The city is overflowing with free and exciting things to do just in time for summer. I’m talking festivals galore and tons of ways to celebrate national holidays and observances like Pride Month and Juneteenth.
Become a plant parent or add to your growing collection at Plant Stop, Won’t Stop June 1 in Broad Ripple Park. Swing by a few art gallery openings on First Friday, June 6. Learn how to make tea towels prints using potatoes June 3 at Patina Gallery.
And, don’t miss out on snatching tickets to Indy Pride Weekend — including a two-day music festival WORD OF MOUTH, on June 14-15. Pop stars Tinashe and Natasha Bedingfield will headline.
On June 21, celebrate the legacy of Madam C.J. Walker, her Indiana Avenue theater and Black Music Month at Legacy Fest. Support young filmmakers at the Indiana Youth Film Festival as Deonna Weatherly takes them under her wing.
Grab your bug spray and sunscreen and use this list to keep yourself busy all month long.
June 1-7 🔝
Plant Stop, Won’t Stop
🗓️ Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 1
📍 Broad Ripple Park, 1426 Broad Ripple Ave.
🎟️ Free, but you can pay $20 for early entry
Over 90 vendors will sell plants and plant-related goods. Plus, there’s a pet adoption pop-up, a DJ and food. Pay $20 to get there early at 11 a.m. and beat the crowd. Proceeds will help support The Friends of Broad Ripple Park.
Pogue’s Pride
🗓️ 1-5 p.m. Sunday, June 1
📍 Windsor Park neighborhood
🎟️ Free
Bring your family and friends to kick off Pride Month with a food crawl, cocktails, art and music along Pogue’s Run, an 11-mile urban creek on the eastside, in the Windsor Park neighborhood.
LGBTQIA+ Epicurean Dinner
🗓️ 5:30 p.m. Sunday, June 1
📍 Kan Kan Cinema & Restaurant, 1258 Windsor St.
🎟️ $120
Taste great food and drinks while supporting the LGBTQ+ community in the food and beverage industry. Guest chefs at Kan Kan’s restaurant will prepare six courses.
The Queens! 4 Legends 1 Stage
🗓️ 7 p.m. Sunday, June 1
📍 Gainbridge Fieldhouse, 125 S. Pennsylvania St.
🎟️ $116.95, VIP package options available
Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight and Stephanie Mills will perform R&B, soul and pop music as part of their “4 Legends. One Stage.” tour.
Tea Towel Print Workshop
🗓️ 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 3
📍 Patina Gallery, 2201 E. Michigan St.
🎟️ $35
Carve potatoes into shapes and use them to stamp designs onto a cotton tea towel.
Sound Ecologies Chamber Orchestra
🗓️ 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 3
📍 Ruth Lilly Performance Hall, 1230 Greyhound Lane
🎟️ Free; donations accepted.
The new orchestra, which focuses on the arts and the environment, will debut songs by Indiana composers John Berners, Amanda S., Rob Funkhouser, Carly Sage, Christian Miller, Luke Garrigus and Logan Purcell.
Peanut Butter Jelly Time Improv Extravaganza
🗓️ 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 4
📍 The White Rabbit Cabaret, 1113 E. Prospect St.
🎟️ $10
⛔ 21+
As Pride Month is in full swing, watch two improv troupes — Dad Bod and PINKSLIP — come together like peanut butter and jelly for drag performances, improv comedy and dance numbers.
We Outside Art Exhibit
🗓️ 6-9 p.m. Friday, June 6
📍 Schwitzer Gallery at Factory Arts District, 1125 E. Brookside Ave.
🎟️ Free
This show brings together six artists who don’t color within the lines — they draw their own: Gary Gee, Kenneth Hordge, Kevin West, Omar Rashan, Will Woodrow and Rob Sloan. Check out their art on display through June 30.
First Friday Gallery Opening: CYKLO
🗓️ 6-9 p.m. Friday, June 6
📍 Harrison Center, 1505 N. Delaware St.
🎟️ Free
Mailinh Hồ’s soft oil paintings and watercolors are snapshots of nostalgia and the future. Her art asks: “Where are you going and where are you from?
Pride & Joy First Friday
🗓️ 6-9 p.m. Friday, June 6
📍 The ArtSpace at the Athenaeum, 401 E. Michigan St.
