Hello Indy,
I was working in the newsroom late one night when my eyes beheld an eerie sight — for my monster typos from my laptop began to rise. And suddenly, to my surprise, they did the Monster Mash.
(I’m sorry. I’ll show myself out.)
Today’s Play List is extra weird with cemeteries, bloody marys, trick-or-treating and great music you can only listen to at a funeral home (sort of).
And, don’t skip the classifieds. You might need a thing or two from there, like a sweet potato pie or someone to guide you through your party balloon situation.
WHAT’S NEW IN ARTS & CULTURE
We all know someone for whom Halloween is a lifestyle. Skeletons, pumpkins and creepy stuff are just everyday things for these folks. Mirror Indy’s arts and culture reporter Breanna Cooper is like that — you can see for yourself in this round up of local haunts, parties and everyone’s favorite ghost-inspired drink.
And whaddaya know? Westside reporter Enrique Saenz also has the scoop for family-friendly trunk-or-treat events, costume contests and pumpkin decorating.
Progressive pop band Mina & the Wondrous Flying Machine will celebrate the release of “Quiet Little Wreckonings” — their third studio album — with a show at Square Cat Vinyl on Oct. 25.
In case you missed something, see all arts and culture coverage here.
WHAT WE’RE DOING
Come party with us and ask all your election questions! The party is free (with RSVP), and you’ll get a special “I voted” sticker illustrated by a local artist. It’s also a time to talk to reporters and an excuse to dance in the name of civic duty.
Looking for other things to do? Check out Mirror Indy’s events calendar.
CITY CHATTER
What’s good, friends!
We’re just days away from the most wonderful time of the year … Halloween!
Growing up, I loved trick or treating, wearing those awful plastic masks that you could barely breathe through and watching spooky flicks through the cage of my chubby little fingers.
However, depending on what church we attended at the time, my festivities could be tamped down to boiled hot dogs in the fellowship hall and bobbing for apples (pre-COVID, of course) in the name of holiness.
As an adult, I have reclaimed this season for myself! For me, this is a time to use costumery and whimsy. It’s a time for merrymaking and mischief … a time when the veil between stuffy adulting and free-flowing childlike wonder is thinned.
In honor of this special time, I am hosting Free People Party: Monster Mash on Sunday, Oct. 27, at State Street Pub.
Tickets are just $10 in advance and DJ’s Sounds by Cam and Littletown will be spinning a spooky-sexy-chic soundtrack all night.
Doors open at 9! Come early for the stoner fries and stay late for the vibes.
Lastly, please join me on Sunday, Nov. 10, from 4-6 p.m. for the annual Spirit & Place Festival Public Conversation. I’ll be speaking on the theme of gratitude with Dacher Keltner, Erin Kelley and R. Eric Thomas. Learn more and register at spiritandplace.org.
Peace!
— Ebony Chappel, market director at Free Press Indiana
MUSIC NEWS
Looking for weekend plans?
No shade to John Mellencamp — seriously, he’s great — but he isn’t the only Hoosier to make his mark in the music industry.
The Indiana Music History Project wants to help music fans expand their knowledge of Indiana’s music history through its first Indiana Music Audio Kiosk at 1305 Broad Ripple Ave.
Nope, your Google Maps is not lying to you — it is indeed located inside a funeral home. (Editor’s note: We told you Breanna is spooky!) Visitors can browse through a curated list of works by local big names and emerging musicians.
— Breanna Cooper, arts and culture reporter
TIME MACHINE
This past Saturday, I spent the first half of my day talking to neighbors about community-focused local news at the Martin University community access fair. It was a win.
The energy in the room was palpable with more than 20 organizations present to connect with neighbors and community members. I was joined by Mirror Indy Documenters part-time editor Emily Worrell and Documenter Erica Fuller.
The music was bumping with classic R&B and hip-hop jams. I think the key to any successful event is the soundtrack.
A fun part about tabling is visiting other organizations’ tables, picking up whatever cool “swag” they have, and hearing their elevator pitches about the work.
I met folks from Reform Alliance (Meek Mills’ prison reformation org), Pink-4-Ever Ending Disparities (a Black women breast cancer awareness org), Starfish Initiative (a local youth mentorship program), Martindale Brightwood Community Center and the Indianapolis International Airport Authority.
I left the event with my mind swirling with engagement ideas to further connect with the neighbors I met.
I ended my day as “Mommy” and “Nani” because I hosted a sleepover for my daughter and nephew. Toddlers are balls of energy! By the end of it, I was exhausted. It was a great day.
What cool Indy memories do you have? They can be about community events too! Email them to me with a photo to ariana.beedie@mirrorindy.org.
— Ariana Beedie, community journalism director
CLASSIFIEDS
- Lynn’s Halloween Town has costumes, accessories and decor — all year round.
- For over 25 years, Funnie & Friends has provided professional clown entertainment.
- Try sweet potato pie at Punkin’s Pies Sweet Treats.
- Why take a rideshare when you could take a party bus? Call Unique Limousine.
- The Balloon Lady brings confidence, quality and satisfaction to all your balloon needs.
Send us your creative service ad to hello@mirrorindy.org and write “Classifieds” in the subject line.
Thanks for reading.
You can reach me at jennifer.delgadillo@mirrorindy.org. I’d love to hear from you!
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This newsletter was written by Jennifer Delgadillo and edited by Mirror Indy’s web producer, Gwen Ragno.
Play List’s illustrations are by Rebekah Nolan.
The audio version of this newsletter was recorded and edited with Joseph Kilbourn.
The music in the audio version of this newsletter is “Treasure Everywhere” by Forestero.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
