Billie Creek Village is reducing its adult ticket fee to $3 from its previous $5 in hopes the change will mean more fun for more people and no less revenue, overall, for the village itself.

"There's not many places in a setting as popular as Billie Creek Village that would be willing to reduce prices, but we're going to give it a try," said Doug Weisheit, the village's general manager. "We've researched this and believe it's possible that the shortfall in our regular adult prices will be more than made up for in greater attendance.

"All of our other prices are still very low, and many of our services are free."

Under the new pricing structure, children younger than age 4 still get free entry to the village; moreover, visitors will have free parking and a free shuttle to Rockville.

Plus, there will be free entertainment in the village, such as the free singing by gospel songstress Nancy Rooney in Union Baptist Church and more free singing by Vicki & Crew in the gazebo.

Access to all of the village's 38 historical buildings and three covered bridges also will be free.

"Prices for our mule and tractor-drawn wagon rides around the village and through our three covered bridges haven't gone down," Weisheit says, "but at 50 cents a ride per adult, there's simply no way we can reduce them very much.

"If a person is hungry for some good old-fashioned country cooking, then they will still be able to enjoy our all-you-can-eat chicken and dumpling dinner with dessert and drink for only $6.50.

"Kids who want to hop on our carousel rides and have the time of their life will still be able to do so for only $1."

Weisheit says that recent trends in the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival have led to the change in admission pricing. In the past few years people have come to believe that things were really "free" in Mansfield and Bridgeton, where there are so many national and international vendors.

As a consequence of rising attendance at those festival centers, attendance has been going down at Billie Creek Village.

"When people who don't know the area very well hear it's free in Bridgeton and Mansfield, they tend to go there," Weisheit says.

"Well, now our prices are as close to free as we can get them -- plus we've got seven acres of truly free parking, free shuttle rides into Rockville, and more arts and crafts than any other part of the county. As far as I'm concerned, in 1999 Billie Creek Village will truly be the best value in Parke County."