Indianapolis, IN
10 Indy food festivals to check out this summer
(MIRROR INDY) — Indianapolis has a tasty list of food festivals that can’t be missed, like homemade meatballs at Holy Rosary’s huge Italian Festival and near-endless suds and wing sauces at Chicken & Beer Fest.
Dig a little deeper into America’s culinary crossroads and you’ll find a feast of hidden-gem and culturally diverse spring and summer events that tempt your appetite, spark your curiosity, and fill your soul.
Noon, May 11, 4141 S. East St., Indianapolis. Free entry.
Mangos are so beloved and important in the Philippines that Filipinos call them “golden fruit” and “fruit of the gods.” Indulge in all the velvety sweetness of the country’s national fruit in desserts like mango floats, mango ice candy and mango ice cream. There are savory mango dishes and mango drinks, too, all at The Philippine Cultural Community Center.
8 a.m.-1 p.m. June 30, 11717 42nd Street Indianapolis. Free, but reservations required.
Pack mints and enjoy all the magic of everything garlic at this hands-on harvest festival. Get right in there and help loosen the soil. Then, learn how to cure bulbs you pulled from the ground. Everyone who helps gets to take home five pounds of garlic. The day includes lunch and an optional light breakfast.
June 22 and 23, 500 W. Washington St., Indianapolis. Free entry for kids; $20-$25 for adults.
Indigenous communities that existed before colonization in what is now Indiana included the Kickapoo, Lenape, Miami, Piankashaw, Potawatomi, Shawnee, Wea and Wyandot or Wyandotte. Learn about the foods of native cultures past and present as well as music, dance, storytelling and hands-on artmaking at the family-friendly event featuring more than 140 vendors.
Noon, May 25, 8902 E. 38th St., Indianapolis. Free for all.
Twelve Black-owned food trucks vie to be named best of the best at Community Alliance of the Far Eastside. Judges consider execution, appearance and taste. Keep your own score for the People’s Choice award. Entrants include 2023 People’s Choice champion House of SoulRollz, famous for egg rolls full of collards and smoked turkey. The 2023 juried winner, Good Vegan/Bad Vegan, will be there, too, with dishes like its “chicken” and waffles, raw tacos and award-winning buffalo “chicken” ranch fries.
10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 14, 3350 N. German Church Road., Indianapolis. Free for all.
Savor India’s delicious feast of regional flavors and world influences at this Hindu Temple of Central Indiana festival. Experience Mumbai street food, like the spicy vegetable dish pav bhaji, served with soft rolls. Try Indo-Chinese stir-fried hakka noodles. Also discover South Indian dishes, for instance the fluffy rice cakes called “idlis” and milky sweet filter coffee. Indian music and dance happen as vendors sell everything from fashion to trinkets.
2-4 p.m. May 5, June 2, July 21, Aug. 4, Sept. 8, and Oct. 12; 2424 Doctor M.L.K. Jr. St., Indianapolis. Free entry, but tickets required.
This on-going celebration at Ujamaa Community Bookstore is a chance to learn about Afro food origins and experience the culinary art of local chefs. Flanner House’s director of food justice Candace Boyd Simmons, also co-host of the Black Girls Eating podcast, curates the culinary book list. Reservations are required. Space is limited.
11 a.m.-4 p.m., June 9, Stage Door Irvington, Bonna Ave., Indianapolis. Free entry, but $20 to attend talks.
Savory mushroom tacos, anyone? How about mushroom-infused drinks? The magical and tasty world of mushrooms provides an unforgettable experience combining culinary delights with education and entertainment. The immersive speaker series delves into growing, foraging and cooking mushrooms, as well as their medicinal properties. The event is free, but the speaker series costs $20, and tickets are limited.
Noon, May 5, 3585 Commercial Drive, Indianapolis. Free for all.
Tucked in along the south side of Indiana Discount Mall, next door to the Saraga off Lafayette Road, Indy Taco Fest maintains a small-community feel. Family-run food trucks and vendors serve real-deal tacos but also tamales, gorditas and more.
5 p.m. to midnight, May 31 and June 1, 6000 W. 34th St., Indianapolis. Free for all.
Food drawing from the global culinary traditions of the Circle City’s ethnically diverse West Side takes center stage at this International Marketplace neighborhood party. Papusas, brats, elotes and tortas are some of the foods you may encounter alongside family-friendly games and live music by local artists.
Noon, Sept. 21, 4141 S. East St., Indianapolis. Free for all.
According to legend, a man trying to comfort his neighbors invented Chinese, stuffed dumplings almost 2,000 years ago during a freezing Han Dynasty winter. Whatever their origins, dumplings spread far and wide, including to the Phillipines, where the pork-stuffed variety are known as siomai. Steamed buns are called “siopao.” If you’re the person who lives for dim sum, this tasty gathering at The Philippine Cultural Community Center is for you.
