Home Opener @indyeleven Apr. 1, 2017

A patriotic celebration in the Brickyard Batallion at an Indy Eleven home game. AroundIndy.com staff photo, (c) 2016, all rights reserved.

Indy Eleven Press Release

NEW YORK/INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, January 20, 2017) – The North American Soccer League (NASL) announced Friday the format for the 2017 season, which will kick off on Saturday, March 25, 2017.

After starting the Spring Season on the road on March 25, Indy Eleven will return to IUPUI’s Michael A. Carroll Stadium for its home opener on Saturday, April 1. Indy Eleven will carry a 19-game regular season home undefeated streak – the second-longest such streak during the NASL’s modern era – into its April 1 home opener, a run buoyed by an impressive 13W-3D-0L mark last season.

“With a strong core of players returning to play in front of the best fans in the NASL at Carroll Stadium, everyone at Indy Eleven is eager to get the 2017 season underway,” said President Jeff Belskus. “We look forward to giving our fans even more wins and more trophies to celebrate as we start play on March 25.”

Each NASL club will compete in a 16-game Spring Season, followed by a 16-game Fall Season, hosting eight home games in each.

The champions from each season will earn the right to host a semifinal game in The Championship, the league’s four-club postseason tournament, on the weekend of November 4. The Championship Final will be played on the weekend of November 11.

“Over the years, our intense split-season competition has produced the drama and excitement that fans crave,” said NASL Interim Commissioner Rishi Sehgal. “The 2017 season will be no different, and we can’t wait to watch our clubs battle each other week in and week out.”

Eight clubs will take the field in 2017: FC Edmonton, Indy Eleven, Jacksonville Armada FC, The Miami FC, New York Cosmos, North Carolina FC, Puerto Rico FC, and San Francisco Deltas.

The league expects to release the full 2017 schedule in the coming weeks.

The only way to currently save a seat at Carroll Stadium for the April 1 home opener is by securing 2017 Indy Eleven Season Tickets, which start at just $135 for the 17-game package (16 regular season games plus one bonus game). For more information on 2017 Season Ticket benefits and pricing, visit www.IndyEleven2017.com.

May 2016 in Downtown Indianapolis

Indianapolis skyline. AroundIndy.com staff photo, (c) 2015, all rights reserved.

By Amanda Dorman
Downtown Indy, Inc.

Wholesale District Beautification Day
Community members are coming together for a morning of partnership, productivity and fun as district employees participate in the ninth annual Wholesale District Beautification Day Monday, May 2. More than 200 volunteers will create a clean, pedestrian-friendly environment for the district’s sidewalks, store fronts and businesses. Tasks include sweeping the sidewalks and curbs, removing stickers, painting over graffiti and picking up litter.

100th Running HandleBar Hot Lap on Monument Circle
In the spirit of the 100th Running of the Indy 500, HandleBar, Downtown Indy, Inc. and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway are hosting the 100th Running HandleBar Hot Lap on Monument Circle Friday, May 6 at 11:30 a.m. Races include one-on-one laps around Monument Circle with pit stops and vehicle tweaks. The races will be structured into a 24-team single elimination bracket, narrowing down Indy’s best, culminating in a championship race between the top two teams. Businesses are invited to register a team (10 participants) online for $100/team.

Georgia Street comes to life with Downtown Indy, Inc.’s Summer Series
Downtown Indy, Inc. has again partnered with local fitness studios for Workout Wednesday – fun, all-levels group fitness sessions on the Boardwalk. Hip Hop on Georgia Street in partnership with the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis begins May 4 and reoccurs weekly from noon – 12:45 p.m. Each workout will begin with a local personality/celebrity for the warm-up. The celebrity will be announced each week via Twitter (@GeorgiaStIndy). A new addition to Workout Wednesday this year will be Sunrise Yoga on the Canal in partnership with Invoke Studio. Sunrise Yoga begins June 1 and takes place weekly on the Vermont Street Plaza from 6 – 6:45 a.m.

Happy Hour Thursdays return to the Boardwalk beginning May 5.
Georgia Street’s center block will turn into a work respite from 4:30 – 7:30 p.m. every Thursday. Listen to music from live DJs, relax with friends and order appetizers and drinks from the Boardwalk Bar staffed by the Omni Severin Bar. There’s no cover charge, but all attendees must be 21 and older.

