Indianapolis, IN
Where to find Irish food, St. Patrick’s Day parties in Indianapolis
IndyStar trys to split the G of a Guinness
IndyStar reporters try a viral challenge to achieve a perfect “split G.”
Tuesday, March 17 marks St. Patrick’s Day, bringing a shamrock-studded lineup of celebrations to bars and restaurants around Indianapolis. Whether you’re looking for a full-blown party with pints of Guinness and dyed-green beer or just a place to enjoy some corned beef, these spots around central Indiana have you covered.
Brew Link Brewpub Downtown
714 N. Capitol Ave., (317) 653-1884 brewlinkbrewing.com
From March 13-15, while supplies last, the downtown location of this Plainfield-based brewery will serve Reubens and plates of fish and chips (both $14) alongside $5 dyed-green pints of Brew Link’s Imagine lager, $5 Guinness pints, $5 Jameson shots and $7 Irish “slammers.”
Café Olivia
211 N. Pennsylvania St., (317) 385-7839
This downtown sandwich shop, located in the first floor of the Regions Tower, offers Reuben and corned beef sandwiches for around $10. Though Café Olivia is closed over the weekend, it will be open St. Patrick’s Day, March 17.
Fat Dan’s Deli
Three Indianapolis-area locations, fatdansdeli.com
The SoBro, Mass Ave and Carmel locations of this Chicago-inspired deli all offer a handful of corned beef dishes including Reubens ($16.50), pastrami and corned beef on rye ($16.95) or corned beef shredded atop tater tots with sautéed onions, cheese and a fried egg ($11.95).
Goose the Market
2503 N. Delaware St., (317) 924-4944, goosethemarket.com
If you’re looking to stage your own at-home corned beef assembly, this Near Northside meat market has you covered with Wagyu corned beef (sliced in 8-ounce packages for $12.55) or in whole hunks starting at $89), eight-ounce containers of Thousand Island dressing ($9) and loaves of marbled rye bread from Indy’s Cornerstone Bread Company ($10). Other St. Patrick’s Day specials at Goose include house-made bangers ($16) and cheddar brats ($17) and thick Irish-style bacon ($12). The market is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the weekend.
Illinois Street Food Emporium
5550 N. Illinois St., (317) 253-9513, eatincarryout.com
This longtime Butler-Tarkington eatery serves $12 Reuben sandwiches for lunch daily and you can choose corned beef as the base of a build-your-own sandwich.
John’s Famous Stew
1146 Kentucky Ave., (317) 636-6212, facebook.com/johnsfamousstew
In addition to its signature beef stew, this historic restaurant offers Reuben and corned beef sandwiches for lunch and dinner daily ($14.29).
McGilvery’s Pub and Eatery
3009 N. High School Road, (317) 290-1331
This Speedway Irish bar will serve corned beef and cabbage, green beer, green Jell-O shots and more during its St. Patrick’s celebration March 17. Dress code: wear green.
McGinley’s Golden Ace
2533 E. Washington St., (317) 632-0696, goldenaceinn.com
Starting at 11 a.m. on March 13, 14 and 17 and running until 11 p.m., this historic east-side bar will have live music and lots of draft beer and burgers inside a large heated tent. Entry to the 21+ event is $10; admission and all food and beverage purchases must be made in cash.
Muldoon’s
111 W. Main St., Carmel, (317) 571-1116, muldoons.net
On March 17 this longtime Carmel pub will have live music (including bagpipes), karaoke, green beer and discounts on Irish-inspired menu items including beef stew with Guinness broth and cottage pie.
O’Gara’s Irish Pub
522 Main St., (317) 784-7474
Starting at 1 p.m. on March 17, this Beech Grove pub will serve Irish stew and corned beef ($10) alongside plenty of beer. Admission ($10) and food and drink purchases must be made in cash.
O’Reilly’s Irish Pub and Restaurant
36 S. Pennsylvania St., (317) 974-0674 and 1552 N. Main St., Speedway, (317) 802-1760
The Speedway and downtown locations of this Irish pub will have its standard offerings of Guinness on tap as well as Irish-inspired dishes like cottage pie, fish and chips and bangers and mash.
Shapiro’s Delicatessen
808 S. Meridian St., (317) 631-4041, shapiros.com
An eatery so entrenched in corned beef craft that it once donated a retired corning pot to the United States military during World War II, Shapiro’s serves salty slices of corned beef and its close cousin pastrami atop nearly 10 different massive sandwiches ($18.50 to $23). You can also order half-sandwiches for around $14. And if you’re just in it for the beef, Shapiro’s offers a corned beef dinner with two sides for $26.75.
