November brings us lots of food and family time as we celebrate Día de Muertos, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and Small Business Saturday.
As we get into the thick of fall weather, a lot of events are moving indoors. There’s no better time to run to your nearest theater and grab a seat to see “Marie and Rosetta,” “Frozen: A Drag Musical Parody,” “Wuthering Heights,” “Les Misérables,” “The Spongebob Musical” and the Indianapolis Black Theater Showcase.
Shopping addicts: Save up for Totally Rad Vintage Fest, Christmas Gift and Hobby Show, and Vintage Market at The Stutz.
Need to decompress before holiday stress? Get a scalp massage and tarot reading at “Frequencies on the Full Moon.”
Movie lovers can watch a holiday classic early with a screening of “The Nightmare Before Christmas” at Newfields and continue their Halloween celebrations with “Sinners,” at Flanner House hosted by the Indiana Youth Film Festival. Or take the kiddos to watch “Wicked” for free at the Schrott Center for the Arts.
Tap your wingperson or fly solo to meet new people at Bring-a-Friend Singles Social. Swap your tiny treasures with fellow creators at Trinket Club’s Trinket Swap.
If you use this list, you’ll stay busy all month long.
Nov. 1-9 🔝
Ladies Only Mural Mash
🗓️ Noon-6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1
📍 424 Shelby St.
🎟️ Free
This day party celebrates women in art and design. Listen to all-lady DJs spin and watch muralist Siena Baldi paint live with other artists.
Día de Muertos Celebration
🗓️ Noon Saturday, Nov. 1
📍 Indy’s Global Village, 4233 Lafayette Road
🎟️ Free
Día de Muertos is a Mexican holiday that celebrates and remembers friends and relatives who have died. Enjoy food and performances, meet artists and create your own art inspired by the traditions and stories behind this cultural celebration.
Marie and Rosetta
🗓️ Oct. 28-Nov. 23
📍 Indiana Repertory Theatre, 140 W. Washington St.
🎟️ $27-120
Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a fierce guitar-playing gospel music legend, influencing the likes of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jimi Hendrix and Ray Charles. This play dives into the story of Tharpe, also known as the “Godmother of Rock ’n’ Roll,” and her protégée Marie Knight as they begin their journey to change music forever.
Indianapolis Black Theater Showcase
🗓️ 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1
📍 Madam Walker Legacy Center, 617 Indiana Ave.
🎟️ $35-75
Gear up for a new season from The Indianapolis Black Theater Company. In this showcase, enjoy music, performances from top theater companies and a special piece by Artistic Director Tijideen Rowley.
The Lost Photographs of Osbert Sumner
🗓️ 1-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 30
📍 Bona Thompson Memorial Center, 5350 E. University Ave.
🎟️ Free
Step back in time with this stunning collection of long-lost images taken between 1898 and 1903. There’s one thing to note: The photos were hidden for decades beneath a staircase in an Irvington home.
Related
The lost photographs of Osbert Sumner
Historian Deedee Davis’ research began seven years ago to tell a different story of life in Indianapolis from 1898-1903.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
🗓️ 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2
📍 Newfields, 4000 N. Michigan Road
🎟️ $40
What’s this? A movie night at the Toby at Newfields? Come see “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and follow Jack Skellington to the magical world between Halloween and Christmas.
Juan Arango Palacios: Tierra Caliente
🗓️ Nov. 3-Dec. 6
📍 Basile Gallery at Herron School of Art, 735 W. New York St.
🎟️ Free
Tierra Caliente — “hot land” — references the tropical lowlands near Colombia’s coffee axis, where Juan Arango Palacios was born. This exhibition includes paintings, drawings and ceramics exploring queerness, migration and cultural identity.
Arango Palacios reflects on longing and the unfulfilled experiences of queer immigrants in the United States. Shifting between images of his intimate daily life and expansive mythic scenes, his work captures moments that feel both deeply personal and universally queer.
Les Misérables
🗓️ Nov. 4-9
📍 Clowes Memorial Hall, 4602 Sunset Ave.
🎟️ Tickets start at $97
Do you hear the people sing? Not yet? This is your sign to get your tickets to one of the longest-running musicals in the world. Your heart will soar when you hear stirring songs like “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own” and “One Day More.”
Frequencies on the Full Moon
🗓️ 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 5
📍 Ujamaa Community Bookstore, 2424 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St.
🎟️ $31.48-$49.26
Step into a space designed for you to relax with music from Jhene Aiko at the center. The event will feature scalp massages, tarot card reading, moon tea and a sensory corner.
Butler University Visiting Writer’s Series: Safiya Sinclair
🗓️ 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 5
📍 Shelton Auditorium, 1000 W. 42nd St.
