May brings race cars, pool openings and blooming flowers. You can smell summer in the air.
Though the Indianapolis Motor Speedway dominates, there are a host of other fun things to do across the city.
Bring your mom to the dance floor for a special Mother’s Day party at Turntable Indy. Dust off your fanciest hat and watch the Kentucky Derby at the Kurt Vonnegnut Library. Catch a play — or five.
Meet new creative friends at the annual Broad Ripple Art Fair. Or buy a front seat to see Dylan Minette, an Evansville native, and his rock band the Wallows at White River State Park.
May 1-3 🔝
Club XCX
🗓️ 9 p.m. Thursday, May 1
📍 Turntable, 6281 N. College Ave.
🎟️ $18
Calling all Indy angels: a night of bratty pop with DJ mixes featuring Charli XCX, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Troye Sivan and more.
“Matilda the Musical, Jr.”
🗓️ 7 p.m., Thursday, May 1-Saturday, May 3
📍 Arts for Lawrence, 8920 Otis Ave.
🎟️ $10-20
Everyone’s favorite little girl with psychokinetic powers and a love of a good story comes to the Arts for Lawrence Theater at the Fort.
Indy 500 Porch Party
🗓️ 6-9 p.m. Friday, May 2
📍 Harrison Center, 1505 N Delaware St.
🎟️ Free
Race fans: Pop open a cool drink and hop over to the Harrison Center’s annual porch party kick-off. Bop around to open art studios, enjoy music at the rooftop bar, get into competitive yoyo-ing and more.
“DREAMFIRE” presented by the Asante Arts Institute
🗓️ 7 p.m. Friday, May 2 and 4 p.m. Saturday, May 3
📍 District Theatre, 627 Massachusetts Ave.
🎟️ $15
Get swept away by “DREAMFIRE,” a new play by Deborah Asante. Youthful imagination comes to life as a child fights a dragon and dreams take flight.
Free Comic Book Day
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 3
📍 Central Library, 40 E St. Clair St.
🎟️ Free
Grab your cape and head to Central Library for Free Comic Book Day, where picking your favorite comic is the hardest (and most heroic) decision you’ll make all day.
Kentucky Derby Party
🗓️ 4-8 p.m Saturday, May 3
📍 Kurt Vonnegut Museum & Library, 543 Indiana Ave.
🎟️ $24 and up
Dust off your fanciest hat and head to Kurt Vonnegut Museum & Library to watch the world’s fastest horses race for glory.
Printmaking Paleoart
🗓️ 1-2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 3
📍 East 38th Street Branch library, 5420 E. 38th St.
🎟️ Free
Try something new this spring and create your own prints. Printmaking artist Amanda Keller will guide you through drawing techniques and the basics of creating art with prehistoric flair.
Indianapolis Children’s Choir Season Concert
🗓️ 3 p.m. Saturday, May 3
📍 Pike Performing Arts Center, 6701 Zionsville Road
🎟️ $16
The ICC’s biggest concert brings together singers from all corners of the city, blending their voices to create an uplifting melody of hope.
Hip Hop Abduction with Mihali
🗓️ 6-10 p.m. Saturday, May 3
📍 HI-FI Annex, 1043 Virginia Ave.
🎟️ $25
HI-FI Annex is hosting an all-abilities concert to benefit Limitless Ability. This year, pop-reggae band Hip Hop Abduction brings the funk.
“Red Velvet” by Lolita Chakrabarti
🗓️ 2 and 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, April 24-May 4
📍 Southbank Theatre at Shelton Auditorium, 1000 W. 42nd St.
🎟️ $24-29
In 1833, a Black actor named Ira Aldridge played Othello at Theatre Royal, Covent-Garden in London, which sparked a national scandal. Lolita Chakrabarti’s play, “Red Velvet,” tells a story many history books left out.
May 4-10 🔝
AANHPI Community Market
🗓️ 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, May 4
📍 The Stutz, 1060 N. Capitol Ave.
🎟️ Free
Come to the Stutz for Indy’s first AANHPI community market, a celebration of artists and small business owners from the Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander community in Indianapolis.
National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
🗓️ 1-3 p.m. Monday, May 5
📍 Eiteljorg Museum, 500 W. Washington St.
🎟️ $20
Take part in a gallery discussion, engage in a community art project and explore the impact of MMIW on Native communities.
Ivy Tech’s French Wine dinner fundraiser
🗓️ 6 p.m. Thursday, May 8
📍 Ivy Tech’s Courses Restaurant, 2820 N. Meridian St.
🎟️ $50-900
This fundraising event invites you for a night of French wine and dinner. The meal will be cooked and served by Ivy Tech students, with the goal to raise funds for scholarships.
Create Shrinky Dink Magnets
🗓️ 2:30-4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 10
📍 Central Library, 40 E. St. Clair St.