ICYMI: Top 5 IndyStar business stories in May 2026
A busy month at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway reignited debates about hotels and the downtown heliport. Plus, Eli Lilly celebrated 150 years.
May came and went, and with it, we saw the closest Indianapolis 500 finish in history, the 150th anniversary of Eli Lilly and a contested primary election day.
There’s also been some movement in retail news ahead of the summer shopping season. On the north side, a new women’s clothing store opened while a piercing studio set up shop in Speedway. Meanwhile, an indoor children’s play place opened on the near north side.
Read on for four spots that recently opened and one in Broad Ripple that said farewell.
Openings
Monkee’s
8659 River Crossing Blvd., monkeesofindianapolis.com, opened in March
Monkee’s of Indianapolis, a high-end women’s clothing store, opened recently on the north side in the Shops at River Crossing near the Fashion Mall. The brand Monkee’s started in the South three decades ago and has since grown to nearly 70 locations. In Indianapolis, Missy Llewellyn and Whitney Schmitt started the franchise to bring the clothing brand to the Circle City.
The Nest Play Cafe
515 E 22nd St Suite 101, indynestplaycafe.com, opened early May
The Nest Play Cafe opened at the corner of Central Avenue and 22nd Street, offering an indoor space for parents and caregivers to bring their children to play. Caregivers can book 90-minute play sessions for $15 per child over the age of one. Tickets for additional siblings run $10. The cafe sells coffee and snacks, too.
Open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to noon. Closed Tuesdays.
Forget Me Not Piercing Studio
5324 W. 16th St., jessflowerspiercings.square.site, opened May 27
A new piercing studio opened in Speedway at the end of May just days after the Indianapolis 500. Forget Me Not Piercing offers traditional lobe, helix and conch piercings along with nostril and septum piercings. Artist Jess Flowers opened the one-woman shop on 16th Street.
Open Sunday and Thursday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Black Orchid Barbers Fountain Square
1201 Prospect St. Suite 100, blackorchidbarbers.com, opened in May
Black Orchid, a local barbershop known for its sharp haircuts with a side of humor, opened its Fountain Square spot, marking the company’s seventh brick-and-mortar location. Walk-ins are welcome but Black Orchid recommends grabbing a time slot online for your preferred service.
Open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closures
Vitality IV Bar
6302 Guilford Ave., vitalityivbar.com
An IV-wellness spot in Broad Ripple shut its doors last month. Vitality IV Bar was located next to the Thieves cocktail lounge, formerly the Broad Ripple Starbucks location, before it went out of business.
Vitality IV still operates an Indianapolis-area location on Mass Ave downtown at 749 Massachusetts Ave where customers can book a variety of infusions with vitamins.
See a store opening or closing near you? Contact IndyStar reporter Alysa Guffey at alysa.guffey@indystar.com.
Forty-one names comprised the 11th layer of Springer’s “The Forgiving Sea VI,” an interactive painting that invites people to wr
Elizabeth Gabriel, Mirror Indy
(MIRROR INDY) — The Garfield Park Conservatory will host multiple family-friendly events throughout June. The events include plant shows, kid’s story time and Dollar Menu Night, which allows residents to harvest and eat veggies from a community garden.
Events at the Garfield Park Conservatory, 2505 Conservatory Drive, range in price and some require advance registration.
The Indianapolis Bonsai Club will have displays and answer questions about a variety of bonsai. Vendors will have items for purchase.
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 6, 1-5 p.m. June 7
🎟️ $7 per person, $15 per family (maximum of two adults per family)
Preschoolers ages 2-5 can participate in nature-themed storytime and crafts.
🗓️ 10-11 a.m. June 9
🎟️ $6 per child
Residents of all ages can harvest and eat veggies from Blakes’ Garden. Advance registration is preferred.
🗓️ 6-7 p.m. June 10
🎟️ $1 per person
Focused on ages 2-8, participants will listen to a nature-themed story and explore Blakes’ Garden. Attendees will relocate to a classroom if there’s inclement weather.
🗓️ 10 a.m. June 12
🎟️ Free
Up to 15 neighbors ages 10 and up will learn to ferment kimchi. Registration is required.
🗓️ 1-2 p.m. June 13
🎟️ $15 per person
Kids ages 2-5 can plant and harvest crops in the Children’s Garden. Registration is required.
🗓️ 11 a.m. to noon June 24
🎟️ $6 per child
The Indiana Insectivores will display tropical and native Indiana predator plants. Plants will also be available for purchase. Those who attend the plant show will also have free entry to the Predatory Plants Presentation 1-2 p.m. June 27.
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 27, 1-5 p.m. June 28
🎟️ $7 per person, $15 per family (maximum of two adults per family)
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.
Mirror Indy reporter Elizabeth Gabriel covers the south side of Marion County. Contact her at elizabeth.gabriel@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X at @_elizabethgabs.
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