It’s another busy month of summer in Indy. July will have fireworks on the Fourth of July, WNBA All-Star weekend and the annual BLACK: A Festival of Joy.
We’ve included affordable summer activities, fun events at the library for your kids and 21+ parties for the grown-ups.
July 1-6 🔝
Animal Meet & Greets
🗓️ 12:30-1:30 p.m. July 1
📍 Indianapolis Public Library Pike Branch, 6525 Zionsville Road
🎟️ Free
Drop-in with your kids to meet animals, ask questions and take a picture. Silly Safaris, a comedic animal conservation group, brings the animals to teach kids about nature.
Canvas Skateboard
🗓️ 7:30 p.m. to midnight July 5
📍 The Art Connect Studio, 6664 Washington St.
🎟️ $10
It’s an art show, but all of the painters used a skateboard as a canvas. The 40 pieces of skateboard art are for sale, and part of the proceeds will go to Listen to Our Future, a local nonprofit that supports educating kids.
July 7-13 🔝
Decoding downtown landmarks walking tour
🗓️ 6:30-8 p.m., July 10
📍 50 S. Capitol Ave.
🎟️ $15-20
Walk for 90 minutes with Indiana Landmarks and learn about the architecture and history of downtown spots like the Soldier and Sailors monument, St. Elmo’s and the Statehouse.
Twerk Fit Party
🗓️ 6-7:30 p.m. July 11
📍 Midwest Leak Studio, 5860 Michigan Road
🎟️ Donations accepted
It’s a combination of fitness and dance. WeightDRIP, the wellness brand that hosts twerk parties, is focused on healing and empowering women.
Mass Ave. Walking Tour
🗓️ 1:30 p.m. July 12 and 6:30 p.m. July 23
📍 301 N. Delaware St.
🎟️ $15-20
Learn about public art and the history of buildings on Mass Ave. for 90 minutes with a tour from Indiana Landmarks. Meet at the Viewfinders Sculpture where New York Street, Delaware Street and Massachusetts Avenue intersect, for the 1-mile walk.
BLACK: A Festival of Joy
***This event has been rescheduled to Saturday, Sep. 13***
🗓️ 3-9 p.m. July 12
📍 Riverside Park, 1856 Burdsal Parkway
🎟️ Free
BLACK: A Festival of Joy started in 2022. Three years later, it’s an even bigger celebration of Black joy, with DJs, dancing, food trucks, community conversations and activities for kids. Stay tuned for the lineup of performers.
Stories in Stone: Gravestone Symbolism
🗓️ 5 p.m. July 12
📍 Crown Hill Foundation, 700 W. 38th St.
🎟️ $10, free for kids under 5
What would you put on your tombstone? That answer has changed over time, and is affected by the pop culture of each era. Crown Hill’s director of historic preservation will lead an after-hours tour of the cemetery and discuss the meaning of gravestone inscriptions from the Victorian era to now.
Elements of Film Criticism Class
🗓️ 1-2:30 p.m. July 12
📍 Roberts Camera, 220 E. Saint Clair St.
🎟️ $31.86, with fees included
If you love, or love to hate, movies, this class can help you think about why. A Roberts Camera’s photo lab and rental technician with 13 years of video production experience will go behind the scenes and talk about techniques, style, cinematography, sound design and the psychology behind storytelling in film.
WNBGAY 3-on-3 basketball tournament
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 12
📍 Wes Montgomery Park, 3501 N. Hawthorne Lane
🎟️ $75 to register your team
WNBAGay Indy, Indy Women Hoop and Y’all are coming together for a community day and a 3-on-3 basketball tournament ahead of the WNBA All-Star weekend.
This article was updated on June 25, 2025: An earlier version of this article did not list the correct price for this tournament. It is $75 to register a team.
Guelaguetza Mosaicos Festival 2025
🗓️ Noon to 4 p.m. July 12
📍 Central Library, 40 E. Saint Clair St.
🎟️ Free
Guelaguetza is a festival celebrated in Oaxaca, Mexico. It means “offering,” and is a time for communities to share their cultural heritage. There will be informational booths, performances and a community mercado.
Frida Esta Chida
🗓️ 3-7 p.m. July 12
📍 The AMP at 16 Tech, 1220 Waterway Blvd.
🎟️ Free
This is the fourth year of a Frida-Kahlo-inspired arts market, where vendors sell jewelry, ceramics and food. There will be Mexican sweets, tamales and churritos.
Paws Up for Rescue Wrestling Extravaganza
🗓️ 5:30 p.m. July 13
📍 1151 Kentucky Ave.
🎟️ $10
Wrestlers from around Indy will duke it out to raise money for Leann’s Animal Rescue. At the event, you can meet adoptable animals.
July 14-20 🔝
IBX Youth Entrepreneur Series
🗓️ 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 14 and 15
📍 Indiana Convention Center, 100 S. Capitol Ave.