SNUG
210 S. Audubon Road, (317) 308-8553, snugin.us
This thematic whiskey bar in Irvington will host its third annual St. Patrick’s Day party with 20-ounce pours of Guinness, Harp, Smithwicks and Magners cider, assorted whiskeys and mixed drinks (including non-alcoholic options). Food options include Irish stew, smoked corned beef sandwiches and soft pretzels with Guinness beer cheese from Gomez BBQ. Tickets can be purchased for $6 in advance on SNUG’s website or $10 at the festival.
Contact dining reporter Bradley Hohulin at bhohulin@indystar.com. You can follow him on Instagram @BradleyHohulin and stay up to date with Indy dining news by signing up for the Indylicious newsletter.
Indianapolis, IN
HBCU All-Star Game celebrates sports and civil rights in Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The HBCU All-Star Game Experience tips off Friday in Indianapolis, beginning a weekend of events that includes educational fairs, social justice panels and an all-star basketball game.
The multi-day event is centered at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and the Madam Walker Legacy Center, with activities scheduled through Sunday afternoon.
The experience is designed to celebrate the historical and contemporary role of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in sports and civil rights. Beyond the athletic competition, the event aims to empower student-athletes through conversations about education, community development, and activism.
The weekend began Friday morning with a college admissions and scholarship fair at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
The fair, which started at 9 a.m., provided resources for prospective students and their families. Following the educational events, the focus shifts to a “social justice and civil rights luncheon and panel” scheduled for Saturday.
The luncheon and panel will be held at 12 p.m. Saturday at the Madam Walker Legacy Center. Mawuli Mel Davis and Sean Johnson are among those participating in the discussions and joined Daybreak on Friday to discuss the event.
Mel Davis explained that the inclusion of social justice topics is a direct reflection of the history of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
“We have seen the role of HBCUs in the social justice work since the inception of HBCUs,” Davis said. “And so we thought it was absolutely appropriate to have a social justice, civil rights conversation for our student athletes.”
Davis added that the event serves to remind young athletes of their ability to affect society.
“This will be a way of pouring into them and reminding them of their power as student athletes and as young people to really impact how things are happening in our community and in our society right now.”
The panel discussions are divided into two segments:
- Panel 1 – Civic Engagement, Public Safety & Police Accountability
- Panel 2 – Educate, Employ, Empower — Youth, Education & Workforce Pathways as Civic Power
Johnson said one session will focus on education, while the other addresses community development and the intimate nature of the HBCU experience.
“We want to make sure folks, again, understand the importance of HBCUs and the role that HBCUs have played in athletics,” Johnson said. “We see all across the sports spectrum that you see athletes that come from our historically black colleges. And we want to make sure we continue to uplift that.”
The panel features several prominent speakers, including Dr. Ricky Jones from the University of Louisville, along with Barbara Arnwine and Daryl Jones from the Transformative Justice Coalition. Local organizers will also join the conversation, which is free and open to the public.
Founder Travis Williams and Kya Williams established the event to provide a comprehensive look at HBCU culture. Johnson noted that the founders believe the experience should be “bigger than the game.”
Sunday’s schedule returns to the Indiana State Fairgrounds for a black business vendor showcase starting at 12 p.m. This event leads into the final athletic competition of the weekend.
The HBCU All-Star Game will tip off at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Corteva Coliseum. The game features top senior All-Star players from across the country and will be broadcast live on WISH-TV.
Indianapolis, IN
Fighting Illini begin Final Four preparations in Indianapolis
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Indianapolis, IN
Final Four Fan Fest, concerts in Indy feature some big names
Heading to Indianapolis for the 2026 Final Four?
There’s plenty beyond basketball to keep you busy with fan events and concerts popping up across downtown Indy to mark the April 4 and 6 games at Lucas Oil Stadium — plus the Division II, Division III and NIT championships taking place back-to-back-to-back at Gainbridge Fieldhouse April 5.
Concerts featuring Twenty One Pilots, Zac Brown Band, Post Malone and Megan Moroney are the headliners. There will be an additional music festival, a dribbling contest through the city and what the NCAA is dubbing a multi-day “sports wonderland” at the Indiana Convention Center are on tap for the extended Final Four weekend. Here’s your guide to everything downtown will have to offer.
