Hi Friends - This is not your typical attendance update, but none the less, we will indeed have a skeleton crew on hand at Turkey Run this year, for an abbreviated celebration of 2020's edition of Serb Fest. Not to worry though, we absolutely plan to gather as a full group later this summer (or fall) to "observe" Serb Fest. For those able to brave the pandemic to gather at TR, the day it officially opens to the public, this will be a year unlike any other. We will do our best to uphold the great spirt of Serb Fest past, despite the diminished attendence. We will remember this challenging time... and look forward to TR 2021, when we're all able to once again gather together aroudn the hallowed grills of Turkey Run for what promises to be the most anitipcated Serb Fest of ALL-TIME!! Next weekend, regardless of where you are, or who you're with, let's make memories! Happy Serb Fest! Zeveli!!

Amazing to look back on the optimism from just 6 short weeks ago. Coronavirus was impacting our lives pretty significantly at that point. Offices were closed... Bars and Restaurants may have JUST shut down... But at that time, the expectation was that by the middle of April, we'd all more or less be back to "normal". Well, there's no need to fully recap the insanity of the last 6 weeks, but the bottom line is that as of this moment, Indiana State Parks are closed until a reopening (tentatively) scheduled for May 24.

So TR2020 is officially POSTPONED just two short days and will still hopefully remain over Memorial Day, extending to Tuesday, May 26. Many of us have contacted TR Inn to reschedule our stay to reflect these dates. Clearly, there's no pressure to join us this year if you and your families aren't comfortable in that environment at that point in time. The good news is that we would be the first occupants of the hotel and cabins after reopening, so the spaces should be clean and safely virus-free.

More to come on a contingency plan to include those who do in fact choose not to attend in person this year.

Stay safe, friends!

Well, Spring is nearly upon us… And as we all fend off the evil Coronavirus, rest assured, there are no plans to postpone or cancel our beloved weekend at Turkey Run! Let’s face it, with the amount of time we’ve all spent playing in the dirt at TR over the years, we’re all probably immune to much worse! We are a mere 10 weeks out and I do believe it’s time to let the anticipation begin!

This year, Serb Fest enters its 6th decade! For our generation’s Founding Members, it’s our 4th decade of attendance... Pretty astounding! What makes me most proud as I look forward to the next decade of Serb Fest, is the prospect of our children, the 3rd generation of attendees, by the close of the decade, will be young adults, many, of drinking age…. They will be primed to carry the torch and usher in the future of Serb Fest! So, until then, we, the second generation, have a responsibility to ourselves, our children, the future of Serb Fest… and most importantly, the legacy of our forefathers, to celebrate the next 10 years of Serb Fest…. To keep our Spirit and the Legend of Serb Fest-past, strong… to instill the same passion in our young ones that we all have for TR. This is our duty as today’s elder statesmen of Serb Fest!

First order of business, please reach out if you’re in need of a room for TR 2020. I’d like to inventory how many rooms we have amongst us so we don’t overextend our recruitment efforts! I hear OLAF and crew have a new family looking to join us! As always, I’ll post attendee news as it becomes available.

Another sensational Serb Fest is behind us. Another decade has become part of the Legend. Our generation has truly found its stride – after 20 years… or, perhaps after 10 years of navigating Serb Fest with the 3rd generation in tote… Serb Fest is like a well-oiled machine, prepared to endure anything the weekend might throw at us. We were excited to not only have the Boskovic's back after their infamous 1 year "hiatus"...the unexpected return of BS was amazing as well! Attendance was once again strong at 46! MORE >>

I’m thrilled to finally share the highly anticipated next chapter of Cooler Sessions, featuring none other than Crazy Dan! Appropriate timing as he prepares to make his return to Serb Fest after his one-year hiatus! The chat takes us back to the sweltering 100 degree heat of TR2012. Learn some important Serbian techniques for staying cool in extreme heat and MUCH more! Language is technically not safe for kids, but I used to share with a 3-4 year old Grant and he thought it was hilarious. He seems to have turned out fine!