🎟️ Free
This annual exhibition, hosted by the Athenaeum’s Christel DeHaan ArtSpace, features LGBTQ+ artists of all ages and experience levels. You can also enjoy free refreshments and a card-only bar.
Grapevine
🗓️ 6-10 p.m. Friday, June 6
📍 Cleo’s Bodega, 2432 Martin Luther King Jr. St.
🎟️ Free, but must RSVP
Every First Friday from May to October, Sound Off Nap led by Nigel Long, director at GANGGANG, turns Cleo’s Bodega into a space for local artists and entrepreneurs to celebrate Hip-hop.
Will Higgins: Museum of Fabulosity
🗓️ 6-10 p.m. Friday, June 6
📍 Tube Factory Artspace, 1125 Cruft St.
🎟️ Free
Will Higgins, a former reporter for the IndyStar, curated this one-night exhibit. He writes, “This pop-up museum is made to resemble a small-town history museum. There are 16 amazing stories, many so strange they may seem made-up. But they are not made up. They are all absolutely true.” The exhibit features stories about jazz legend Wes Montgomery, 38th Street “Dancing Man” James Snow, stunt car driver Elfrieda Mais and others.
Under the Neon Lights Skate Party
🗓️ 6:30-9 p.m. Saturday, June 7
📍 Skateland, 3902 N. Glen Arm Road
🎟️ $15
Join local author Arriel Vinson to celebrate the release of her teen novel, “Under the Neon Lights,” at Skateland. Loudmouth Books will be onsite to sell copies.
LUCK FINDS LOVE
🗓️ 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. June 7-9
📍 The District Theatre, 627 Mass Ave
🎟️ $18
“Luck Finds Love” takes you on a journey to the golden days of Indiana Avenue. When a talent competition at The Walker Theatre offers him a chance to shine, singer Cecil Walker dreams of buying a home for his widowed mother.
June 8-14 🔝
Levitt VIBE June concert
🗓️ Noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, June 8
📍 Tube Factory amphitheater, 1125 Cruft St.
🎟️ Free
Enjoy an afternoon of live music, games, food trucks, an outdoor pop-up market and art galleries and dance performances.
Mushrooms, Music & More
🗓️ 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, June 8
📍 Stage Door Irvington, 5635 Bonna Ave.
🎟️ Free
Do you like mushrooms? Do you like Mirror Indy? You can have both at the Mushroom Music & More Festival. Enjoy expert speaker sessions covering topics like growing, foraging, cooking, entheogenic, survival and the medicinal properties of fungi. It’s free, so come see us!
Media Day and Social Mixer
🗓️ 6:30-9 p.m. Wednesday, June 11
📍 Morris Bicentennial Plaza, 125 S. Pennsylvania St.
🎟️ Free, but must RSVP
Indy Black Professionals and City League will offer an exclusive first look at the incredible basketball events coming to Indy this summer. Get ready for updates from the WNBA All-Star 2025 committee, appearances from Boomer, food and live music.
Strawberry Festival
🗓️ 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, June 12
📍 Christ Cathedral Church, 125 Monument Circle
🎟️ $10 for the works
Volunteers at Christ Church Cathedral make thousands of strawberry shortcakes every year for this festival. This year marks 59 years of the shortcakes with “the works” — vanilla ice cream and whipped cream — that are sure to sell out.
Community Peace Walk & Block Party
🗓️ 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 13
📍 Edna Martin Christian Center Legacy Campus, 2259 Ralston Ave.
🎟️ Free
Enjoy live entertainment, vendors and community resources while celebrating the historic Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood.
Juneteenth Foodways Festival
🗓️ 4:30-8 p.m. Friday, June 13
📍 Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site, 1230 N. Delaware St.
🎟️ Free general admission, $20 for early admission at 3:30 p.m.
Support Black food vendors, celebrate the influence of Black cuisine on America’s favorite foods and learn about Dolly Johnson, the first Black caterer to work in the White House.
Holy Rosary Italian Street Festival
🗓️ 5-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 13-14
📍 Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 528 Stevens St.
🎟️ Free
Enjoy some finger-licking good Italian food, wine and live music.
Pride Parade
🗓️ 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 14
📍 Mass Ave
🎟️ Free
Floats, dancers and drag queens parade down Mass Ave to celebrate queer joy. Anyone can join the parade band. Sign up, wear an Indy Pride t-shirt and bring your instrument. There’s a rehearsal the day before.