Swish 2026
April 3-6. Around downtown. Live music, art and giveaways. Free. indyarts.org/swish-2026
More than 200 local artists, performers, vendors and chefs will be part of the family-friendly festival, where visitors can grab free commemorative posters and postcards by Herron School of Art and Design students. The Indy Arts Council, Indiana Sports Corp, Forty5 Presents, Ganggang, Epicurean Indy, and the Local Organizing Committee for the 2026 NCAA Men’s Final Four are putting on the celebrations. Events include:
- Noon-6 p.m. each day: Live music performances by central Indiana musicians, dancers and spoken-word poets at Monument Circle, 1 Virginia Ave., PNC Plaza, Starbucks at 30 S. Meridian St. and sites to be announced
- Sidewalk Galleries: Vinyl-wrapped storefront murals and poems as well as mural-wrapped traffic signal boxes and art installations at the Indianapolis International Airport
- 11 a.m.-4 p.m. April 4: Epicurean Market and MOKAO, with more than 50 vendors an international market with food, artisan coffee and chocolate. At the Stutz, 1060 N. Capitol Ave. epicureanindy.com
- Sampson Levingston will lead walk and talk tours about college basketball history in downtown’s Mile Square. Reserve free tickets at tinyurl.com/3sdknyc9
- March 27-April 4: The Asante Art Institute will present the play “A Touch of Glory” about the 1955 Crispus Attucks Tigers, the first all-black school in the country to win a high school basketball state championship. At the Basile Theatre at the Athenaeum, 401 E. Michigan St. $30-$45.
Final Four Fan Fest
April 3-6. Indiana Convention Center, 100 S. Capitol Ave. $10 tickets until March 29, $15 during event week. Tickets here and more info here.
The Indiana Convention Center will host games, activations, music, celebrity appearances and more throughout the Final Four extended weekend. Free entry for kids under 12 (with accompanying purchase of adult ticket), Final Four game ticketholders, military personnel, college students with valid school ID and Capital One cardholders.
- April 3: noon-6 p.m.
- April 4: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
- April 5: noon-6 p.m.
- April 6: noon-8 p.m.
Final Four Friday
April 3, 10 a.m.-3:35 p.m. Lucas Oil Stadium, 500 S. Capitol Ave. Free entry. More info here.
Lucas Oil Stadium will open its doors for a USA Basketball 3×3 exhibition game Friday morning, followed by open practices from the Final Four teams. Final Four Friday will conclude with the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-Star Game, featuring the top seniors in Division I basketball. All-Star players will also sign autographs at the South End of Lucas Oil near section 138.
March Madness Music Festival
April 3-5. American Legion Mall, 700 N. Pennsylvania St. Free entry. More info here.
Downtown’s American Legion Mall will host a three-day music festival with a lineup of major artists and performers. The festival will kick off April 3 with the AT&T Block Party, followed by Coca Cola Live April 4 and the Capital One JamFest finale April 5. Alternative duo Twenty One Pilots, country group Zac Brown Band and a double bill of country hip-hop superstar Post Malone and surging pop country star Megan Moroney will headline April 3, 4 and 5, respectively.
Check out the schedule below:
- April 3: 4:30-10 p.m.
- April 4: 3:30-10 p.m.
- April 5: 2-10 p.m.
The NCAA has also announced a Madness After Dark event, which will feature a DJ set from EDM duo The Chainsmokers, to take place after the April 4 performances. The event will run from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the Indiana Rooftop Ballroom, located at 140 W. Washington St.
Men’s Final Four Dribble
April 5 at 1 p.m. Carroll Stadium (1001 W. New York St.) to Victory Field (501 W. Maryland St.). Free registration. Registration here and more info here.
Participants 18 and under will dribble a basketball along a one-mile course from IU Indianapolis’ Carroll Stadium to Victory Field. The first 3,000 to register will receive a t-shirt, basketball and free entry to the Final Four Fan Fest.
Men’s Final Four Tip-Off Tailgate
April 3-6. 126 E. Georgia St. Free entry. More info here.
Downtown Indianapolis will offer free watch parties for both the Men’s and Women’s Final Four along Georgia Street. The festivities will also include games, activations and giveaways.
- April 3: 4-11 p.m.
- April 4: 1-11 p.m.
- April 5: noon-6 p.m.
- April 6: 4-11 p.m.
Contact IndyStar Pop Culture Reporter Heather Bushman at hbushman@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X @hmb_1013.
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