COOLER SESSIONS: DAN BOSKOVIC

As you know, TR Online periodically brings you an in depth look back at notable years past, 10 years later in our “Turn Back The Clock” Series. The very first in our series debuted 10 years ago, looking back on 1999. A true turning point in Serb Fest History. A year in which Serb Feet’s second generation took hold and set forth down the path of a lifelong tradition. Now, in 2019, we have an opportunity to get again reflect on this pivotal year, 20 years later! Have a read and appreciate just how much has changed (and how much hasn’t) in 20 years of Serb Fest!

TR 1999 - TWENTY Years Later

Let’s take a few moments to remember some of our most memorable “One Trip Wonders”! Most of us regular attendees have long committed to TR for life... A tradition of making memories with friends and family year after year... And while we always encourage regular attendance from the moment new invitees are introduced to Serb Fest, repeat attendance simply doesn’t materialize for some. For OLAF recruit, Sean Sullivan, an incredible 12 years separated his only two trips to TR. His surprise return in 2012 has certainly been the exception. Most are instantly hooked or fall immediately into TR lore. Impressively though, many who only briefly cross paths with our great tradition have managed to make lasting impressions. READ MORE>

Vince "The Intellectual" Kus		"Chuck the Truck" Leto		Arpan Desai		Eric "Mad Dog" Hansen
2004		2004		2004		2007

The TR2019 Shopping List is now available HERE! As expected, there’s not much change from recent years, but please review your individual (limited) responsibilities to prevent unnecessary redundancy of food, drink and supplies.

Also, be sure to have cash on hand for your park entrance fee ($7) canoe/kayak rental ($15/kayak, $20/canoe) and hay ride ($10/person)

For those bringing young children on the float and will have them in kayaks, I recommend picking up a few bungee cords from your local hardware store to allow you to tether kayaks together and ensure we all continue to float slowly and blissfully down Sugar Creek!

As promised, the TR 2018 Recap is finally up at TR Online! Check it out and relive the countless ridiculous moments! I mean, the quotes alone... absolutely priceless! Some dandy photos too... ENJOY!

TR 2018 RECAP

Friends.... As most of us continue to endure a winter that just won't seem to quit, I can't believe we're less than 11 weeks out from yet another epic weekend at Turkey Run State Park. Like the promise of another Spring, TR2019 holds tremendous promise. I'm hopeful that we'll see the return of several dearly missed attendees and those who've recently returned to Serb Fest will continue the momentum forward and join us again this year!

In what seems to be the new normal here at TR Online and our Serb Fest FB Group, I've been slow to post content from the previous year.... Rest assured, this is in the works! Soon you'll be inundated with photos, ridiculous quotes and hilarious memories to get your appetite in order for this year's festivities. Stay tuned for much, much more!

Check out the AWARDS ARCHIVE for a look back on past recipients!

The 41st+ edition of Serb Fest, while short a few key attendees, was none the less, not at all short of good times! The weather was outstanding and the group was energized by the return of Mike and Amy Z! The group rallied to compensate for the Boskovic’s absence for the first time since the early 2000’s. It certainly proved that they bring a heck of a lot more than crazy antics to the table each year. We’re now less than a year out from their sure-to-be triumphant return!

This year’s hike was a welcomed success after several years of poor navigation resulting in extra long hikes, we finally took the right turns that kept us to a reasonable distance and duration! The beer float was a near disaster and nearly resulted in the issuance of TR’s second official demerit (a second was threatened once before due to a stolen chair w/ footrest in the pre-children era of Serb Fest). Scott was over-confident in the group not needing a reservation for the kayak trip, but after a slightly later departure and above average nice weather, Sugar Valley Canoe Trips was at near capacity…. Running out of kayaks for all morning and early afternoon departures. That forced the majority of the group into tubes. At first this appeared to be a significant downgrade in comfort and experience, but as the trip unfolded, most agreed the tubes were fun. On another note, the group also failed to pack a secondary cooler of beer into the cars and Berger, once again could have been more diligent after Dave R asked if we had everything packed up. This certainly would have contributed to said issuance of a demerit, but miraculously, the group managed to reasonably ration the beverage supply, so all in all, the float was a success. That said, it was a big lesson learned and next year will be much better orchestrated! Perhaps this will parlay into a “most improved” award for Berger next year!

