The ninth annual Rain on Main event, a popular painted rain barrel contest and auction, kicks off Friday, Aug. 11, with a display of 20 decorated barrels in the Carmel Arts & Design District.
This event is presented by Carmel Utilities, Carmel Department of Storm Water Management and the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District The barrels will remain along Main Street through the following week until they are relocated to the Carmel Farmers Market.
Rain on Main uses art on ordinary barrels to help educate the public about the value of water efficiency. Rain barrels have grown in popularity across the country and decorated barrels provide a beautiful visual element to landscaping and are a great way to save water and help the environment.
The painted barrels will be displayed and judged by an independent panel of experts and the first-, second-, and third-place artists will receive cash prizes. The general public will also be given the opportunity to vote for their favorites.
Schedule of events
Aug. 11 at noon
The 20 decorated barrels will be posted on Facebook and placed on display in the Carmel Arts & Design District. The public can vote on a “People’s Choice” winner based on individual barrel likes by going to the Rain on Main Facebook page. An online auction will also begin and individuals can bid on their favorite barrel to take home. You must register for the auction by texting RAIN to 88793 or visiting RainOnMain.com.
Aug. 12 & 13
The barrels will remain along Main Street and the designs will be judged by an independent panel. First, second and third place artists will receive cash prizes.
Aug. 19
The barrels will be moved to the Carmel Farmers Market, where the “People’s Choice” voting concludes at 10 a.m. and the online auction continues during the Market hours until 11 a.m. The “People’s Choice” award winner will be announced live at the market at 10:45 a.m., just before the online auction concludes.
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Net proceeds from the auction support water education in Carmel Clay Parks, including signage, some of which has been installed at Founders Park (located at 116th Street and Hazel Dell Parkway) using funding generated by Rain on Main. Additionally, Carmel residents who install a rain barrel are eligible to apply for a $50 rebate per barrel from the City’s Storm Water Utility. More information about Rain on Main and the rain barrel rebate can be found at RainOnMain.com.
Rain on Main cash prizes for the artists are made possible by event sponsor Greenscape Geeks, a landscape architecture and landscaping company that specializes in sustainable and eco-friendly landscape design, installation and maintenance.
The event is also supported by in-kind sponsors, Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes, Tom Wood Collision Center, White’s Ace Hardware & Garden Center and the Carmel Farmers Market, in addition to the following 20 Rain on Main Barrel Sponsors: Actors Theatre of Indiana, All Things Carmel, Bazbeaux Pizza, Brown Hound Studios, Bub’s Burgers & Ice Cream, Calico Counseling, Carmel Clay Public Library Foundation, Carmel Education Foundation, Club Canine, Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael, The Great Frame Up, Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District, Indiana Artisan Gifts & Gallery, Indiana Women’s Half Marathon & 5K, Jessica Irvine for Carmel, MEG & Associates, Moody Eyes, Papa Fattoush Restaurant, Ranj Puthran Allstate, RPM Technologies, LLC.