Valparaiso Information: Tickets, Venues, Events and More

The city of Valparaiso is located in the state of Inidana, United States. Valparaiso falls in the Porter County and is also the county seat of the same. It lies at the southeastern extreme of the Chicago metropolitan area. The city is also popularly referred by its nickname 'Valpo'.

The city was established in the year 1836 and was renamed to its present name in the year 1837. The name of the city was kept after city of Valparaiso in Chile. As per the United States Census Bureau, the city covers a total area of 11.0 sq miles, of which over 99% is land. The city is situated on the terminal moraine, the Valparaiso Moraine and lies very close to the Lake Michigan and the Indiana dunes. These are popular spots for hiking, swimming and camping.

Valparaiso is a popular tourist spot and features a number of major tourist attractions. The 'Taltree Arboretum and Gardens' is one such place. The garden is an ecologically diverse natural preserve of woodlands, savanna, wetlands and prairie, which was found in the year 1990 in order to preserve the natural beauty of the surrounding area. The 'Banta Neighborhood' is another such attraction. The site features many historic homes that showcases some beautiful architectural designs.

The Memorial Opera House is the cultural center of the city. All through the year, a number of musical theaters and operas are showcased in the theater. Another popular cultural outlet is the 'Chicago Street Theater'. Valparaiso is also the home of the 'Wizard of Oz Festival'.

Valparaiso is particularly popular for being the venue of two major festivals, the Popcorn Festival and the Porter County Festival. The former is celebrated on the first Saturday after Labor Day in the honor of 'Orville Redenbacher', a resident of the city who had built a popcorn factory here. The latter is a typical carnival festival and consists of live musical performances, motocross races and similar activities.