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.

July Events in Downtown Indianapolis

The Lawn at White River State Park. AroundIndy.com staff photo, (c) 2013, all rights reserved.

By Amanda Dorman
Indianapolis Downtown, Inc.
http://indydt.com/

Fourth of July: Donatos Downtown Freedom Blast and more

The Donatos Downtown Freedom Blast returns to the grounds of the Indiana War Memorial July 4 for Indianapolis’ most popular fireworks show. More than 20,000 people are expected to be Downtown on Veterans Memorial Plaza and American Legion Mall from 6:30 – 10:30 p.m. The fireworks will launch from the Regions Bank Tower at 10 p.m. (North and Michigan streets will be closed throughout the day and New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Delaware streets surrounding the Regions Bank Tower will be closed 9:30 – 10:15 p.m. during the fireworks show.)

Crowds will gather for many music festivities including the Indiana Historical Society’s Concerts on the Canal series from 5 – 9:30 p.m. The Rathskeller Biergarten is hosting a Fourth of July Weekend with bands July 3 – 5. There will be a Rusted Roots performance in the Old National Centre parking lot, followed by a great view of the Downtown fireworks.

The Indianapolis Indians take on the Louisville Bats at 6:05 p.m. with its own fireworks show after the game. Fans are encouraged to stay to enjoy the Downtown fireworks. The Tribe has a home stretch July 4 – 13.

For more Fourth of July events, visit: www.indydt.com/July4.cfm.

 

Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration returns July 10 – 20

Summer Celebration returns for the 44^th year with business seminars, conventions, concerts and more. More than 80,000 attendees will take part in events at various locations Downtown, although most events will take place at the Indiana Convention Center. On July 18, thousands will gather on the American Legion Mall for the Music Heritage Festival outdoor concert featuring Keith Sweat, After 7 and The S.O.S. Band. Big crowds will return Downtown on July 19 as the music festival continues with Anthony Hamilton, Chrisette Michele and Babyface at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. For more information, visit www.ibeonline.com/summer-celebration.

Downtown gets festive

There’s still time to enjoy some of Downtown Indy’s best summer festivals. Taste unlimited craft beer samples from more than 50 local and national breweries at Brew-Ha-Ha June 21. PBS Kids in the Park takes over Military Park June 21, giving kids the chance to meet many of their favorite PBS characters such as Clifford and Curious George. And for a taste of some of Indy’s best restaurants, attend Taste of Indy on the Canal July 5.

Other upcoming festivals include:

June 21–22: Eiteljorg Museum’s Indian Market and Festival at Military Park 

July 4: Fountain Square Music Festival

July 12: Indy Criterium throughout Downtown

To see the lineup of Downtown summer festivals, visit www.indydt.com/summerfestivals.cfm.

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 summer.

At the Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn at White River State Park (see photo above), music lovers can enjoy a concert outside:

June 24: Arctic Monkeys with White Denim

June 27: O.A.R. with Red Wanting Blue

June 28: Fifth Harmony with Before You Exit and Jackson Harris

July 13: Michael Franti & Spearhead with Soja, Brett Dennen and Trevor Hall

July 20: Gavin DeGraw and Matt Nathanson with Andre McMahon

July 23: Panic! At the Disco with Walk the Moon and Magic Man

July 26: Umphrey’s McGee with Cosby Sweater

July 29: John Fogerty

 

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

June 17 – 22: The Book of Mormon

June 26: John Hiatt & The Robert Cray Band

June 27: Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s

July 2: The Neighbourhood

July 3: Switchfoot

July 6: The Fray

July 12: Rick Springfield

July 31: Jenny Lewis

 

Catch two more shows of the season at The Cabaret at the Columbia Club. Singer/songwriter Susan Werner takes the stage June 27, Glee and 30 Rock star Cheyenne Jackson performs July 11 & 12 and Karen Irwin performs a tribute to Janis Joplin July 25 & 26.

Enjoy live tunes outside this summer including the Groovin’ in the Garden series at Easley Winery. The Indianapolis Zoo’s Zoolapalooza series continues on two Fridays in June (June 20 & 27) and three Fridays in July (July 4, 11 & 18). Another Zoo concert series – Animals and All That Jazz – kicks off on July 10 and continues every Thursdays in July. Indiana Historical Society’s Concerts on the Canal continue 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.

To see a full lineup of summer concerts, visit: www.indydt.com/summerconcerts.cfm.

Catch the Fever and join the Tribe!

The Indianapolis Indians play three more games this month and 17 home games in July. The Indiana Fever play three home games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse this month and on July 5, 10, 12, 15 & 17. After no home games in June, the Indy Eleven are back to IUPUI’s Michael A. Carroll Stadium one time next month on July 19.

Indy’s new neighborhood themed Downtown recreational soccer league, Indy City Futbol, is in full gear. Catch them every Wednesday through the end of August at the Visit Indy Field at White River State Park.

For more information, call 317-237-2222.

