Indianapolis, IN
Enjoy your artsy side with these 8 free things to do in Indianapolis
Tickets that cost zero dollars are always popular, and Indianapolis artists are generous enough to share their talent for free at several events throughout the fall.
Museums will welcome crowds to see their collections and engage in hands-on activities. Monument Circle will continue to invite everyone to a pop-up mini-park to check out a mobile art museum, play ping-pong and other games, and eat snacks. And world-class musicians will regale listeners at concerts full of music they’ve spent years perfecting.
Here are eight free events you won’t want to miss. Make sure to register in advance for those that request it and donate if you can to keep the art coming.
PlayFest Indy
Sept. 9 to 15 at multiple venues. Tickets and more information at newharmonyproject.org/pfi
In this initiative by the New Harmony Project, eight playwrights will develop plays with Indianapolis theater companies. The public concert-style readings will take place from Sept. 13 to 15, and audiences can stay for a post-performance talk with the writer at each one.
Levitt Vibe Indianapolis Music Series
Several Sundays from Sept. 1-Oct. 20 on the lawn behind Garfield Park Art Center, 2432 Conservatory Drive. Schedule at bigcar.org/project/vibe
A group of creative folks — including Arte Mexicano en Indiana and Big Car Collaborative — are bringing in musicians, vendors, artists and poets for afternoon concerts that will fend off any Sunday scaries. The events aim to be family friendly and neighborly as they use a part of the park you might not have explored before.
Free museum days
Explore exhibits, gardens and activities as these Indianapolis museums offer free admission:
- The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 15. 3000 N. Meridian St. Fiesta de la Familia is a celebration of Latin American cultures, with special programming throughout the museum. Reservation is required at childrensmuseum.org.
- Newfields: 4000 N. Michigan Road. Admission is free during regular operating hours on the first Thursday of every month, Sept. 5, Oct. 3, Nov. 7 and Dec. 5. Reservation is required at discovernewfields.org/visit. Bank of America, Merrill Lynch and U.S. Trust cardholders receive one free general admission ticket during the first weekend of every month. Learn more at discovernewfields.org/about/community.
- Eiteljorg Museum: 500 W. Washington St. On Oct. 14, the museum will mark Indigenous Peoples Day by featuring Native American performers and presentations. On Oct. 26, the museum will feature music, dancing, activities and a marketplace as part of its Día de Muertos Community Celebration. Admission is free both days. Learn more at eiteljorg.org.
Spark on the Circle
11 a.m. through dusk through Nov. 3 on Monument Circle. circlespark.org
Back in an expanded role for its second year, Spark temporarily transforms one quadrant of Monument Circle into an urban park — complete with turf, yard games and plenty of space to lounge and enjoy the city’s vibes. See a full schedule of artist workshops and special events at circlespark.org. (Swifties should keep an eye out for announcements regarding celebrations planned during Taylor Swift’s Nov. 1-3 stop in Indy!)
Jazz afterparty on First Fridays
9 p.m. on First Fridays at McGowan Hall, 1305 N. Delaware St. mcgowanhall.org
These jam sessions, led by pianist Christopher Pitts, have a vibe that mixes talented musicians, inventive experimentation and a speakeasy feel. They’re the perfect way to wrap your First Friday visual art explorations.
Can’t-miss exhibit: Mandela exhibit at Children’s Museum takes care to connect kids with his childhood
Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra
7:30 p.m. Sept. 4 at Garfield Park. 7:30 p.m. Sept. 5 at Riverside Park. 7 p.m. Sept. 6 at Holliday Park. Registration requested for the events at icomusic.org.
Enjoy classic programs from a stunning group of musicians who are trading the indoor concert hall for three verdant parks. Bring a picnic and blanket and let the music waft over you.
Opera in the Park
Sept. 7 at MacAllister Amphitheater at Garfield Park. Register at indyopera.org.
Renowned soprano Angela Brown, Maestro Alfred Savia, and more Indianapolis Opera stars and guests will perform in the annual event that will kick off the institution’s 50th anniversary season.
