The 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis promises more than just elite basketball. With major players in tech, entertainment, and politics joining the celebration, the city is rolling out an immersive, citywide activation that reflects the rising momentum in women’s sports and culture.
Google is returning to WNBA Live for the third year in a row, bringing its largest All-Star activation to date. Its fan experience, located at the Indiana Convention Center and open to the public from July 18–19, showcases the power of Pixel devices and Google Search through an interactive journey that blends technology with fan engagement.
But Google’s is just one of dozens of activations happening in Indianapolis over the weekend, part of a larger civic push to position the city as a leader in women’s sports hospitality. From public art installations and fashion exhibits to drag brunches and comedy showcases, WNBA All-Star Weekend 2025 is shaping up to be a cultural moment as much as an athletic one.
A Citywide Celebration
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JULY 05: NIKE places a large multi story billboard advertisement of Indiana Fever … More guard Caitlin Clark taking a long distance jump shot on the front of the JW Marriott before the 2025 WNBA Allstar Game to be played in Indianapolis on July 19th as seen on July 5, 2025, at JW Marriott Hotel in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Indianapolis, home to the Indiana Fever, is the first WNBA city to host its own official festival during All-Star Weekend, Fever Fest. It will include concerts, comedy performances, and public watch parties. Downtown will be transformed with eight new murals by local female artists, 3D chalk art, DJ booths, live sneaker painting, and basketball-inspired pop-ups as part of the Home Court Experience.
The city’s tallest hotel raised a full-building ad of Caitlin Clark, which has become the largest advertisement installed in the city’s history. Elsewhere, street signs have temporarily been renamed after WNBA teams like the Seattle Storm.
At the airport, travelers arriving for the weekend will be greeted by a life-size basketball court installation in the civic plaza. More than 30 restaurants and bars across the city are offering WNBA-themed specials, and over 2,500 youth athletes are expected to participate in a Saturday morning dribble parade through the streets.
Fans are encouraged to participate in a citywide “Hoops Pass,” checking in at basketball-themed locations for a chance to win prizes, including WNBA merchandise and exclusive access to events.
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Politics, Comedy and Drag: There’s Room For Everyone
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 06: Lana Ja’Rae attends MTV Presents “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Emmy … More FYC official event at Skybar on June 06, 2025 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Chelsea Guglielmino/Getty Images)
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On Saturday, the Working Families Party will host its own event at the intersection of politics, comedy, and sports. Politics House at WNBA All-Star Weekend, held at VisionLoft in downtown Indianapolis, brings together drag and stand-up comedy for a brunch event celebrating the league’s progressive legacy.
The program will include a farm-to-table breakfast, a meet-and-greet with Lana Ja’Rae of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and comedy sets by Kristin Key and Tatyana Guchi. Nationally touring comic Erin Foley, host of the Her Lights women’s sports podcast, will emcee the event.
Politics House aims to honor the WNBA’s history of activism, from the 1998 formation of the first pro union for female athletes in the U.S. to player-led efforts on voting rights, LGBTQ+ issues, and police reform. In 2020, WNBA players played a key role in the defeat of then-Atlanta Dream co-owner Sen. Kelly Loeffler in Georgia.
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The event gains event more significance as WNBA players are set to meet with the league Thursday evening to continue negotiations of the new CBA.
Google Goes All In
Google is presenting a multi-zone experience at WNBA Live. Fans will start their journey with a Google Search Trends quiz, receive an All-Access Pass, and “get recruited” to a WNBA team.
Other stations are designed to showcase Google’s latest technology. Fans can try on outfits virtually, browse a mini fashion museum featuring Kelsey Plum and A’ja Wilson’s signature tunnel fits, and explore the items using features from Google Pixel.
Visitors can simulate a WNBA media day using camera features, customize their photos with themed backgrounds and have a chance to film short basketball highlight reels on a live court using more features from the device. Clips will appear on the Jumbotron at WNBA Live and be downloadable via the All-Access Pass.
The activation will also feature appearances by Wilson and Plum, who will join digital creator Katie Feeney for a Courtside Chat. Former Harlem Globetrotter Crissa Jackson will host a live hoops showcase. In-arena and digital integrations will include live WNBA Google Trends and trivia.