🎟️ Free
Safiya Sinclair grew up in Montego Bay, Jamaica. She is the author of the critically acclaimed memoir “How to Say Babylon” and the poetry collection “Cannibal.” Her writing often explores themes of identity, womanhood and liberation.
Power of Women: an Evening with Glennon Doyle
🗓️ 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6
📍 Indiana Roof Ballroom, 140 W. Washington St.
🎟️ Tickets start at $250
Glennon Doyle is the bestselling author of “Untamed,” “Love Warrior” and “Carry On, Warrior.” She combines honesty, humor and insight to tackle life’s toughest questions about identity, love and purpose.
First Thursday
🗓️ 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6
📍 Hilbert Circle Theatre, 45 Monument Circle
🎟️ Free
At First Thursdays, guests can get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. This event will feature an intimate fireside chat with Matthew Creek, manager of popular programming, and Hannah Schendel, assistant conductor.
Spirit & Place Festival
🗓️ Nov. 6-16
📍 Various locations
🎟️ Free
This year marks 30 years of the Spirit & Place Festival, an event dedicated to exploring the human condition through the arts, humanities and religion. You’ll learn about the many ways nature connects us to ourselves, to each other and to the wider world through exhibitions, concerts, poetry readings and film screenings.
One free event to not miss: “Sol Sessions.” You get to dance from 6:30 p.m. to 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 7, at Unitarian Universalist Church of Indianapolis, 615 W. 43rd St.
2025 Indianapolis Random Band Challenge
🗓️ 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7
📍 Square Cat Vinyl, 1054 Virginia Ave.
🎟️ $17-20
Get your jam on at this event, where musicians have been randomly grouped into bands. They had two months to prepare three original songs, which they’ll perform at the event. Your votes help decide the winner.
First Friday: The Market
🗓️ 6-11 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7
📍 The Murphy Art Center, 1043 Virginia Ave., Suite 213
🎟️ Free
If you’re a local artist, maker or brand, join Future Friends for a night of community and creativity. Listen to DJs spin and shop from vendors.
Object Permanence: An Art Show
🗓️ 6-9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7
📍 Patina Gallery, 2201 E. Michigan St.
🎟️ Free
Austin Falls makes art from old things that people didn’t want anymore. About his upcoming exhibit, he says: “I made some big things that I don’t have room to store. Please buy some of it! Please. My basement is full and it’s making my cat anxious.”
IYFF Movie Night
🗓️ 6-10 p.m. Friday, Nov.7
📍 Morningstar Afrocentric Wellness Center at Flanner House, 2307 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St.
🎟️ $5
According to the Indiana Youth Film Festival, Friday nights are reserved for movies and good conversation. Catch a screening of the horror blockbuster “Sinners,” and get an exclusive look at Brother Jamaal Shabazz’s animated series, “Fist Full of Plight.” Food and drinks will be provided.
Okara Imani: 2025 Artist in Residence
🗓️ 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7
📍The Cabaret, 924 N. Pennsylvania St. Suite B
🎟️ $30 – $60
Experience the magic of Okara Imani, The Cabaret’s 2025 Artist in Residence, in an intimate evening of raw emotion and musical brilliance. Through soulful vocals and genre-bending sound, she invites audiences into a deeply personal journey of self-discovery and connection.
Indianapolis LGBT Film Festival
🗓️ Nov. 7-13
📍 Kan-Kan Cinema, 1258 Windsor St.
🎟️ $12-20
The Indy LGBT Film Fest is celebrating 25 years of sharing stories that reflect the richness of LGBTQ+ life and culture. Films from around the globe are looking to bring community, conversation and pride to every screening.
OnyxFest 2025
🗓️ Nov. 7-16
📍 IF Theatre, 719 E. St. Clair St. and Herron School of Art and Design, 735 W. New York St.
🎟️ $17
It’s Indy’s only playwriting festival dedicated entirely to Black playwrights. The festival includes four never-produced, one-act plays written by Brittany Cherrell, Ebony Chappel, McKenya Dilworth-Smith and Lique, plus a play by the late Vernon Williams.
Wuthering Heights
🗓️ Nov. 7-16
📍 Stage Door Irvington, 5635 Bonna Ave.
🎟️ $18
See an original adaptation of the Gothic novel “Wuthering Heights” by 4th Wall Players. This play takes an intimate look at the book’s timeless characters: Heathcliff and Catherine.
Cereal Cinema: The Rescuers
🗓️ 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 8
📍 Basile Theatre at The Athenaeum, 401 E. Michigan St.
🎟️ $8.15
Saturdays are for cereal and cinematic fun. “The Rescuers” is an animated adventure that takes you on a daring journey with two heroic mice.
Aging. Reimagined!
🗓️ 4-5:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9
📍 Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, 450 W. Ohio St.
