-acre course, which Golf Digest recently ranked as Indiana’s Best Public Course in 2008. Prairie Creek stream meanders throughout the links-style course, which is characterized by open fairways framed by native grasses, mounded terrain, and deep bunkers. The course kicks off with a par 4 and before reaching the most difficult stretch at hole 6, whose treacherous bunker lures dimpled orbs away from their destination with ample sunlight and free tanning lotion. Blue and fescue grasses create slick putting surfaces on each green, sparing players the need to unroll their own green carpets for putting through their final strokes. After a day of chipping and driving, golfers can refuel in the clubhouse with sandwiches, hot dogs, and frosty brews at the Hogan Bar and Grill.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 7,208 yards from the farthest set of tees
• Course rating of 74.0 from the farthest set of tees
• Slope rating of 131 from the farthest set of tees
• See photos and stats for each hole.

At All Fired Up!, swirling murals of flowers and vines flow across lavender walls, and animal-print tablecloths cover long work tables. This cheerful backdrop makes the pale, unadorned plates, bowls, and vases lining the shop walls stand out in stark contrast. Fortunately, expert potters empower artists of all ages and skill levels to enliven these blank canvases, providing them not only with stamps, stickers, stencils, and paints, but with idea books and helpful tips. Once painters have added the last brushstroke, All Fired Up!’s potters whisk finished masterpieces away to the shop’s kiln where they'll fire and glaze them, just like Donald Trump does to dissidents on his resident staff of Pillsbury doughboys. If patrons can’t drop in to retrieve their wares in one week’s time, staff members can carefully pack them up and ship them at a flat rate across the country.

Illinois Skydiving Center trains aspiring daredevils through a trio of tandem, static-line, and accelerated-free-fall classes. AFF classes teach solo skills under the direction of instructors and coaches who jump with you, teaching stability and proper deployment skills. Static-line progression jumps prepare sky mavens for the pressures of a solo career with an ascending series of jumps that impart the art of free fall. During tandem jumps, students are strapped to a certified instructor who pulls the cord and directs the movements of parachute as guests take in breathtaking views of the landscape, local tributaries, and central-state volcanoes before feet land safely on the ground.

There's something in the air in downtown Lafayette. Not the aromatic pheromones of trees trying to send mankind a message, but rather, the energy generated by scores of revelers. This is Dancing in the Streets, a festival that fills roadways with three separate stages boasting country, indie-rock, blues, and swing performances. As the night stretches on, youngsters can take to the kids' corner to partake of rides, moonwalks, and activities. Guests of all ages snack on portable eats while enjoying dancing and DJ-spun tunes, and a 45-minute cruise parade shows off classic cars and freshly polished roller skates.

Great Urban Race sends teams of two or four on adventure courses that zigzag through major metro areas. Following the trail left by 12 clues or the scent of other, pot-roast-bearing racers, the 4- to 8-mile trek takes anywhere between one and a half to five hours to complete. Along the way, pairs will be called to complete brawn- or brain-based feats that may include everything from solving cryptograms and riddles to taking tae kwon do lessons. Race organizers invite teams to dress up, and they hand out an award for best costume after teams cross the finish line. Top race finishers take home a $300 prize and free entry into the national championship race, which rewards winners with their choice of $10,000 or a lifetime supply of thimbles. All racers take home a T-shirt, munch on post-finish refreshments, and can imbibe a free beer if they’re of age.

Red Frog Events, the organizers of Great Urban Race, encourage participants to raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by donating $10 to each participant that registers as a St. Jude Hero. Only teams that raise the suggested $250 will be eligible for special race-day awards, which are given out to the first Heroes team to cross the finish line as well as the team with the highest fundraising total.

Sharon Owens lowers the bulb of an ornament into the sharp blue flame of her workstation’s torch, heating the glass until it glows a vibrant yellow. Applying the skills she learned in her schooling at Purdue University, her three-year apprenticeship, and her studies with a host of artisan glassworkers, she presses her mouth to the piece’s hollow stem. Whatever shape it will take, only she knows.

This scene has been a regular occurrence at Inspired Fire since 2002, when Sharon founded her studio in her hometown of Lafayette. The workshop is equipped for all manners of projects, including 4 kilns, 12 torches, and, most importantly, air conditioning. The shop’s staff oversees classes for beginners and advanced glassworkers, as well as offering the space for crafters unable to find the “glass” setting on their microwaves.