Bugs on the Farm at Flanner Farms
🗓️ 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 14
📍 Flanner Farms, 2424 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St.
🎟️ Free
Bring your kids to see bugs and learn about how they help out gardens and farms.
Lumpia Festival
🗓️ 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 14
📍 Philippine Cultural Community Center, 4141 S. East St.
🎟️ $5 donation for entry
Taste the traditional and fusion versions of lumpia — fried spring rolls — from the Philippine islands.
Celebration on the Circle
🗓️ Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 14-15
📍Monument Circle
🎟️ Free
This is a party on the Circle for all ages with line dancing, a DJ, performances and a drag queen story time. Visit food vendors and health care providers’ tables. Then on Sunday, Indy Pride will partner with Indy Gay Market to bring local artisans to the celebration.
Indianapolis Recorder and Mirror Indy Picnic
🗓️ 3-7 p.m. Saturday, June 14
📍 Belmont Beach, 1300 N. White River Parkway Drive.
🎟️ Free, but you must register.
To celebrate the 130th anniversary of the Indianapolis Recorder newspaper, the fourth-oldest Black newspaper in the U.S., the iconic Recorder Picnic will return. The event will feature food, games, back-to-school giveaways, community resource booths, storytelling and performances by local artists. Make sure to bring your lawn chairs and blankets.
WORD OF MOUTH
🗓️ 2-10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 14-15
📍 American Legion Mall, 700 N. Pennsylvania St.
🎟️ $40-$60
Sing your heart out to Natasha Bedingfield and Tinashe during Indy Pride’s two-day music series. Watch local and national drag performers, grab food and drinks or chill out in the sober space.
Club Cunt: Adult Game Night
🗓️ 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday, June 14
📍 Bling Tiger, 304 E. New York St.
🎟️ $10-$15 (at the door)
⛔ 21+
Bring a friend, find a lover, or just vibe the freak out and celebrate Pride Month and Juneteenth. This is a game night for the grown folks. Sorry, no kiddos allowed!
June 15-21 🔝
70s Retro Rhythm- How We Got Our Groove Back
🗓️ 3 & 6 p.m. Sunday, June 15
📍 Arts for Lawrence, 8920 Otis Ave.
🎟️ $15-$20
Young actors and dancers at the Performing Arts Conservatory will honor Black music. Prepare to sing along to The Dramatics, Kool & The Gang, Sly and the Family Stone and Aretha Franklin.
Sound Supper VIII — A Very Fruity Dinner
🗓️ 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, June 17
📍 Parkside Public House, 2602 Shelby St.
🎟️ $5
Clockwork Janz will perform an original score of sounds made specially to compliment the flavors and smells of your fruit-dominated meal.
Black Resilience in Indiana: Building on the Heritage of Survival
🗓️ 6-8 p.m. Thursday, June 19
📍 Indiana Landmarks, 1201 Central Ave. and on Zoom
🎟️ Free, but must RSVP
On Juneteenth, Indiana Landmarks wants to equip attendees to thrive in uncertain times politically, financially and socially. Get tips from professionals and Black scholars.
SABA: The Bigger Picture Tour
🗓️ 7 p.m. Friday, June 20
📍 The Vogue, 6259 N. College Ave.
🎟️ $34
Fresh off the release of his collaboration album, “From the Private Collection of Saba and No I.D.,” with the legendary producer No I.D., the Chicago rapper stops in Indianapolis for the first time with the help of the Chreece hip-hop festival.
Peace on Earth: Beethoven’s 9th
🗓️ 3 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 20-21
📍 Hilbert Circle Theatre, 45 Monument Circle
🎟️ $15-90
Music Director Jun Märkl and the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir dare to dream of peace with Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.
June 22-28 🔝
Talbot Street Art Fair
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 21 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 22
📍 Herron Morton neighborhood
🎟️ Free
It’s that time of year again. Festivals galore! Swing by the Talbot Street Art Fair to see the best in craftsmanship and artistry of over 200 juried artists from across the country.
Juneteenth and Jazz Community Celebration
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 21
📍 Eiteljorg Museum, 500 W. Washington St.
🎟️ Free
Celebrate Juneteenth at the Eiteljorg with live jazz performances, cultural presentations, art and food.
Madam Walker’s Legacy Center Legacy Fest Block Party
🗓️ 8:30 p.m. Friday, June 20 and Noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 21
📍 Madam Walker Legacy Center, 617 Indiana Ave.
