A state-of-the-art training hub for firefighters and police officers is opening its gates to the public this weekend, pairing traditional German festivities with live emergency rescue demonstrations.
The MAAC Foundation will host its first-ever "MAACtoberfest" on Saturday, Oct. 17, from noon to 7 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 18, from noon to 5 p.m., at its 30-acre campus on Montdale Park Drive in Valparaiso. General admission is $5, with all proceeds directly funding the nonprofit's first responder academies and training operations.
The two-day festival combines classic fall celebration elements—live German polka and brass music, domestic and imported beers, a stein-holding competition, and a best-dressed lederhosen contest—with an inside look at how emergency personnel prepare for life-and-death scenarios.
Throughout the weekend, local public safety crews will run live tactical demonstrations across the grounds, including fire sprinkler burns, car fire extinguishments, high-pressure vehicle extrications, and police K9 tracking exercises. Both days will also feature emergency vehicle touch-a-truck exhibits and live medical helicopter landings.
“MAACtoberfest is an exciting new chapter for the MAAC Foundation,” said Nicole Gladstone, president and CEO of the MAAC Foundation. “As a fundraiser, it gives our community a fun and unique way to support the mission of MAAC while experiencing firsthand the training and innovation that goes into preparing our first responders.”
Gladstone noted that incorporating dynamic field drills into the festival allows local residents to see where community support goes.
“Bringing the demonstrations into the event makes it more than an Oktoberfest celebration; it gives people an opportunity to see, learn, and connect with the work their support helps make possible,” Gladstone said. “We’re excited to create a new tradition that brings people together while raising funds to advance the MAAC Foundation’s mission.”
Local Flavors and Campus Exploration
In addition to traditional German fare, the festival will highlight Northwest Indiana food vendors, including Byway Brewing Company, Ben’s Soft Pretzels, Crumbles Bake Shop, Lil’ Gridiron Grill, and TJ’s Kettle Corn.
Families and attendees can also tour the training facilities and enter raffles for prizes, including laser tag passes, enrollment in community safety courses, and a fire truck ride alongside MAAC Foundation founder Stewart McMillan.
Established in 2017 as a public-private partnership, the MAAC (Multi Agency Academic Cooperative) Foundation delivers hands-on tactical education for emergency personnel across Lake, Porter, and surrounding counties. To date, first responders have logged more than 650,000 training hours across its burn towers and tactical grounds, and the facility has hosted over 3,500 hours of public safety education. The facility also operates volunteer, career, and vocational high school fire academies, as well as comprehensive EMT certification courses.
More information on weekend schedules and advance admission is available at MAACFoundation.org.