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Google’s activation is free and will be open to fans on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET.
The Moment Is Bigger Than the Game
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JULY 13: Large billboard signage of New York Liberty Sabrina Ionescu and Las … More Vegas Aces Aja Wilson displayed for the 2025 WNBA Allstar as seen outside Gainbridge Fieldhouse after the Dallas Wings played against the Indiana Fever on July 13, 2025, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
With a heavy sponsorship presence, full hotels, and public art installations that will remain long after the All-Star buzzer sounds, the 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend is being treated as more than a single event. It’s a showcase of the growth, energy, and influence of women’s sports.
Even fans without game tickets are encouraged to visit the city and take part in the weekend’s many public activations. Organizers, sponsors, and local officials alike see the celebration as a long-overdue moment of recognition, and a glimpse into the future of what the WNBA can command, both on and off the court.
INDIANAPOLIS — A shooting that injured a woman at a hotel on Indianapolis’ south side Saturday night is under investigation.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said officers were called to the Motel 6 in the 4300 block of Southport Crossings Way just after 9:30 p.m. on a report of a person shot.
Arriving officers found a woman who had been shot. She was reported to be in stable condition.
Investigators believe there was an altercation between the woman and a man in a hotel room that led to shots being fired.
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No other information about the incident has been released by police.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indianapolis City-County Council president explains her desire for a data center moratorium.
Council President Maggie Lewis wants to put a pause on new data center developments. The proposal comes after months of public pressure from residents and environmental groups who say the city needs stronger rules before allowing more data centers. Now, Lewis says it’s time to hit pause while those questions are answered.
“I’m not saying that we’ll never have a new data center in our community. That’s not what this is about. I understand the importance of economic development in our community, but it is important that we hit pause, do that deep dive, and allow the community and the experts to have an honest conversation about the topic,” Lewis said.
Lewis says she isn’t trying to stop economic development. Instead, she says the city needs more time to fully understand what data centers could mean for Indianapolis before approving additional projects. Lewis says residents have raised questions about the potential impact on utilities, the environment and quality of life, and she believes those concerns deserve a more thorough public discussion before the city moves forward with additional developments.
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“The community really is feeling as if their voices haven’t been heard. I believe it’s important that we bring all the stakeholders to the table and have that honest dialogue,” Lewis said.
Councilman Ron Gibson, who supports bringing data centers to Indianapolis, and he says these projects can bring investment to neighborhoods when they’re built in the right locations.
“This land where they’re going to actually develop it has been vacant for more than 43 years,” Gibson said. “It’s zoned for industrial use. This is really going to enhance our neighborhood. It’s going to bring back life, create more businesses that want to move into our area, and create more opportunity.”
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One of the biggest concerns raised by opponents is whether increased demand for electricity and water could create additional costs for taxpayers.
“I believe strongly that the data centers must uphold total costs. I made sure the developer, in writing, is responsible for all utility costs, so none of that rolls over to constituents,” Gibson said.
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Across Indiana, at least 17 counties have approved temporary moratoriums on new data center developments. Marshall and Cass counties have gone even further, banning new facilities altogether.
The committee meeting begins Monday at 5:30 p.m. inside the City-County Building, where members will hold a public hearing on the proposed zoning rules and consider Lewis’ amendment for a temporary moratorium. If approved by the committee, the proposal would move to the full City-County Council for further consideration.
INDIANAPOLIS — An investigation is underway after a woman was killed in a hit-and-run crash in downtown Indianapolis Saturday morning.
According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, at around 3:15 a.m., officers responded to the intersection of East Maryland and South Pennsylvania Streets after hearing a loud crash in the area.
Photo of IMPD investigating a hit-and-run crash in downtown Indianapolis on July 11, 2026, captured by a FOX59/CBS4 crew.
When officers arrived on scene, they were flagged down by several people stating a pedestrian had been struck. Officers located an adult female who had been on a scooter in the crosswalk of the intersection.
She was transported to an area hospital in critical condition but later died from her injuries, IMPD said.
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Investigators said the striking motorist did not stay on scene.
Police are encouraging those with information on the crash to contact Detective Adam Jones at (317) 327-3475 or call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at (317) 262-8477.