🎟️ Free
Want a throwback to the 80s? Create your own Shrinky Dinks magnets.
Mom’s Night Out Dance Party
🗓️ 6-10 p.m. Saturday, May 10
📍 Turntable Indy, 6281 N. College Ave.
🎟️ $20
Calling all of the busy moms! No need to stay up until 3 a.m.;the party ends by 10 p.m. There will be drinks and a photobooth to capture the moments while DJ Little Town plays all the best mom hits.
May 11-17 🔝
“The Play that Goes Wrong”
🗓️ 6 p.m. Sunday, May 11
📍 Indiana Repertory Theatre, 140 W. Washington St.
🎟️ $25-108
It’s your last chance to see a play that an IRT patron called, “the wildest romp I’ve ever seen.”
Indianapolis Opera presents “West Side Story”
🗓️ 7 p.m. Friday, May 9 and Sunday, May 11
📍 Indianapolis Zoo, 1200 W. Washington St.
🎟️ $39-92
The Indianapolis Opera returns to the Indianapolis Zoo for Bernstein and Sondheim’s classic retelling of “Romeo and Juliet.” Another reason to go? There’s a chance that the seals might sing along.
“Legally Blonde: A Drag Parody Musical”
🗓️ May 9-18
📍 District Theatre, 627 Massachusetts Ave.
🎟️ $30-40
How many bend and snaps does it take to get to the District Theatre? Who’s to say? During this play, you’re guaranteed to see a more legal, more blonde and more drag-tastic Elle Woods.
Conexión: 5 for 500
🗓️ 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, May 13
📍 Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 4790 W. 16th St.
🎟️ $30-700
Start your engines! The Indy Chamber’s Hispanic Business Council will host Conexión: 5 for 500 to celebrate the work of five business leaders in the Hispanic community.
Chasten Buttigieg in conversation with John Green
🗓️ 7 p.m. Friday, May 16
📍 Indiana Repertory Theatre, 140 W. Washington St.
🎟️ $32
Chasten Buttigieg will be in conversation with John Green to celebrate the release of his debut picture book, “Papa’s Coming Home.”
May 18-24 🔝
Pixel Quest Visuals Fest
🗓️ Friday, May 16-Sunday, May 18
📍 Various locations in Fountain Square: Tappers, White Rabbit and Duke’s
🎟️ $65
The power is being turned on for Indy’s first-ever visuals-focused festival. Go on a gamers quest in Fountain Square featuring glitch art, live bands, DJs, installations and dance parties.
Broad Ripple Art Fair
🗓️ 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, May 17-Sunday, May 18
📍 Indy Art Center, 820 E. 67th St.
🎟️ $18-$20
Shop from 150+ local, regional and national artists. Enjoy one-of-a-kind art, live music curated by Indy Jazz Fest, food, drinks, artist demonstrations and interactive art activities.
Malcom X Day 2025
🗓️ Noon-5 p.m. Saturday, May 17-Sunday, May 18
📍 Family Recreation Center, 2420 E. Riverside Drive; Nur-Allah Islamic Center, 830 N. Mitthoefer Road
🎟️ Free
Celebrate Malcolm X’s 100th birthday all weekend long with food, music, games and a panel discussion at Family Recreation Center and Nur-Allah Islamic Center.
Indianapolis Women’s Chorus presents “Already Home”
🗓️ Saturday, May 17-Sunday, May 18
📍 Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center, 1230 Greyhound Lane
🎟️ $30
The Indianapolis Women’s Chorus presents a powerful concert — a rally cry for Mother Earth.
The Moth Mainstage
🗓️ 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 21
📍 Hilbert Circle Theatre
🎟️ $30-70
Storytellers take the stage at Hilbert Circle Theatre to share moments from their life.
Neighbors Gallery Grand Unveiling
🗓️ 3-5 p.m. Saturday, May 24
📍 New Jersey Street in Bates-Hendricks neighborhood
🎟️ Free
Meet new friends and celebrate art at the unveiling of the new Neighbors Gallery in the Bates Hendricks neighborhood.
May 25-31 🔝
Wallows’ Model & More Tour
🗓️ 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 28
📍 Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park, 801 W. Washington St.
🎟️ $37.50 and up
The alternative rock band lead singer Dylan Minette, Evansville, Indiana native, is on tour and making a stop in Indy with special guest Porches.
Final Fridays
🗓️ 6-9 p.m. Friday, May 30
📍 Intermissions Plaza, 3145 E. 10th St.
🎟️ Free
Bring your family to work on an art project at 10 East Arts’ free community art night. All supplies are provided.
Mirror Indy reporter Mesgana Waiss covers arts and culture. Contact her at 317-667-2643 or mesgana.waiss@mirrorindy.org.
Chelsea Reynowsky is a Mirror Indy freelance contributor and digital marketing coordinator at the Indy Arts Council. You can reach them at creynowsky@indyarts.org.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