🎟️ $11-21.30
Aging can be daunting. In “Aging. Reimagined!” Brenda Johnson invites you to see growing older as a bold, beautiful evolution. She will weave together personal stories, timeless folklore and historical narrative that will leave everyone more optimistic about the road ahead.
Nov. 10-16 🔝
Self Publishing Workshop
🗓️ 6-8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 10
📍 Pike library branch, 6525 Zionsville Road
🎟️ Free, but must register
In this two-hour training, participants will learn how to set actionable goals for writing, publishing and marketing their book with help from Denola M. Burton, founder of Enhanced DNA Publishing.
Poetry Through the Lens
🗓️ 6-7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 10
📍 Central Library, 40 E. St. Clair St.
🎟️ Free
This event offers participants an opportunity to experience poetry off the page of the book and on the screen. Watch eight poets read their work through a film captured by Art & Soul alumn Kassim Norris. The event will also feature a conversation between Norris and the poets.
In Conversation with Skypp
🗓️ 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12
📍 draft, 1525 Prospect St.
🎟️ Pay-what-you-can
Calling all hip-hop heads and music lovers. Patrick Armstrong, host of the podcast “Conversation Piece,” and Skypp, a local rapper, will talk about the state of hip-hop in Indianapolis and Skypp’s recovery from knee surgery. If you buy a ticket, you’ll be entered into a giveaway.
Christmas Gift and Hobby Show
🗓️ Nov. 12-16
📍 Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1202 E. 38th St.
🎟️ $12
Get your holiday shopping done early at the Christmas Gift and Hobby Show. Find the perfect handmade gifts from hundreds of festive vendors.
The Spongebob Musical
🗓️ Nov. 12-15
📍 Schrott Center for the Arts, 610 W. 46th St.
🎟️ $25
Dive down to the Bikini Bottom in “The SpongeBob Musical,” where your favorite sponge takes center stage. Bursting with laughs and music, this underwater adventure will have you shouting, “I’m ready!” with SpongeBob.
Bring-a-Friend Singles Social
🗓️ 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13
📍 Proper Variety & Events, 614 Mass Ave.
🎟️ $15-20
Tap your wingperson or fly solo to meet a new lover or friend and have a good time.
DeHaan Artist of Distinction Award Exhibition
🗓️ Through Nov. 13
📍 Gallery 924, 925 N. Pennsylvania St.
🎟️ Free
This exhibition features the work of India Cruse-Griffin, Huner Emin, Maria Schechter, Meredith Setser and Tom Torluemke. All are Indiana-based contemporary artists who received grants of up to $10,000 to take creative risks.
Poetry Floor Live
🗓️ 8:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14
📍 Proper Variety & Events, 614 Mass Ave.
🎟️ $10-20
Words take over at Poetry Floor Live. Bring your friends to a night full of vibes, poetry and music hosted by House of Groove.
Return/Forward by Revelations Dance
🗓️ Nov. 14-16
📍 Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre, 705 N. Illinois St.
🎟️ $17-52
Revelations Dance Company returns with a dance showcase that features athletic movement and intimate storytelling. The organization aims to serve people with less accessibility to dance and art, creating a safe and affirming space for creatives to find their voices.
Frozen: A Drag Parody Musical
🗓️ Nov. 14-23
📍 The District Theatre, 627 Mass Ave.
🎟️ $35-45
Drag performers will lip-sync their way through the delightful Disney holiday classic, “Frozen.” This performance is suitable for families with children age 8+.
A correction was made on October 29, 2025: The event has lowered the age requirement to attend.
Totally Rad Vintage Fest
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15
📍 Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1202 E. 38th St.
🎟️ $8-25
Indy has been a regular stop for the Totally Rad Vintage Fest. Shop from local and national vendors selling must-have clothes from the ’80s, ’90s and 2000s. Don’t forget to take a tour of the Rad Rewind Museum to view some now “ancient” tech relics.
And if you hate waiting, grab an early bird ticket to shop first while others sleep.
Slammin’ Rhymes Challenge and Fall Fest
🗓️ Noon-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15
📍 Central Library, 40 E. St. Clair St.
🎟️ Free
Ten students will perform poetry, rap or spoken word that embodies the theme, “strength.” They will also get a chance to meet and talk with special guests Sampson Davis, Rameck Hunt and George Jenkins, also known as The Three Doctors.
Related
Kids can submit their rap, poetry and spoken word and receive a gift card
The Slammin’ Rhymes Challenge is part of the Central Library’s Fall Fest on Nov. 15.
Inuksuit: An Extraordinary Outdoor Musical Experience
🗓️ 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15
📍 White River State Park, 801 W. Washington St.