Easley Winery Traminette Wins Best of Class in California

Easley Winery. AroundIndy.com staff photo, (c) 2011, all rights reserved.

By Priscilla Hataway
Easley Winery
http://www.easleywinery.com/

Easley Winery Traminette

Easley Winery is proud to announce that its locally-made Traminette wine has been awarded Best of Class at the 2014 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.  Easley winemaker Jeff Martin said, “I grew up working in Indiana vineyards, so bringing home this honor for grapes grown in Indiana makes this award even more meaningful.”

With over 5,500 wine entries, the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition is the largest competition of American wines in the world.  They have brought together the most distinguished judges in the country to compare wines in multiple price ranges and varieties to determine the best of the best in each category that appeal to all walks of life.  For full 2014 competition results, visit http://www.winejudging.com.

Easley Traminette is no stranger to high honors.  It was awarded White Wine of the Year, Best of Class, and Double Gold at the 2013 Indy International Wine Competition and holds three other 2013 Gold medals from prestigious competitions across the country.  “We focus on creating exceptional wines and that effort has gained us national recognition”, says second-generation owner Mark Easley.

Easley Traminette boasts floral aromas and fresh citrus notes. This semi-dry style of Traminette is a delicious complement to Indiana pork tenderloin and it is recommended serving chilled. Traminette was adopted as Indiana’s signature wine in 2009 and continues to grow in popularity. Easley Traminette can be found at all Indiana Meijer locations, select Indiana Marsh stores and packaged liquor locations, as well as Easley Winery in downtown Indianapolis. For more information on this wine or to find retail locations in your area, visit http://www.EasleyWinery.com.

Easley Winery is located at 205 North College Avenue in Indianapolis. For more information, call 317-636-4516.

It’s a Monumental Week in Indianapolis, Aug. 13-18

Gen Con at the Indiana Convention Center, Aug. 15-18.
AroundIndy.com staff photo, (c) 2012, all rights reserved.

By Jennifer Hanson
Indianapolis Downtown, Inc.
http://indydt.com/

A number of large-scale, one-of-a-kind events will take place Downtown Aug. 15-18, 2013, making this one of Downtown’s most exciting weekends all year. Gen Con returns to the Indiana Convention Center Thursday through Sunday, and the Red Bull Indianapolis GP track activity runs Friday through Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with practices beginning Friday and qualifications on Saturday. But the fun isn’t just limited to motorcycles and Gen Con; concerts, the IndyFringe Theatre Festival, and a variety of fun events will all be taking place. There are numerous opportunities for everyone to enjoy the great events being offered this Monumental Weekend. 

Downtown Parking and Traveling Tips:

There are traffic restrictions around some of these major Downtown events. View our Monumental Weekend Closures and Restrictions map at www.indydt.com/AugustMonumental.pdf and visit www.indydt.com/parking.cfm for parking help. Everyone can find parking, arrive at their destination on time and enjoy all the excitement if a few simple tips are followed.

Prepare:

• Plan your driving and walking route into and through Downtown ahead of time.
• Use interstates to travel to and leave Downtown.
• Enter Downtown from the side on which you plan to park.
• Allow plenty of extra travel time to Downtown.
• Be aware that travel through Downtown will be limited to streets away from the core area.
• Relax during peak exit times.
• Wear comfortable shoes, park once and enjoy the walk.
• Carpool or use IndyGo if possible.  Visit www.indygo.net for schedule.

Park:

• Parking meters are always FREE after 9 p.m. Monday – Saturday and all day Sunday. Otherwise, meter rates are $1.50/hour with a two-hour limit weekdays before 5 p.m. and four-hour limit weekdays after 5 p.m. and all day Saturday.  Meter hours are 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.
• Downtown parking is abundant with more than 73,000 parking spaces.
• Select a couple of parking alternatives before you leave home.
• Plan to use a garage or lot. Most meters near the event sites are restricted during this time.
• Some parking facilities and lots may not be open to the public.
• Several garages offer 24-hour parking, providing more than 14,000 parking spaces.

MONUMENTAL EVENTS for week of August 12 – 18:

• The gamers are coming!  Aug. 15 – 18

Gen Con, the longest-running and highest-attended gaming convention in the world, returns Downtown Aug. 15 – 18 at the Indiana Convention Center (see photo above). Entering its 46th year, the convention will feature costume contests, a life size 10,000 square-foot True Dungeon, tournaments, guest appearances, exhibit hall booths, games, workshops, seminars, art shows, auctions and much more. This year Gen Con will also have an expanded Electronic Gaming Area and Family Fun Pavilion. Gamers and the general public alike can enjoy themselves on Georgia Street with food trucks, music and beer tapping on the eve of Gen Con, Aug. 14. Fans can then enjoy local food trucks and entertainment on the west block of Georgia Street each day for the remainder of the convention. Estimated attendance: 40,000. www.gencon.com