The time has come... For your viewing pleasure, the next installment of our "Fireside Chat" series, featuring Brian Crissie! Take a few minutes and give it a watch with the family!

FIRESIDE CHAT: BRIAN CRISSIE

The time has come! The fifth installment of the Serb Fest Collection Series is available for download! The collection once again speaks to the unique flavor of Central Indiana and the Spirit of Turkey Run.

As mentioned in recent weeks, I'm particularly excited about the two tracks that open and close Volume 5. 'P.B.R.' kicks off the collection and is sure to become a fast favorite! Clearly, the title speaks for itself... and while hilarious, this song is no joke! The tune slides into the mix as well as any other classic Serb Fest tune! And at the back end of the collection, a tune simply titled 'Cevapcici' brings a traditional Serbian Flavor to the collection. You can't help but to smile and laugh out loud as this song unfolds. And if your kids are anything like mine, they'll love it too! LOL

Between these gems are several strong tunes, representing our standby bands, The Why Store, Gov't Mule, The Flecktones, John Butler Trio, and more!

Download the tracks HERE, add them to your iTunes playlists and gear up for another high energy drive to TR!

The TR 2018 Shopping List is now available HERE !! As always, let me know if there are any questions on your responsibilities!

I have confirmation that Amy Lund will be joining us once again. We know she's an enthusiast of Sugar Creek. Let's see how many trips she can muster up after the restrictions on canoeing last year! A few other notes - 2-time attendee, Frank "Meat" Malawski will not be returning this year, though we hope to see him back in the future! Brian O'Kelly and Stacey will also forgo attendence this year. Despite some absences, it's still expected to be quite the healthy turn-out! We're under three weeks to go!

Yes, this is admittedly 10 months late! Updating the beloved TR Online continues to be very painful this year as I continue to have file uploading issues! Never the less, our Serb Fest 40 memories are not officially archived and preserved for future generations! Take a moment to relive 2017 as we prepare for another great weekend next month!!

TR 2017 RECAP

On a similar note, the Annual Pre-Hike 'Beater' Photo page has received a bit of an overhaul. We can all agree this photo can be a bit of a pain in the ass each year, but I have to admit, the collection of photos are one of my favorite pieces of TR Online. Nearly 20 years behind us. You really see the youth come through on the early photos! WOW!

Greetings my fellow Turkey Run enthusiasts!! After a near 10 month hiatus, TR Online is back in business! My deepest apologies for the delayed posts of last years recap and the usual late Winter TR hype. Computer software issues and time restraints are to blame, but for now, things seem to be working, so away we post!

Special thanks to Bry and Dave R for the gentle nudge to get my @ss in gear. You guys get all the credit this year in lighting the TR fire! With that said, we are just over 2 months out from the Most Anticipated Weekend of the Year! I may reach out to some of you individually, but let's be sure we have lodging squared away for everyone. If you're without a room right now, keep a close eye on the TR Inn website for last minute availability!

Without further ado, I have some exciting news to share!! I received confirmation last week that Amy & Mike Z will in fact be making their long anticipated return to TR this year! Now with 3 kids (newcomers Kate & Callen join their older sister and past attendee, Anna), this will be Mike & Amy's first trip since 2011! Mike captured Rookie of the Year honors 10 years ago in 2008 with quick witted humor and a newfound nickname, "Feces Mike". He was also a back-to-back recipient of the Honorary Vince Kus Intellectual of the Year Award in 2010-2011 and is credited with introducing Stroh's to Serb Fest. Amy, of course, is nothing but good times and folds perfectly into the fabric of TR. This is truly great news for 2018 and I hope we all continue to be spoiled by their presence into the future!

Stay tuned for more updates in the coming weeks!

It probably goes without saying, that this, of all years, Crazy Dan is more than deserving of the Vince Kus Intellectual of the Year award, recapturing these honors for the first time since 2012 and becoming an unprecedented 3rd time honoree.