Indy Parks Free Concert Series
Through October at parks around the city. parks.indy.gov/free-concert-series
Cathy Morris, the Indianapolis Jazz Orchestra, PsyWrn Simone and Premium Blend are among the performers who will lend soundtracks to breezy summer and fall evenings. Check the schedule often as Indy Parks adds more dates.
Contact IndyStar pop culture reporter Holly Hays at holly.hays@indystar.com.
Contact IndyStar reporter Domenica Bongiovanni at 317-444-7339 or d.bongiovanni@indystar.com.
A chimpanzee escaped its enclosure and was on the loose at the Indianapolis Zoo Friday morning, but the animal was later located and returned to her exhibit, the zoo said.
“At approximately 10am, a female chimpanzee was seen outside her exhibit,” the zoo said in a statement. “Following emergency protocol, the Indianapolis Zoo was immediately locked down, and all guests were escorted to secure locations. The chimpanzee was sedated and returned to her exhibit.”
Visitors at the zoo told CBS affiliate WTTV they were asked to stay inside the zoo’s dolphin exhibit after the chimpanzee escaped. A photo shared with the station appears to show the chimp standing on top of the enclosure.
The zoo said guests were safe at all times, and there were no injuries to visitors, staff or the chimpanzee.
“The Zoo’s security, animal care and veterinary teams train for these scenarios and responded in a textbook and professional manner,” the zoo said in its statement.
The zoo has since reopened.
One visitor, who identified himself as a bus driver, said on Facebook that he saw the fugitive ape while on a field trip at the zoo with children.
“I’m on a Field Trip at the Indianapolis Zoo with 37 kids, parents, and teachers. Why is there a Chimpanzee on the loose at the Zoo…” the driver, Sherman Williams, wrote.
The zoo housed 21 chimpanzees as of May 2024, according to an identification chart.
Several visitors who spoke to WTHR said they were told to wait in their cars after the incident. Indianapolis Metro Police, State Capitol Police and the city’s fire department were all on the scene, the station reported.
After 10 weeks of constant action, it’s finally time for the Indianapolis Colts to have their bye week.
The Colts have stormed to the top of the NFL leaderboard with eight wins and two losses. Indy’s had a fair mix of blowout victories and dramatic finishes, leaving fans hopeful for a postseason push this winter.
While the Colts currently possess the number one seed in the AFC, the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots are breathing down their neck.
Here are the most impactful games Colts fans should keep an eye on during Indy’s bye week.
Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs | 4:25 p.m. on CBS
Similar to the Colts, the Broncos are 8-2 through 10 weeks. One of their losses came against Indy in Week 2, which is what separates the two teams in the AFC standings.
This AFC West clash has huge playoff implications. If the Broncos win, they’ll become the favorites for the division title. It would give the Chiefs a fifth loss on the season, and they can’t afford many more if they want to make the postseason.
If the Broncos lose, the Colts would get some breathing room in their push for the number one seed. At the same time, this would likely place the Chiefs in the wild-card conversation.
It would be truly unfortunate if the Colts had to play the Chiefs in the first round of the playoffs because they snuck into the 7th seed.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Los Angeles Chargers | 1:00 p.m. on CBS
The Colts are three games ahead of the Jaguars in the AFC South standings, but the Colts also have four divisional games remaining on the schedule, including two against Jacksonville.
Sitting at 5-4, the Jaguars have lost three of their last four games to tank their division title hopes. This AFC matchup with the Chargers is another game with massive playoff implications.
If the Jaguars win, they’ll be only two games behind the Colts with plenty of football left to play. The Chargers are 7-3, but one of those losses came against Indy. If the Chargers advance to 8-3, they’ll be another team breathing down the Colts’ neck, which is the last thing the Colts want.
The fight for the number one seed is going to come down to the wire. No matter who wins this one, it’ll put the Colts in some must-win situations.
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Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texas | 1:00 p.m. on FOX
The two bottom-ranked teams in the AFC South will duel it out in Nashville on Sunday. Although the Texans have had a disappointing start to their season, you can never count them out.
