Indianapolis, IN
Tears and goosebumps as total eclipse watchers pack iconic Indianapolis Speedway
The Indianapolis Speedway is home to the Indy 500, the biggest single-day sporting event in the world.
Emotion in the stands here is not unusual, but the noise that came from the bleachers at 3.06pm was something completely different.
The nearly 50,000 spectators knew roughly what to expect, aware that at the period of totality the moon would completely obscure the sun, plunging the arena into darkness.
But first-time eclipse watchers were overcome by the feeling.
Many of them began to cry as the sky suddenly darkened, turning afternoon into night-time in a matter of minutes.
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‘Unbelievable’ – All the best eclipse moments
The air chilled and people cheered loudly as the final portion of the sun was extinguished by the shape of the moon. Some took pictures on their mobile phones but many simply absorbed the moment.
“It was eerie, I’ve never seen anything like it,” one woman tells me, wiping away tears. “You just had to be here.”
“I was crying because of that feeling of awe,” Archana Thakur says.
“I totally underestimated it. I had goosebumps. I only came because my husband and daughter wanted to come but I’m so pleased I did.”
Eyewitness: ‘Celestial serendipity’ – eclipse was a breathtaking and unifying moment
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She and her family drove five hours from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to be in the path of totality.
Her 10-year-old daughter, Sanvi, is a budding scientist and spent much of the day enjoying the NASA exhibitions temporarily dotted around the Speedway before watching the eclipse.
“It was breathtaking, majestic and once in a lifetime,” she tells me.
“I’m really interested in space so I researched a bit online but it was way more awesome than I expected.”
Read more:
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A budding astronomer peers through a telescope at the Indianapolis venue. Pic: AP
‘I definitely cried’
The total solar eclipse isn’t just a spectacle, it also offers scientists a rare opportunity to study its effects on the Earth.
John Waggle was at the Speedway leading a team of student scientists from Purdue University in Indianapolis.
An hour before the eclipse, they launched three weather balloons from the track more than 100,000ft into the sky.
They hope to collect data to assess how solar eclipses impact the Earth’s atmosphere, looking at radiation, temperature changes and pressure.
“I’ve seen a partial eclipse before,” John says.
“But seeing this one is completely different. It’s like watching a concert live versus on TV. You can’t replicate feeling the air cool off, the breeze whipping through, and seeing the stars.”
Pic: AP
His fellow student, Aubra Bailey, was similarly impressed. “It’s definitely the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen and probably ever will see,” she says.
People from all 50 states travelled to the speedway, with tickets sold in 21 different countries.
I saw toddlers and 90-year-old granddads waiting for the same moment of totality to arrive.
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“It’s a very bipartisan moment that we had here today,” one man says, as he makes his way to the exit.
“Everyone here was rooting for the same thing. In our country there’s a lot of bad things going on, but for one moment we were all together enjoying it.
“I definitely cried, I thought it was tears-worthy.”
The last eclipse in Indianapolis was in the 13th century. The next will be in 129 years so it was an experience to savour and one which, for many, will not be repeated.
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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