🎟️ Free
Middle and high school students will learn the basics of launching and growing a business through a series of workshops. After, they’ll have the chance to pitch their business plans to judges and win $100, $250 0r $500. You can check out the rest of the IBE Summer Celebration events online.
Mindful Movement & Meditation
🗓️ 6-7 p.m. July 15
📍 Indianapolis Public Library Wayne Branch, 198 South Girls School Road
🎟️ Free, but register
Indy Community Yoga hosts this beginner-friendly class in the community room at the Wayne Branch. Wear comfy clothes and bring a yoga mat if you have one.
Herron-Morton Place walking tour
🗓️ 6:30-8 p.m. July 16
📍 Herron High School, 110 E. 16th St.
🎟️ $15-20
Start at Herron High School and walk to Talbott Theater, a Quaker house of worship and historical homes. Indiana Landmarks will teach you about the area’s importance to Indy’s LGBTQ+ history during the 90-minute tour.
Christmas in July jazz concert
🗓️ 7-8:30 p.m. July 17
📍 Indy Art Center, 820 E. 67th St.
🎟️ $25
In case you miss Christmas — but you don’t miss the snow — catch the Indianapolis Jazz Collective’s show. It’s an exclusive pre-release show for their album. There’s a cash bar, and you can buy catered food from the Jazz Kitchen.
IBE Summer Celebration Music Heritage Festival
🗓️ 6 p.m. July 18
📍 IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium, 1001 W. New York St.
🎟️ $12 for general admission
Keith Sweat, SWV, Cameo, Deniece Williams and Christopher Williams will perform at IBE’s summer concert, an annual tradition. This year, it’s the All-Star edition, happening during WNBA All-Star Weekend.
ICON Party: 50+ years of Hip-hop at the Jazz Kitchen
🗓️ 9:30 p.m. July 19
📍 Jazz Kitchen, 5377 N. College Ave.
🎟️ $23
It’s been 50 years since hip-hop started in the Bronx and changed American culture and music. This tribute party honors the half-century hip-hop’s been around, and the 20-year anniversary of the host: Old SOUL Entertainment. There will be three DJs and live performances for a 21+ crowd.
Benton House Used Book Sale
🗓️ 5-8 p.m. July 18; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m July 19; and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 20
📍 The Benton House, 312 S. Downey Ave.
🎟️ Free
Get hardback books for $2, paperbacks for $1 and kids books for $1. On Sunday, you can fill up a bag for $5. All the money goes toward preserving the Benton House, a historical house in Irvington
Meet Your Neighbor: Refugee 101
🗓️ 2-3:30 p.m. July 18
📍 Indianapolis Public Library Michigan Road Branch, 6201 N. Michigan Road
🎟️ Free, but register
Exodus Refugee is an organization that helps resettle refugees in Indy. At these “Meet Your Neighbor” events, you’ll learn what a refugee is, where they come from, how Exodus Refugee helps them and how you can volunteer.
Indianapolis Animal Care Services adoption event
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 4 p.m July 19-20
📍 Bone Dry Roofing, 7735 Winton Drive
🎟️ Free
Meet a new friend. Take home a dog or cat from the city’s shelter with your adoption fee waived. All the animals have been spayed or neutered, have microchips and are up to date with vaccinations.
Bashiri Asad at Arts for Lawrence
🗓️ 6:30 and 9 p.m. July 19
📍 Arts for Lawrence, 8920 Otis Ave.
🎟️ $30
Bashiri Asad’s music is influenced by Stevie Wonder and Sam Cooke, but he calls his personal style “Indy soul.”
For the GIRLS party
🗓️ Noon to 4 p.m. July 19
📍 1114 E. Prospect St.
🎟️ $50
Ahead of WNBA All-Star Weekend, celebrate women at a pregame party. It’s for anyone over the age of 21, and your $50 ticket gets you two mimosas, catered brunch and prizes.
Hip-hop and Hoops
🗓️ 7 p.m. July 19
📍 Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center, 1198 E. 38th St.
🎟️ Starting at $75
Artists Jet Santiago, Polo Nunu, Kittii Red and Loe Shimmy will perform a celebration of hip-hop and basketball for WNBA All-Star Weekend. Parking is $10 at the gate (cash or card).
Teddy Bear Concert Series
🗓️ 11 a.m. to noon July 19
📍 Indianapolis Public Library Southport Branch, 2630 East Stop 11 Road
🎟️ Free
Bring your kids and their favorite stuffed animal to this concert by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. They’ll use storytelling to introduce children to the orchestra.
Cultural Arts Pavilion & Art Speaks Cafe
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. July 18-19, noon to 7 p.m. July 20
📍 Indiana Convention Center, 100 S. Capitol Ave.
