La Porte celebrates the summer with Friday Night Live Taco Fest
- By: Maxwell Barath
- Last Updated: June 20, 2026
On Friday, June 19, La Porte’s Friday Night Live made its return to downtown La Porte, bringing people and local vendors together with June’s theme, Taco Fest.
Friday Night Live is a series of events hosted by the City of La Porte. It takes place throughout the summer months of May through August, giving residents an upbeat, festive atmosphere to enjoy these warmer weeks. Food, drink, and craft vendors showed off their wares under the orange summer sky while mingling with attendees of all ages.
Each day of Friday Night Live revolves around a different distinct theme, and tonight’s was one that few people on the planet wouldn’t get excited over- tacos. Mexican music pulsed through the air of the outdoor venue, and multiple taco trucks were parked and ready to feed dozens of hungry La Porte residents.
Lindsey Kneifel, the Logistics and Operations Coordinator for downtown La Porte events, has been a part of Taco Fest since its debut in 2021. Her, and the rest of the La Porte Events team, have made small tweaks and changes throughout Taco Fest’s six year run to enrich the experience for all attendees.
“We had a really good foundation already,” Kneifel said, “but some things we thought we could improve upon. We’ve added bounce houses and a mechanical bull. We’re making things a little more impactful and fuller, and we added a lot of new activities for the kids.”
Each of Friday Night Live’s summer installments are tied together through their family friendly atmosphere. Tacos, of course, are enjoyed by all ages, but Taco Fest is about more than its namesake.
Summer, more than any other season, permits families to go out and spend time together, and Taco Fest was designed with that in mind. Children were widely catered to for this event, as frisbees, hula hoops, chalk, a taco eating dragon mascot, and bouncy-castles all entertained the kids.
“We’ve tried to make it a family friendly event,” Kneifel said. “It’s summer, you want to bring your kids out. Hopefully they’re just able to find something that they like, that they can take part in.”
Taco Fest also provides an opportunity for many of La Porte’s small businesses to make themselves known in the community. The La Porte Events team works with local vendors and artists months beforehand, ensuring that all local businesses have ample time to prepare. This is a boon for both the businesses themselves and the attendees, as Taco Fest has looked to incorporate a greater variety of businesses into the event.
“We went around at the beginning of the season to let all the downtown businesses know when we’re having these events, that way they’re a little more prepared. We have some artists and vendors here as well, which brings more people in, too, and we want to make sure that we give those people a chance to sell their products as well,” Kneifel said.
La Porte’s Friday Night Live felt like a celebration of the summer season. The event gave La Porte residents an opportunity to eat delicious food, meet old friends, make new ones, and connect with small businesses throughout the community.
For more information on La Porte events, visit LivinthelakelifeUpcoming La Porte, Indiana Events –