• Motorcycles on Meridian returns, Aug. 16 & 17
  • The leather-clad army of steel ponies returns to South Meridian Street, Georgia Street and Monument Circle Aug. 16 and 17 evenings. Everyone is welcome to experience the unique gathering, whether or not you have a motorcycle to bring. All kinds of bikes will be on site, from Harleys and Ducatis to sport bikes to motor scooters. This FREE event takes place 7 p.m. – midnight Aug. 16 and 4 p.m. – midnight Aug. 17. Estimated attendance: 10,000 bikes each night. www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/redbullindianapolisgp/eventinfo/35568-Around-the-City/

• Red Bull Indianapolis GP, Aug. 16 – 18

Many of the top MotoGP speed bike racers will compete in the Red Bull Indianapolis GP this weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The event will include three races at different competition levels: Moto3, Moto2 and the premier MotoGP field. The three races, which will take place Sunday, Aug. 18 starting with Moto3 at 11 a.m., have come to the Speedway annually since 2008. The MotoGP race will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday.  Practices begin at 9 a.m. Friday, Aug. 16 and qualifications will start up at 12:35 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17. Tickets for practice and qualifying days are $20, and race day tickets range from $50 to $130.  Estimated attendance: 100,000. www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/redbullindianapolisgp/

• 64 companies; 8 venues; 384 performances! IndyFringe Festival, Aug. 15-25
  • One of the top performing arts offerings in the state, the ninth annual IndyFringe Festival kicks off Aug. 15 and runs through Aug. 25 with a wide variety of live shows at various performing arts venues along Mass Ave. Admission for each performance is $10 for adults, $8 for a student ticket or $5 for a child (12 and under). A one-time $5 backer button is also required. Enjoy street performers and FREE live music and performances at the outdoor tent! www.indyfringe.org

• Indians Home stand at Victory Field, Aug. 13-16
  • Your Triple A Indianapolis Indians minor league baseball powerhouse host a four-day home stand against the Columbus Clippers starting Wednesday, Aug. 13 – Friday, Aug. 16. Don’t miss out on special promotion days including Friday Night Fireworks!

• Downtown concerts
  • The Indianapolis Zoo will host Animals and All That Jazz from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15, included with zoo admission.
  • After a fast day of practices at the track, head to The Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn at White River State Park for Umphrey’s McGee with STS9 Friday, Aug. 16 at 7 p.m.
  • Easley Winery is hosting the free Groovin’ in the Garden series Saturday, Aug. 17 from 2 – 5 p.m.
  • Jimmy Eat World will perform Aug. 17 at 8 p.m. at Old National Centre.

• August in Indiana = Indiana State Fair
  • The Great Indiana State Fair is in full gear from now through Aug. 18 at the nearby Indiana State Fairgrounds. Big musical acts including Montgomery Gentry will perform on the Marsh Free Stage Thursday, Aug. 15. Admission is FREE with fair admission.  http://www.in.gov/statefair/fair/

For more information, visit http://indydt.com/, or call 317-237-2222. This Week’s Upcoming Event Listings on AroundIndy.com: http://aroundindy.com/next7days.php.

Easley Winery Wins ‘White Wine of the Year’

Easley Winery. AroundIndy.com staff photo, (c) 2011, all rights reserved.

Traminette White Wine from Easley Winery. Photo provided by the winery and used with written permission.

Press Release
Easley Winery
http://easleywinery.com/

Easley Winery, 205 North College Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana, is proud to announce that its locally-made Traminette wine has been awarded White Wine of the Year, Best of Class, and a Double Gold Medal at the 2013 Indy International Wine Competition.

They are excited to bring more recognition to Indiana’s signature wine. “There is no other wine like Traminette!  The grape is new and the taste is unique.” said Meredith Easley of Easley Winery.

 Winery owner, Mark Easley added, “We are thrilled and honored to receive this award!”  Easley Winery, located in downtown Indianapolis since 1974, garnered additional gold medals with its Indiana Champagne, 2011 Chardonnay, and 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon.

They have been no stranger to the award circuit, garnering 24 awards of gold or higher in competitions across the country in 2013, four of which came from California events.

 The Indy International Wine Competition is the largest scientifically organized and independent wine competition in the United States.  Nearly 3,000 entries from 15 countries and 40 US states were evaluated by 50 judges, including wine writers, winemakers, winegrowers, enologists, chefs, sommeliers, wine distributers, retailers and consumers.

These distinguished judges meet every year in the heart of America, a truly central place for great wines to be seen and recognized.  For full 2013 competition results, visit  http://www.indyinternational.org/winners/ .

 Easley Traminette boasts floral aromas and fresh citrus notes. This semi-dry style of Traminette is a delicious complement to Indiana pork tenderloin and Winemaker, Jeff Martin, recommends serving chilled.

Traminette was adopted as Indiana’s signature wine in 2009 and continues to grow in popularity. Easley Traminette can be found at Indiana Meijer locations, select Indiana Marsh and packaged liquor locations, as well as Easley Winery in downtown Indianapolis.

For more information on this wine or to find retail locations in your area, visit http://www.EasleyWinery.com. , or call 317-636-4516.