Carter Berger earned the Cevapcici Consumption Award for the second straight year, having proclaimed early in the weekend that he was ONLY interested in eating Cevap this weekend! His family continues to be proud and overjoyed. Who will step up and challenge him in 2018??

And finally, the 7th recipient of the Jovan Zelenkovich Memorial Golden Cevapcici Award is a very deserving, OLAF. Now, 17 trips to Serb Fest under his belt… One of three invitees of Jovan back in 1998 - leading to Founding Member status in 2013 - clearly, he's been a cornerstone of this, the second generation of Serb Fest. He also is responsible for the first male attendee of the 3rd generation, as his son John was introduced to TR in 2008 just a couple months into his young life. He's responsible for the 'symbol' of TR - we all know it! A moment captured on camera back in 2003. "Nobody pounds beers like OLAF, NOBODY… But we plan for that, and it's okay…" That's one of my favorite historical quotes from Jovan way back when… He may not be QUITE the same beer pounder as he was in his younger days, but I wouldn't bet against him… He's been an active recruiter of new attendees for well over a decade…. And last but not least, he cooks some mean potatoes! Next time you see OLAF, be sure to congratulate him again and praise him for his Serb Fest related achievements!

Check out the AWARDS ARCHIVE for a look back on past recipients!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! It’s finally here!
THE MOST ANTICIPATED WEEKEND OF THE YEAR!

Weather has improved a bit from earlier in the week. Temperatures remain in the upper 70's to upwards up 80 degrees and chances of rain on Sunday has subsided a bit, but timing of the rain may impact the Sunday Beer Float. Otherwise, Sugar Creek levels are only slightly above normal and is expected to be open to all ages, weather permitting...

Some last minute reminders before you hit the road: Be sure to have cash for your entrance fee to TR State Park – Typically $7 for out-of-state unless rates have gone up. Also, have cash on hand for the hay ride, if interested (between $10-20 for a family – OLAF may remember the exact rate). And of course, if your shopping list includes a Serbian Food cash donation, please get your money to me as soon as you can. I’ll make sure we’re covered before reimbursing Crazy Dan (Thanks again, Dan for handling the critical task of supplying the Serbian cuisine!) AND FINALLY – Please note that we’re going to do our best to stick to a “schedule” for a few key events this weekend. I know it’s tough to always be around when parenting duties call – but please make an effort to be at the grill site for the following events:

Saturday, 4:00pm – Annual Beater Photo
Sunday, 5:30pm – Awards Ceremony
Sunday, 5:45pm – Full Group Photo

A full schedule of events can be found HERE

As if the Fireside Chat series wasn’t enough… TR Online introduces yet another video series that we’ll build upon in the future! Welcome to ‘Cooler Sessions’! The first chapter features 3-time attendee, Brian O’Kelly. The interview was filmed during TR2012 in the midst of Brian’s second trip to TR. In contrast to Crazy Dan’s ‘Fireside Chat’ which, among much of his antics, speaks eloquently about the history of Serb Fest from the perspective of our longest-tenured attendee… Brian brings a youthful perspective of Serb Fest – relevant to many of our newer invitees, even those experiencing Serb Fest for the very first time this year! ENJOY!

COOLER SESSIONS: BRIAN O'KELLY

FIRESIDE CHAT: CRAZY DAN [Right click, save as] or tap to stream to your mobile devices

As advertised, the first Chapter of the new ‘Fireside Chat’ series is NOW AVAILABLE for your viewing pleasure! Filmed nearly 5 years ago, late night during TR2012, the release of this priceless footage in some form has been highly anticipated from the moment it was captured! Originally part of a flurry of filming done at TR2012 intended to contribute to the production of our next full-length documentary – a look at the rich history of Serb Fest. Time has proven that production of such a documentary is no small task, but one that certainly remains an aspiration for us all. And so, Krangis and Scott agreed that we simply couldn’t hold back on the release of this legendary interview session any longer. It stands tremendously well on its own and will leaving you crying from laughter. Throughout the interview, you hear the small group that had gathered behind the camera fight to hold back the uncontrollable laughter. The good news is that today, you can laugh to your heart’s content! ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED??!