August 2014 Events in Downtown Indianapolis

Gen Con Gaming Convention at the Indiana Convention Center, Aug. 14-17.
AroundIndy.com staff photo, (c) 2012, all rights reserved.

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

A number of large-scale, one-of-a-kind events will take place Downtown next month – making August an exciting time to be Downtown! Gen Con returns to the Indiana Convention Center, the Red Bull Indianapolis GP takes place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Motorcycles take over Monument Circle, Meridian Street and Georgia Street for Motorcycles on Meridian plus many exciting festivals.

Bring on the drums

The Drum Corps International World Championships Aug. 7 – 9 will bring about 30,000 visitors to Downtown Indy. The Finals takes place Aug. 9 at Lucas Oil Stadium, marking the sixth straight year that the Championships have been held at this venue. Before the Finals, head to Georgia Street from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. for the DrumLine Battle. Drum lines will face off, each group putting together a 90 – 120 second performance.

Rev your (motorcycle) engines

Motorcycles will take center stage with the Red Bull Indianapolis GP Aug. 8 – 10 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Practices begin Friday, Aug. 8 with qualifications taking place Saturday, Aug. 9 and race day Sunday, Aug. 10. The FREE Kids Zone will be running all weekend with music, dancing, games and prizes. Don’t miss the Pit Lane Walk Aug. 9. MotoGP enthusiasts can view the motorcycles up close. Estimated attendance: 100,000.

The IMS is offering a special ticket package to our partners with more than $25 in savings that includes:

• Sunday reserved seat
• Discounted motorcycle parade lap
• Free official IMS souvenir(s)
• $5 retail coupon on IMS merchandise

Redeem this offer: http://info.ims.com/IDI

As a part of the festive weekend, Motorcycles on Meridian will take over Monument Circle, South Meridian Street and Georgia Street Aug. 8 & 9. Bikes and more bikes will be on site, from stylish Harleys and Ducatis to sport bikes to motor scooters. Everyone is welcome to experience this event, whether or not you have a motorcycle to bring. Estimated attendance: 10,000 each night.

The gamers are coming

Gen Con, the longest-running and highest-attended gaming convention in the world, returns to the Indiana Convention Center Aug. 14 – 17.  The convention includes tournaments, guest appearances, exhibit hall booths, games, workshops, seminars, art shows, auctions and costumes, of course!  Estimated attendance: 49,000.

10 years of IndyFringe Fest

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, IndyFringe Festival begins Aug. 14 and continues for 11 days at various Mass Ave theatres. With eight different venues, 64 performing groups and 384 performances, this festival is a cultural catalyst for the Indy arts community. All shows are 45 – 60 minutes and adult tickets are $15 each. Don’t miss the pre-festival events throughout Downtown, including the premiere of Fringe Factor on July 31 at the IMAX Theater. To encourage street performance/busking throughout Downtown, IDI has partnered with IndyFringe and the Arts Council of Indianapolis to launch a Downtown Buskers Campaign through the end of August.

Last chance for summer festivals

One of Indy’s most exciting sporting events, the Mass Ave Criterium & Cycling Festival, takes place Aug. 2. The course is a challenging, triangular, 2/3 mile course through the Mass Ave district. Non-cyclists can enjoy the beer garden and live entertainment.

Don’t miss Dig IN – A Taste of Indiana Aug. 17 at White River State Park, where you can sample locally-produced food and drink prepared by world-class chefs. Dozens of Indiana chefs, brewers, vintners and food artisans will gather in the park to celebrate Indiana agriculture. This year, Dig-IN is offering even more chefs, an increased focus on the farmer and three ticket levels.

Festiv-Ale brings together beer enthusiasts at Victory Field Aug. 23. The festival features more than 100 wines and more than 100 micro-breweries, as well as other beverages including martinis, margaritas and wine. Guests can also sample food from local restaurants and enjoy live music.

Indianapolis Labor Fest is a FREE street festival on three blocks of Georgia Street on Aug. 30 featuring live music (including Cousin Eddie, Zanna Doo and Flatbed Twitch), food and beverages and a kids zone.

Other festivals: India Day on Monument Circle Aug. 17.

For more information, visit http://indydt.com/, or call 317-237-2222.

Things to do in Indianapolis, Aug. 19-25, 2013

Diana Ross at the Carmel Palladium, Aug. 24. AroundIndy.com staff photo, (c) 2011, all rights reserved.

1. MON-SUN: 9th Annual Indianapolis Theatre Fringe Festival in Indianapolis
2. FRI-SUN: 40th Annual Indianapolis Greek Festival at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
3. MON-SUN: Devour Downtown Summerfest in Indianapolis
4. SAT: Indianapolis Colts Preseason NFL Football at Lucas Oil Stadium
5. SUN: ‘Dig IN – A Taste of Indiana’ at White River State Park
6. SAT: Keith Urban in Concert at Klipsch Music Center
7. THU-SAT: 15th Annual Bean Blossom Blues Fest in Brown County
8. THU-SUN: 46th Annual Vevay Swiss Wine Festival in Switzerland County
9. FRI-SUN: 23rd Annual National Toy Truck ‘N Construction Show and Auction
10. SAT: Diana Ross in Concert at the Carmel Palladium
11. FRI-SAT: Women of Faith Tour at Bankers Life Fieldhouse
12. FRI-SUN: Indy 1500 Gun and Knife Show at the State Fairgrounds
13. SAT: Festiv-ALE Wine and Stein Celebration at Victory Field
14. MON: Bruno Mars Concert at Bankers Life Fieldhouse
15. FRI: High School Varsity Football Season, Week 1