With the start of school still a few days away, there is still time to make a little road trip or two. There are plenty of attractions just a short drive away, places that are still somewhat unknown to people.

One of them is the Annie Oakley Perfumery and Studio in Ligonier. The story behind the perfumery is humble but determined. Jewelry designer Renee Gabet began the operation with her daughters, and they took a simple approach which quickly grew. By the 1990s they moved from Gabet’s home into a larger facility, and the business continues to grow.

With not only a line of women’s and men’s fragrances, the popular use of essential oils has given Annie Oakley another foothold in the business, and their facility is open for tours, shopping, and even a bit of science for those who might like to dabble in creating their own fragrances.

Open public tours are available at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. No reservations are required. The tour includes a history of their business, a tour of the factory, and a chance to create your own fragrances. Not a bad way to get ready for a new school year. Visit annieoakley.com for more information.

Concerts in Angola

Trine University in Angola has done more than change its name in the last few years. The Furth Center on campus has also become a hub of great entertainment, rivaling many other venues in the area.

Upcoming concerts reflect that. On August 9 is B.J. Thomas, best known for hits like “Hooked on a Feeling” and “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head,” the latter an Academy Award winner from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. In addition to pop success, Thomas has also scored hits in the country and Christian charts and is a two-time Dove Award winner and five-time Grammy Award winner.

On Sept. 21, Furth welcomes legendary Canadian musician Gordon Lightfoot who celebrates his 80th birthday with this tour and proves he is still going strong. Lightfoot brings a huge catalog of great music and big hits including “Early Morning Rain,” “If You Could Read My Mind,” “Carefree Highway,” “Sundown,” and “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”

Dionne Warwick visits the Furth on Oct. 5. Having recently won the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Warwick brings her set of hits written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David which includes “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?” and “Walk on By” as well as later hits like “Heartbreaker” written by the Bee Gees and “I Know I’ll Never Love This Way Again” produced by Arista label mate Barry Manilow.

For ticket information for all shows at the Furth, visit trine.edu/furth.

Covered bridge Festival

While Labor Day has often felt like the end of summer (especially since kids are now back to school for a few weeks by that time), there are still a couple of noteworthy festivals to look forward to in September so be sure to circle these days in your calendar.

In addition to the very popular Johnny Appleseed Festival in Fort Wayne (Sept. 21-22), the town of Roann will once again host the Roann Covered Bridge Festival Sept. 5-8. The free public festival not only celebrates one of our area’s beautiful covered bridges (and who doesn’t love a covered bridge?), but it also provides four days of family fun which includes the Antique Tractor Pull, Parade, Pedal Tractor Pull, Mud Volleyball, live entertainment, and more.

For more information and a schedule of events, visit roanncoveredbridgefestival.com .

News and Venues covers Northeast Indiana’s music and arts organizations, venues, and colleges, from large to small. Send your news items to info@whatzup.com.