Culture

(Holiday) cheers to 60 years: Circle of Lights returns Nov. 25

Presented by an INDYtoday partner

An aerial view of the illuminated tree during the Circle of Lights event.

Circle of Lights has been featured in holiday roundups by USA Today and Travelocity. | Photo provided by Downtown Indy, Inc.

Are you ready for the most wonderful time of the year, Hoosiers? Circle of Lights — one of our favorite seasonal events — will celebrate its 60th year of bringing holiday cheer to Downtown Indy at the 2022 event, happening Fri., Nov. 25.

The festive fun starts at 6:30 p.m. at Monument Circle with live performances, holiday pop-ups, food + drinks, and a special appearance by Kris Kringle himself.

By the numbers

The holiday transformation is made possible by electrical workers and volunteers of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) 481. The sparkling display that is lit to be enjoyed all season long includes:

52: Garland strands
4,784: LED colored lights
26+: Toy soldiers and sailors with peppermint sticks surrounding the Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Monument

More lights + attractions

Monument Circle will also incorporate lighting exhibits, video projections, and holiday music as part of the Shining A Light on Arts and Culture program (continuing every evening through the holiday season). Included: a “Signature Salute” honoring Indiana military veterans.

Entertainment

Musical acts will add to the holiday energy with live performances throughout the night. At 7:50 p.m., Santa will flip the switch to illuminate Monument Circle with the help of a child chosen through the AES Indiana Coloring Contest. How do you make the evening even better? Cap off the lighting of the Monument with a grand finale of fireworks, of course.

Bonus: The live event will be paired with a made-for-TV special aired exclusively on WTHR Channel 13.

Sightseers can enjoy the light display at Monument Circle throughout the holiday season until Fri., Jan. 13.*

EXPERIENCE THE HOLIDAY MAGIC

This content was created in partnership with Downtown Indy, Inc. and written by Michaela Leung.*

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Tuesday, Nov. 15

State Farm Champions Classic | Tuesday, Nov. 15 | 7 p.m. | Gainbridge Fieldhouse | $55-$658 | Come out for ESPN Events’ season-opening college basketball showcase event with Michigan State vs. Kentucky tipping off at 7 p.m. and then Duke vs. Kansas at 9:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 16

Hospitality Job Fair | Wednesday, Nov. 16 | 1-4 p.m. | Indianapolis Marriott Downtown, 350 W. Maryland St. | Free | The JW Marriott Indianapolis and Marriott IndyPlace hotels are hosting a Hospitality Job Fair with open interviews on site.

Thursday, Nov. 17

Corporate Business Coaching for Women | Thursday, Nov. 17-Thursday, Feb. 23 | 12-1 p.m. | Virtual | $59 | Join this powerful and practical coaching clinic to grow your career, confidence, and presence.
Herron School of Art and Design’s Winter Market | Thursday, Nov. 17 | 1-6 p.m. | Eskenazi Hall, 735 W. New York St., Indianapolis | Free | This holiday season, support student clubs by shopping locally from a selection of affordable artwork created by Herron School of Art and Design artists.
Indy Fuel vs. Fort Wayne Komets | Thursday, Nov. 17 | 7 p.m. | Indiana Farmers Coliseum, 1202 E. 38th St, Indianapolis | $16-$48 | Watch Indy’s minor league hockey team take on Fort Wayne.

Friday, Nov. 18

ComedySportz | Friday, Nov. 18 | 7-8:30 p.m. | The Wit Theater, 3808 Shelby St., Indianapolis | $18 | Catch live improv comedy played as a sport where two teams face off with their wits and your suggestions.

Sunday, Nov. 20

Jazz Brunch | Sunday, Nov. 20 | 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. | The Hulman, 141 E. Washington St., Indianapolis | Cost of purchase | Enjoy smooth jazz and savory dishes every Sunday morning at The Hulman.