Downtown workers can also enjoy ongoing Food Truck Fridays.
Eat lunch alfresco on the Georgia Street Boardwalk and enjoy the sights and sounds of Downtown during weekly from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

May means 500 Festival events
Race fans are invited to Rock-IN-Roar 500 – a music festival and community celebration on Georgia Street that officially “drops the green flag” on Race Week in Indianapolis. On May 20 from 5 – 10:30 p.m., 500 local musicians, led by John Mellencamp keyboardist Troye Kinnett and IndyCar driver Will Power, join together to perform One Republic’s “Love Runs Out” in a musical tribute to the spirit of the 100th Indy 500. Attendees can witness SPECTACLE: Sights & Sounds of the Indy 500 on Georgia Street, featuring a unique light show with some of the most memorable radio calls from the past 100 years. Following this FREE Rock-IN-Roar 500, SPECTACLE will run at 9 p.m., 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. May 21 – 29.

The 40th OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon takes off Saturday, May 7 at 7:30 a.m. The course begins at the intersection of Washington and West streets, heads west to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and does a complete lap around the 2.5 mile track before heading back down New York Street. In addition to the Mini, kids ages 3 – 10 can participate in the non-competitive Chase 500 Festival Rookie Run May 14 at 10:30 a.m. After the Mini, head to Military Park for the FREE 500 Festival Post Race Party.

The 60th IPL 500 Festival Parade kicks off at noon May 28 at noon. About 300,000 spectators from around the country will line the streets of Indianapolis for one of the nation’s premier parades. The month-long roster of events culminates with the 100th running of the Indy 500 on May 29 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Original Farmers’ Market returns May 4
Downtown’s Original Farmers’ Market returns to Indianapolis City Market on May 4 and continues every Wednesday through October. The market is open from 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. on Market Street between Delaware and Alabama Streets. Market Street will be closed each Wednesday during this time.

Bring Mom Downtown on Mother’s Day
Downtown attractions and restaurants will make Mother’s Day extra special. Visit Mother’s Day Weekend at the Indianapolis Zoo May 7 and 8 and enjoy a Zoo-wide scavenger hunt, photo stations, free treats and more. Attend Mother’s Day at the IRT on May 8 and enjoy brunch at noon followed by a performance of The Mousetrap at 2 p.m. Georgia Reese’s is offering a special Mother’s Day brunch buffet all day from 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Hot happenings at Downtown attractions
Mini Golf that combines original art and playful competition is coming to the Indianapolis Museum of Art. The much anticipated Artist Designed Mini Golf opens to the public May 10. The course features 18 holes designed by local and regional artists and in honor of Indiana’s Bicentennial, each hole is inspired by Indiana history and landmarks. Tickets are FREE for IMA members and included in regular admission for non-members.

Easley Winery’s outdoor music series Groovin’ in the Garden kicks off on May 21 and runs through September. Enjoy daily wine specials and live music in a relaxing environment every Saturday from 2 – 5 p.m. This series is FREE.

Indiana Historical Society’s Concerts on the Canal return on May 26 and take place every Thursday night from 6 – 8 p.m. through July 28. The 2016 Concerts on the Canal series features a spectacular lineup of entertainers including Shannon Forsell, Flying Toasters, Funk Quarter and The Bishops. Seating is FREE on the grassy hill across the Canal or reserve a table on the terrace for extra.

Cheer on your favorite teams
Catch one (or more) of the 16 Indianapolis Indians home games at Victory Field this month. Enjoy monthly promos including 2-for-1 Tuesdays, Thursday Craft Beer Night, Friday Fireworks and Kid’s Eat Free Sundays. On May 3, share your favorite game with your pup: Bark in the Park allows dogs and their owners a chance to enjoy the game from the right field lawn. There are two chances to catch the Indy Eleven at home: May 7 and May 21.

For more information, call 317-237-2222.

Downtown Indy gets festive in June 2015

Antipasto salad at the Italian Street Festival. AroundIndy.com staff photo, (c) 2010, all rights reserved.

By Amanda Dorman
Downtown Indy, Inc.

Family-friendly outdoor festivals take the forefront in June with the return of many annual Downtown favorites.

The Christ Church Cathedral Women’s Strawberry Festival returns to Monument Circle to serve an estimated six tons of strawberries and 18,000 homemade shortcakes on Thursday, June 11, 2015.

Thousands of people will gather outside of Holy Rosary Catholic Church and enjoy 25 different Italian meats, pastas, salads and desserts during Italian Street Festival June 12 & 13 (see photo above).

The Circle City IN Pride Festival, Indiana’s largest LGBT celebration, takes place at American Legion Mall June 13.

Sip on craft beer from more than 50 local and national breweries at Brew-Ha-Ha on Park Avenue June 20.