🎟️ Free to $100
The two-day celebration honors the legacy of Madam C.J. Walker, the history of the Madam Walker Legacy Center and Black Music Month. Meet them on Indiana Avenue for performances, food trucks, vendors and family-friendly activities. The Isley brothers will perform classics like “Shout” and “This Old Heart of Mine” on Friday. Tickets start around $100.
Bloombox Festival
🗓️ Noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 21
📍 Harrison Center, 1505 N. Delaware St.
🎟️ Free
The outdoor festival will feature local indie musicians and visual artists who will perform and create original work. Also, you can buy handmade goods at the DIY contemporary craft fair.
Juneteenth Celebration: History, Health and the Arts
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 21
📍 Indiana State Museum, 650 W. Washington St.
🎟️ Free
Get free admission to Indiana State Museum for a day, and learn about Black history from their curators. Watch performances from Asante Art Institute, Epiphany Dance Collective and a drum circle.
Juneteenth Jubilee
🗓️ 4-8 p.m. Saturday, June 21
📍 Fort Ben Cultural Campus, 8950 Otis Ave.
🎟️ Free
Take part in a creating mural with Art & Soul 2025 artist Keirra Ready. For almost 30 years, Art & Soul, presented by Indy Arts Council, has elevated Black culture and creativity in Indianapolis, while supporting the careers of emerging artists.
Slum Baby Family’s Jubilee Day Junction: The Juneteenth Celebration
🗓️ 4-8 p.m. Saturday, June 21
📍 Wes Montgomery Park, 3400 N. Hawthorne Lane
🎟️ Free
Prepare for an evening filled with competition, mental health, community, unity and Black joy. Get ready for a serious and important game of kickball.
Freakness Irvington Fundraising Gala
🗓️ 3-6 p.m. Sunday, June 22
📍 203 S. Good Ave.
🎟️ $50
It’s a party like the Kentucky Derby — but witchy. Watch the Irvington Dancing Witches and a race. As for what type of racing? That’s a mystery to find out at the event. Wear your derby-inspired ascot or fascinator to win “Best Hat.” It all raises money to offer low-cost mental health care in Irvington.
Intergenerational Pride Choir Camp
🗓️ 6-9 p.m. Monday through Friday, June 23-27
📍 Butler University, 4600 Sunset Ave.
🎟️ $300, with a $25 deposit required. There are payment plans available
Singers ages 14 and up, regardless of experience, can join an intergenerational community to explore diverse music and celebrate LGBTQ+ pride through song. You’ll receive personalized coaching and participate in workshops.
“Meat the butcher” lunch, tour and charcuterie tasting
🗓️ 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, June 26
📍 Smoking Goose Meatery, 407 Dorman St.
🎟️ $49.95
Put on a butcher’s uniform for a day and get a behind-the-scenes tour of Smoking Goose, a local butcher. Plus, try six kinds of charcuterie and take home salami.
Fridays at the Fort
🗓️ 6:30-9 p.m. Friday, June 13 and June 27
📍 Arts for Lawrence, 8920 Otis Ave.
🎟️ Free
On June 13, listen to Akili Ni Mali, a singer highlighted at this year’s Art & Soul. On June 27, HeartStone Crossing Band will rock out to oldies music. Every Friday at the Fort includes food trucks and activities for kids.
Indiana Youth Film Festival
🗓️ 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 27-28
📍 Kan Kan Cinema & Restaurant, 1258 Windsor St.
🎟️ $28-50
Work submitted by young filmmakers will be screened to the public, and could earn awards such as best director or best cinematographer. Watch new films, hear from panels and connect with possible mentors.
This Is Different
🗓️ 7-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 27-28
📍 Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre, 705 N. Illinois St.
🎟️ Free, but you can make a donation between $10-50
This original one-act play created by Summit Performance Indianapolis tells the stories of Indy women who have struggled with substance abuse. After the show, you can hear from them during a panel discussion.
June 29-30 🔝
Eiteljorg Indian Market and Festival
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 28-29
📍 Eiteljorg Museum, 500 W. Washington St.
🎟️ $10-$20; free for kids under four
At the Eiteljorg’s yearly summer event, you can buy pottery, beadwork, jewelry and paintings from more than 150 artists from across the U.S.. Plus, you can eat frybread and watch cultural performances.
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