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

Weather

38º | Rain and snow | 50% chance of rain

Development

Hamilton County is planning to open a women’s shelter and recovery center + after four years of searching, a location has been secured: Sheridan Road in Noblesville. The 8+ acre property will have safe and transitional housing units and offer women and children counseling resources. The project is expected to cost $5 million and will break ground in spring 2023. 🤝 (WRTV)

Closed

Indianapolis-based online grocery delivery company Green Bean Delivery announced it plans to end operations. The 15-year-old company is set to permanently close on Friday, Nov. 18 after this week’s deliveries + said it will not be delivering for the week of Thanksgiving. 🥬 (IBJ)

Sports

The NFL Players Association is calling on six football venues to change their current playing surfaces — including Lucas Oil Stadium. The organization said over the weekend that the league should ban “slit film” playing surfaces because it results in “statistically higher in-game injury rates” involving non-contact and lower-extremity injuries. 🏈 (IBJ)

Watch

Heartland Film is bringing some holiday cheer to central Indiana with a mini movie series. Merry Movie Nights will bring eight holiday films to the Athenaeum downtown and the Arts for Lawrence’s Theater at the Fort. Adult tickets are $12 and tickets for kids under 12 are $10, with free hot chocolate included with purchase. Grab tickets online. 🎥 (WRTV)

Show

“The Daily Show” host and comedian Trevor Noah is making a stop in Indianapolis next year (following his departure from the nightly program). He will be performing at the Murat Theatre at the Old National Centre on Wednesday, May 10 at 8 p.m. Tickets go on sale Friday, Nov. 18 at 11 a.m. 🎤 (WTHR)

Drink

Upland Brewing Co. is working to create the first official beer for IU Athletics — and it’s asking for the community’s help in making some decisions. The new branded beer will be released in 2023 and the brewery is looking for input on the name, design, and taste elements of it. Anyone who is 21+ can participate in the survey. 🍺 (WISH)

Award

High school marching bands from across the country gathered at Lucas Oil Stadium over the weekend for Music for All’s Bands of America Grand National Championships and four central Indiana schools made the top 10. Carmel and Avon high schools took first and second place in the competition. 🥁 (IndyStar)

Try This

Daunted by a long holiday shopping list? Quick cash idea: List your extra storage spaces on Neighbor. You can rent out anything from closets and sheds to driveways and parking spots. Bonus: Listing your space is free. 💸*

Stat

56% of current + prospective homeowners think about their finances for at least 30 minutes every day. Dig into the study.*

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

Speak easy about this new speakeasy 🍸

Speak easy about this new speakeasy in Indy

Want to get into this speakeasy? You’ll need to know the year of Dillinger’s death. | Photo by The Vault

We’ll let you in on a little secret. There’s a new speakeasy-style bar in town.

It’s called “The Vault” and just recently opened in the Bates-Hendricks neighborhood. The name is a nod to the bank vault door that you’ll enter through — password required.

Turns out the building holds a lot of history, too. You’ll find old newspaper clippings and proof that infamous bank robber John Dillinger hung out at this spot.

In addition to serving up specialty drinks like “The Heist,” this bar also offers a menu of starters like charcuterie, sandwiches, and salads.

Like the sound of speakeasies? We’ve got a list of eight more hidden gems around Indy.

Hours

Monday-Wednesday: 2 p.m.-10 p.m.
Thursday-Saturday: 2 p.m.-1 a.m.
Sunday: 2 p.m.-12 a.m.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Nicole.

Editor’s pick: Growing up, my family’s favorite Christmas movie was “A Christmas Story.” And yes, we’d have the 24-hour run of the movie playing in the background on Christmas Day. I’m excited to see the film on Heartland’s Merry Movie Nights list, showing at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2 at the Athenaeum. 🍿

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? 23 places to volunteer in Indy.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Anna Bowman, Nicole Hernandez, Sarah Leonhardt, Erin McPherson, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Nicole Fancher | Advertise with us.

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