The sound of banjos, fiddles, and mandolins will echo across western Howard County once again this August as the Winding Creek Music Festival returns. But there’s something wandering in the woods this year.
That’s right. There has been a Bigfoot sighting!
Make sure to visit the Winding Creek Music Festival, Aug. 13-16, as a fantastic line-up of bands are joined by vendors, music instructors, a Sunday 5K, and that hairy forest recluse and his friends.
Tickets for the Winding Creek Music Festival are on sale now and can be purchased at www.windingcreekmusicfestival.com. A discount is available for buying tickets prior to Aug. 1. See the site for prices on single-day, three-day, and four-day tickets. The Sunday family ticket includes admission for two adults and up to four kids for just $20.
Who bears the legal responsibility when a self-driving car causes a deadly accident? That is the underlying question at the heart of the novel “Culpability,” written by the 2026 Howard County Reads visiting author Bruce Holsinger.
Howard County Reads, presented by the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library, is an annual tradition that encourages residents in Howard County to read a specific book. A committee made up of library staff and community members choose each year’s list of books from community nominations.
“Culpability” follows one family’s recovery after their self-driving car causes an accident that leaves two others dead. The novel presents questions and considerations for the safety and responsibility of artificial intelligence and those who use and create it. Trisha Shively, KHCPL director of public services, said the book feels especially relevant in today’s culture of rapidly expanding technology and artificial intelligence.
“I think readers will be able to connect with the big questions in this book, like how do we grow this technology ethically and responsibly,” Shively said. “While the novel raises timely questions about artificial intelligence, it’s also a deeply engaging story that explores the complexities of family relationships and the bonds that define us.”
KHCPL and the Indiana University Kokomo library will host Holsinger for a public author visit at 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 8 at IU Kokomo. The event is free, but tickets are required. Tickets will be available to pick up starting October 1 at any KHCPL location or the IU Kokomo Library.
KHCPL will host two discussions of the novel this fall, once at KHCPL Main on Wednesday, September 9 and again at Russiaville on Thursday, October 8. Both discussions require registration, which can be done by calling 765-457-3242 or online at khcpl.org.
Each year, the Howard County Reads committee chooses 15 featured titles, representing a wide variety of genres and topics. The other titles on this year’s Howard County Reads list are:
- “All Systems Red” by Martha Wells
- “The Book Club for Troublesome Women” by Marie Bostwick
- “Everything is Tuberculosis” by John Green
- “The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club” by Gloria Chao
- “The Filling Station” by Vanessa Miller
- “Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert” by Bob the Drag Queen
- “Horror For Weenies” by Emily Hughes
- “Legendary Frybread Drive-In” edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith
- “Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint” by Shing Shong
- “Rules for Ruin” by Mimi Matthews
- “The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller
- “Water Moon” by Samantha Sotto Yambao
- “The Women” by Kristin Hannah
- “You Are Fatally Invited” by Ande Pliego
Each year, KHCPL also hosts a murder mystery dinner inspired by titles from the top 15 list. This year’s play, entitled “Culpable … Of Murder!,” will take place at Elite Event Center on Friday, November 13. Tickets will go on sale starting Oct. 12 for $50 each or $450 for a table of 10.
Previous years’ lists of featured titles can be found at https://www.khcpl.org/hcr. Community members are encouraged to nominate titles for next year’s list. Specifically, the committee is looking for books that are well-written, character-driven and interesting to a wide variety of readers. Books should also not be too long, Wheelock said. And it’s a bonus if they’re available in paperback, but it’s not a requirement. To nominate a book, visit https://www.khcpl.org/hcr.