The Texans have an opportunity to climb back to .500 against the worst team in football. After stealing a win against the Jaguars last weekend, they’ve given themselves a small spark for a playoff push.
The Colts still have to face the Texans twice, and if they lose both, Houston is suddenly back in the AFC South title race.
This doesn’t sound like a fun game to watch, but it’s a score to keep an eye on if you’re a Colts fan.
New England Patriots vs. New York Jets | TNF
Thursday Night Football is certainly worth watching if you’re a Colts fan. The Drake Maye-led Patriots squad is on an absolute tear, and if they win, they’ll take over the number one seed in the conference.
The Colts won’t play the Patriots this season, which means conference record will be an important factor in determining the number one seed if both teams finish with the same overall record.
Not only will the win give the Patriots a lead in the AFC, it’ll pad their AFC East title hopes, too. The Buffalo Bills are another team the Colts don’t want to face in the first round of the playoffs, but it looks increasingly likely by the week.
Buffalo Bills vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1:00 p.m. on CBS
Josh Allen and the Bills suffered a terrible defeat to the Miami Dolphins last weekend, which puts their AFC East title hopes into question.
The Bills are 6-3, and they’ll face one of the NFC’s best teams in the Buccaneers this Sunday. The Bucs are coming off a loss to the Patriots, which makes this game all the more interesting.
For the Colts’ seeding hopes, a Buccaneers win would probably be best. If the Bills do find a way, like they did against the Chiefs two weeks ago, then it’ll give the Colts a team to watch out for in the AFC standings.
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Indianapolis, IN
Here is how Rethink Coalition envisions future improvements to I-65/I-70 South split
INDIANAPOLIS — Community members who live in neighborhoods like Fletcher Place, Fountain Square, Bates Hendricks and beyond have an opportunity to shape the future of one of Indy’s most transformative infrastructure projects.
Interstate-65 and Interstate-70 Inner Loop, which encircles Downtown Indianapolis, is aging.
“The interstates were built about 50 years ago, and now they’re at the end of their useful life and so that means they have to start being replaced,” Rethink Coalition President and CEO Brenda Freije said.
WATCH FULL STORY BELOW
How Rethink Coalition envisions future improvements to I-65/I-70 South split
The Rethink Coalition envisions a restorative and transformative reconstruction of the Southeast Gateway, also known as the South Split.
The I-65/I-70 inner loop has created a massive barrier around downtown Indy.
Freije says the original highways divided communities, depreciated property values, created health risks, burdened communities and took acres of land from the heart of the city.
“Now people realize that wasn’t the best decision, to displace people, take homes and businesses. Now the attempt is to reconnect,” Freije said.
Rethink Coalition’s vision is to transform acres of under-utilized space and bring this area back to life.
They have three proposed concepts that balance cost, practical feasibility, industry standards and community input.
“What we’re looking at is potentially building a cap over the interstate to reconnect the neighborhoods when the interstate came through. Basically, you build land over the interstate that could become parks, any structures, it helps the interstate disappear, though it continues to operate fully,” she said.
On Wednesday, neighbors participated in an interactive session, where they reviewed designs, shared feedback, and helped refine a shared vision for the project.
WRTV
The third and final workshop was the last community engagement event in the USDOT-funded Southeast Gateway Reconnecting Communities Study.
“It’s just something we feel will improve the quality of life in our neighborhood and really connect Fountain Square with the greater part of Indianapolis. This is going to have a big impact on people’s lives and property values and opportunities everywhere,” Fletcher Place resident Julie Stachnik said. “Especially for urban dwellers, a lot of people don’t have yards. They live in apartments, they have kids, they have pets. Looking for places to gather with family and friends that they don’t have in their home or the building they live in.”
Rethink Coalition is accepting public feedback until the end of the month. You can submit yours here.
They have until the end of the year to finalize and submit their report to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
—
Nico Pennisi is the In Your Community reporter for Downtown Indy. He joined WRTV in October 2022. His passion has always been telling the stories of people who often get overlooked. Share your story ideas and important issues with Nico by emailing him at nico.pennisi@wrtv.com.
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