Local Festivals

All Month Long, May 3/30, 500 Festival in Indianapolis
Created in 1957, the 500 Festival has grown to become one of the largest festivals in the nation. Nearly 500,000 people participate in festival activities throughout the month of May. Annual events include one of the nation’s premier parades held the Saturday before Memorial Day, the nation’s largest half marathon, Indiana’s largest outdoor festival for children along with a Memorial Service honoring Indiana’s fallen heroes. Logon to 500 festival.com for a complete calendar of events with dates and times. www.500festival.com

wed, May 5, Cinco De Mayo Grub & Pub Crawl
All locations will feature Mexican-themed food & drink specials, visit all locations and be eligible to win a prize. Participating Locations: The Fork, Bistro 310, Fourth Street, Columbus Bar, Smith’s Row, Hotel Indigo, The Garage Pub

fri & Sat, May 8/7, Spring Bloosm Arts Festival
3rd annual Spring Blossom Arts Festival features over 100 area and regional artists, live entertainment, shopping, and dining. Throughout the Village of Nashville, Brown County.

Sat, May 8, A Garden Tea
Irwin Gardens, to benefit Book Buddies call 376-4461 for more info

Sat & Sun, May 15/16, Broad Ripple Art Fair
Repeatedly voted as the best art festival in Indianapolis, the Broad Ripple Art Fair brings together more than 25,000 visitors, 225 artists, select food vendors and four stages of live entertainment, including one entirely for kids and another on the river. www.indplsartcenter.org

Fri, May 28, Columbus Indiana Philharmonic presents Salute!
FREE outdoor concert honoring those who have served and who are serving in the United States Armed Forces.

Sat, June 5, Columbash
Are your looking for something fun to do? Would you like to meet new people, make connections in a social setting? Tickets are $20 before May 29th. Free Beer and Wine for the first hour. After that, enjoy $1 Beer, a D.J. and the band Top Gun.

Fri & Sat, Jun 5/6, BioBlitz
Come be a part of Brown County State Park Bioblitz, a marathon weekend of exploring every living species that calls the park its home. Watch, learn, and get hands-on field experience with the real experts as they study and research plants & animals.  Admission:  Park Admission

All week, Jun 12/20, National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association’s Spring Shoot in Friendship, IN.
Black powder shooting instruction and competitions, Early American crafts, muzzleloading gun building demonstrations, classes, living history interpreters, museum displays and lectures, and muzzleloading supplies. Special programs for youth. www.nmlra.org

Fri, Jun 25, Brown County Studio & Garden Tour
Self-guided driving tour of artists’ home studios. Meet artists, watch demonstrations, buy local art directly from those who create it.

fri, Jul 2, Indiana Bank & Trust QMIX Musical Fireworks

9 days, Jul 9/17, Bartholomew County Fair

Sat, Jul 31, Biggest Block Party Ever!
Fundraiser for the Arts Council with two stages, eight bands, kids’ activities, downtown restaurants with special menus, beer, wine.

17 days, aug 6/22, Indiana State Fair

Sat, Aug 14,  Rock the Park
Gin Blossoms and The Rembrandts will rock Millrace Park with rocking favorites and songs we remember.

5 days, Aug 18/22, Brown County Fair

Sat, Aug 28,  Bad Hair Day/Artfest
Celebrate the weather that turns our hair into a frizzy mess. Enter to have the worse hair in town.

Sat, Sep 4, Hospice of South Central Indiana, Inc. & EMCON Technologies Community Concert
Free oldies concert with fireworks, national and regional acts. Food and souvenir booths, no seating provided. Proceeds benefit hospice.

Sat, Sep 11, Columbus Scottish Festival
Great Scot! Celtic music, food, bagpipers, athletic competition, sheepdog trials, re-enactors, children’s activities and more! Family fun.

Fri/Sun, Sep 17/19, Indy’s Irish fest, Military park Indianapolis
Four stages of Irish traditional and rock music, dancing, run & walk, sheep herding, huge children’s area, over 30 Irish/Celtic vendors, great food and drink, kilted mile run on Sunday, Celtic Mass, cultural area with exhibits and demos and storytelling.

Sat, Sep 25, Council for Youth Development Drive in Movie
Games and Activities 5:00-7:00 Movie at 7:30 Mill Race Park

Sat, Sept 24,  Paradise Iron Pour

Fri/Sat, oct 8/9,  Ethnic Expo