On June 27 & 28, check out the Eiteljorg Museum’s Indian Market and Festival, one of the Midwest’s largest Indian markets.

Other big June festivals:

June 6: Vintage Indiana Wine and Food Festival

June 13: PBS Kids in the Park

June 13 & 14: Talbot Street Art Fair

June13: INDIEana Handicraft Exchange

June 18: Marsh Cookout on the Circle

June 20: Asian Fest

June 21: Familia Fest

Take in the sights and sounds of summer

Summer concerts are officially here and national and local artists alike will bring Downtown to life this June.

The Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn at White River State Park hosts an exciting June summer concert lineup, with Third Eye Blind and Dashboard Confessional kicking off the season on May 30. See Alabama Shakes June 2, Cage the Elephant June 7, Hozier June 11, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals June 13, Rob Zombie June 14, Barenaked Ladies June 17, Flogging Molly June 17 and David Gray/Amos Lee June 27.

At Old National Centre, fans of all genres of music can catch big names including:

June 5: Juicy J

June 11: Heart

June 16: Rob Thomas

June 17: The Smashing Pumpkins: In Plainsong – An Acoustic Electro Evening

June 27: Reel Big Fish and Less Than Jake

Catch two more shows at The Cabaret at the Columbia Club: Indy Men’s Chorus: A Night at the Cabaret on June 12 and Linda Lavin: Now on June 26 & 27.

There are several options for enjoying live tunes outside this summer. Indiana Historical Society’s “Concerts on the Canal” kick off May 28 and continue every Thursday at 6 – 8 p.m. through the end of July. Reserve a table on the Stardust Terrace or bring a chair or blanket and take a seat on the grassy hill right off the Canal.

Easley Winery offers free concerts every Saturday from 2 – 5 p.m. as part of their “Groovin’ in the Garden” concert series.

Enjoy great live music, animals, rides, delicious food and more Friday nights June 19 through July 10 from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. at the Indianapolis Zoo’s Zoolapalooza Concert Series.

The Indianapolis Museum of Art kicks off Summer Nights Film Series on June 5 with National Lampoon’s Vacation. Other June showings include Heathers June 12; Casablanca June 19 and Psycho June 26. The series continues every summer Friday through Aug. 28. Films begin at dusk with pre-show activities at 7 p.m. Tickets are $12; $6 for members.

Go car-free this summer

WalkScore.com ranks Downtown Indy as a “Walker’s Paradise” and Sports Illustrated named Indy as “the most walkable Downtown in America.”

That’s why Downtown Indy is challenging the public to go car-free this summer with the new Car-Free Indy program. Ride your bike, take the bus or walk for a more sustainable city. Participants can up online, create a profile, set a goal and track progress now through August. The program strives to have 1,000 participants and save 30,000 miles of commuting by the end of the summer. Prizes will be awarded monthly.

Georgia Street action

Happy Hours kicked off with a bang, with more than 400 people attending each week. Wind down your week at Downtown’s hometown hangout every Thursday from 4:30 – 7 p.m. Enjoy live DJs or bands, appetizers from the Severin Bar and domestic beers and craft brews including Flat 12 and Upland. This event is free to attend.

Workout Wednesdays continues through the end of July on Georgia Street’s west block. Downtown Indy has again partnered with the YMCA to provide fun, all-levels group fitness for FREE Workout Wednesdays weekly from noon – 12:45 p.m. thanks to Buckingham Companies.

Eat lunch alfresco on the Boardwalk and enjoy the sights and sounds of Downtown during Food Truck Fridays from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Cheer the Fever, join the Tribe and more Downtown sports

Catch one (or more) of the 15 Indianapolis Indians home games at Victory Field in June. Enjoy monthly promos including 2-for-1 Tuesdays, Thursday Craft Beer Night, Friday Fireworks and Kid’s Eat Free Sundays.

On June 4, catch the Celebrity Softball Challenge at Victory Field. This game features Indianapolis Colts Robert Mathis and teammate Dwayne Allen, along with other local sports stars as well as mascots and media personalities. The Home Run Derby competition begins at 6 p.m., followed by the seven inning Celebrity Softball Game at 7 p.m.

The Indiana Fever home opener is June 6 against the Minnesota Lynx. Catch four more games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse this month: June 12, 14, 20 & 26. Every Indiana Fever game of the 2015 season will be broadcast either online or on radio or television.

And there’s one more chance to catch the Indy Eleven at home for the season. The team plays FC Edmonton June 13 at IUPUI.

For more information, visit http://downtownindy.org/, or call 317-237-2222.