🎟️ Free
During Indiana Black Expo weekend, you can see artworks celebrating women and girls at “Court Vision: The Art of Resilience and Excellence.” The opening reception is 6 p.m., July 17.
At the same time, local artists, musicians, poets, authors and speakers will perform at the Art Speaks Cafe. Plus, you can take up your own paintbrush at a free community session each day, listen to a local DJ and check out the sneaker bar. This is only two of the 15 parts of the IBE Summer Celebration, and you can see the rest of the events online.
Indy Dance Festival
🗓️ July 19-20
📍 Tobias Theatre at Newfields, 4000 Michigan Road, and Butler University’s Lilly Hall, 4741 Clarendon Road East Drive.
🎟️ $30 for performances and $25-60 for classes
Over two days, you can watch 19 dance performances, including Chinese, African, contemporary, tap and ballet dance styles at Newfields. Over at Butler University, there’s 17 different classes and activities, with six free options. You can learn how to take better dance photos, practice West African dance and attend a lunch and learn about listening to your elders.
July 21-27 🔝
Indy Shorts International Film Festival
🗓️ July 22-27
📍 Living Room Theaters, 745 E. 9th St., and Newfields, 4000 N. Michigan Road
🎟️ $60-225
Watch 235 short films, including 112 by Midwestern filmmakers. They’re competing for more than $35,000 in cash prizes.
Storytime with Professor Watermelon
🗓️ 10:30-11 a.m. July 25
📍 Indianapolis Public Library Fort Ben Branch, 9330 E. 56th St.
🎟️ Free
This is a dinosaur-themed storytime for children who are 3 to 6 years old and their parents.
Lisa Frank & The Trapper Keepers Concert
🗓️ 5:30-8:30 p.m. July 25
📍 James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home, 528 Lockerbie St.
🎟️ $15; free for kids
No, this is not an event where you swap trapper keepers. It’s a creative name for a ’90s throwback band, and you can pack a picnic and watch their performance on the museum’s grounds. Bring your own blankets or chairs.
Summer Punk Fest
🗓️ 7 p.m July 25, Healer, 3635 E. Raymond St.
🗓️ 8 p.m. July 26, Melody Inn, 3826 N. Illinois St.
🎟️ $12 (one day); $20 (two days)
It’s a two-day summer festival full of punk, ska, rock and metal. On the first day, at Healer, Indy-based bands The Last IV, 9th Circle Symphony and Coolidge will play. Day two at Melody Inn, watch The Involuntarys, The Lowcocks, La Vida Arcana and Jon Q Public.
Indy Lemon Drop Festival
🗓️ 3-8 p.m. July 26
📍 White River State Park, 650 W. Washington St.
🎟️ $25-50
If you really love lemon drop martinis, there’s a whole festival dedicated to the drink on the museum lawn at White River State Park. Your ticket includes free lemon drops, and six drink stations to add peach, apple, strawberry and blueberry to the classic lemon recipe.
HBCU Cookout
🗓️ 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 26
📍 Martin Luther King Memorial Park, 1702 N. Broadway St.
🎟️ Free
HBCU alumni, current students, incoming freshmen, and their families, and local alumni chapters are welcome at the Indianapolis Black Alumni Council’s annual cookout. Set up a table, decorate it in your HBCU’s colors, and get ready for food and games.
Bikes & Bakeries Ride
🗓️ 10 a.m. to noon July 26
📍 Indianapolis Cultural Trail, 132 W. Walnut St.
🎟️ Free, but donations welcomed
Each month, you can bring a bike or hop on one from the Pacers Bikeshare and ride down the Cultural Trail to a local bakery with a group. It’s usually anywhere from a 4-10 mile ride.
Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live
🗓️ July 26-27
📍 Gainbridge Fieldhouse, 125 S. Pennsylvania St.
🎟️ Tickets start at around $25
Imagine your Hot Wheels were life-sized and they glowed in the dark. That’s what this monster-truck show at Gainbridge is all about. The trucks have fun names like Bone Shaker, Mega Wrex and Skelesaurus. There’s discount pricing for kids, too.
July 28-31 🔝
The Circus is Back in Town! — a Mirror Indy & Play List variety show
🗓️ 7-9 p.m. July 29
📍 State Street Pub, 243 N. State Ave.
🎟️ $10 for 21+
Play List is Mirror Indy’s arts and culture newsletter. Every Wednesday, we send an email with art news and ideas for exploring the city, plus other goodies to make you laugh and keep you in the loop.
For one night only, we’ve decided to make it analog and bring the show to the neighborhood. We are hosting a variety show with puppets, live music, burlesque dancing and other surprise performances.
Please join us! Help us make this night a celebration of all the beautiful, weird and creative things happening in our city.
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.
Mirror Indy reporter Sophie Young covers services and resources. Contact her at sophie.young@mirrorindy.org.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