🎟️ Free
Wander through a living soundscape with “Inuksuit,” where percussion and nature blend into a haunting outdoor meditation on humanity’s mark upon the earth. Each performance will invite you to sit in nature and rediscover your place within the world’s vast rhythm.
The event is a part of the 50th anniversary of the Percussive Arts Society International Convention.
Trinket Club’s Trinket Swap: In Your Pocket
🗓️ 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15
📍 Lapis Lily Market, 1060 N. Capitol Ave.
🎟️ $2
Be ready to swap tiny treasures like buttons, charms, mini figurines and pins, with fellow creators and collectors. The theme is “pocket-sized wonders.”
Related
Vintage market owner opens trinket store in the Stutz
She’s creating a community of stuff-lovers who connect over nostalgia and nerdiness.
Bold: New Voices in Contemporary Art
🗓️ Nov. 15- June 28, 2026; Friday, Nov. 14 (opening reception)
📍 Newfields, 4000 N. Michigan Road
🎟️ $5-$20; free for members and children under 5
This new exhibit features works by contemporary African artists, including Wole Lagunju, Esther Mahlangu, Wangari Mathenge, Manuel Mendive and Khalif Thompson. The artists use oil and acrylic painting as well as textiles, found objects, digital media and handmade materials.
On Nov. 14, you can be among the first to see “Bold: New Voices in Contemporary Art” at its opening celebration that features a panel discussion in the Tobias Theater, an exclusive exhibition preview, light refreshments and a complimentary drink ticket.
Home Alone in Concert
🗓️ Nov. 15-16
📍 Hilbert Circle Theatre, 45 Monument Circle
🎟️ $15-135
Experience the ’90s holiday classic “Home Alone” with John Williams’ score performed live by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Relive Kevin’s adventures with music that makes every laugh and heartwarming moment live in your memory.
Fifth Third Bank Jingle Rails: The Great Western Adventure
🗓️ Nov. 15-Jan. 9
📍 Eiteljorg Museum, 500 W. Washington St.
🎟️ $12-20
Do you hear the Jingle Rails train coming? Experience the wonder of eight G-scale trains winding through dazzling holiday scenes from Indy to the American West.
Vintage Market
🗓️ Noon-7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16
📍 The Stutz, 1060 N. Capitol Ave.
🎟️ Free
Let your guilt of buying “new” clothes subside, because shopping at this event will be environmentally conscious.
Nov. 17-23 🔝
No Theme for the Holidays Group Show
🗓️ 6-10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21
📍 Storage Space, 121 E. 34th St.
🎟️ Free
You will have to be there to see how many ceramics, paintings, tapestries and sculptures will be on display and for sale. There is something for creative weirdos of all walks of life in this show.
Tonic Ball
🗓️ 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21
📍 Fountain Square neighborhood
🎟️ $75-500
Tonic Ball brings together Indy’s best bands and musicians to fight hunger in Central Indiana. The annual music festival takes place at venues in the Fountain Square neighborhood and raises money to support Second Helpings.
Nov. 24-30 🔝
Books, Booze & Brains: The Science of Star Trek
🗓️ 6:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25
📍 Strange Bird, 128 S. Audubon Road
🎟️ Free
Indiana Sciences and March for Science Indianapolis offer a monthly book club for the scientifically curious. This month, they’ll be reading and discussing Mark Brake’s book, “The Science of Star Trek: The Scientific Facts Behind the Voyages in Space and Time.” This discussion will be in person and livestreamed on the Indiana Sciences YouTube page.
Wicked: Part 1
🗓️ 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25
📍 Schrott Center for the Arts, 610 W. 46th St.
🎟️ Free
If you missed “Wicked” when it was in theaters, make up for it with a free, family-friendly screening at Butler University before you watch part two.
Lit Stage Open Mic
🗓️ 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26
📍 Indy Reads, 1066 Virginia Ave.
🎟️ Free
The Lit Stage open mic welcomes people of all ages, art forms and languages to share their talents including singing, skits, dancing, comedy, poetry and essay reading. Keep it family-friendly.
Ujamaa’s Blackity Black Friday Vendor Event
🗓️ 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28
📍 Ujamaa Community Bookstore, 2424 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St.
🎟️ Free
Work off that Thanksgiving meal at this special Black Friday vendor event. Grab books, merch and more.
Kids Graphite Drawing Workshop
🗓️ 10-11:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 29
📍 Eiteljorg Museum, 500 W. Washington St.
🎟️ $22.43-33
Kids ages 10-17 can make a graphite drawing with Eiteljorg Artist in Residence David Martin. Martin is a Native American artist, who focuses his oil painting on his Potawatomi tribe’s culture and spirituality.
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Mirror Indy reporter Mesgana Waiss covers arts and culture. Contact her at 317-667-2643 or mesgana.waiss@mirrorindy.org.
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