May 17, 2024

Today’s Forecast

🌳 Isn’t this tree-mendous?

Eagle Creek Park’s Lily Lake is a great spot for a picnic when you’re ready for a break. | Photo via @freezeframe56

Whether you’re looking for a place to play with the kiddos or to decompress with some off-screen time, Indy features 200+ parks and recreational spots for you to enjoy.

Ready to plan your trip to the park? Grab your shades and trusty water bottle — here are some of the Circle City’s best:

Good for hiking

Eagle Creek Park, 7840 W. 56th St.
This is one of the nation’s top 10 largest municipal parks + consists of 3,900 acres of woods, meadows, and ponds and 1,300 acres of reservoir. You can hike, fish, go out on the water, visit the bark park, check out the ornithology center, or embark on a Go Ape Treetop Adventure.

Fort Harrison State Park, 6000 N. Post Rd.
Fort Harrison is a great park to visit year round, and especially in the winter because it features one of the biggest sledding hills in the area. The 1,700-acre park features walking and jogging trails, picnic sites, fishing access to Fall Creek, and two national historic districts.

Riverside Park Promenade trail — The promenade features culturally-inspired patterns and graphics to give it a unique and visually appealing identity.
|
Photo by INDYtoday

Good for the family

Garfield Park, 2345 Pagoda Dr.
Known as the city’s “oldest multi-use greenspace,” this 128-acre park offers a 10,000-sqft tropical conservatory, three-acre sunken garden, and a children’s garden. It also has easy access to the Pleasant Run Trail, the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, and includes the Garfield Park Arts Center, an aquatic center, the MacAllister Center for the Performing Arts, and other recreational amenities.

Riverside Regional Park, 2420 E. Riverside Dr.
This park was founded in 1898 on six miles of land surrounded by the White River, The Riverside Community, South Grove golf course, and The Rivers Edge neighborhood. Plus, the new Riverside Promenade, which runs along the east side of the park, is great for walking.

City Guides are presented by Life In Indy.

8 more parks to explore

Asked

What is your favorite park activity to do in our city?

A. Walking my dog
B. Spending time with the kiddos
C. Having a picnic
D. Jogging or working out
E. Other

Walk this way

Events

Friday, May 17

East Conference Semis: Knicks vs. Pacers Game 6 | Friday, May 17 | 8:30 p.m. | Gainbridge Fieldhouse, 125 S. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis | $84+ | The Pacers face a must-win game against the Knicks — cheer them on to push the series to a seventh game.

Saturday, May 18

PPG Armed Forces Qualifying - Day 1 | Saturday, May 18 | 8 a.m.-6 p.m. | Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 4790 W. 16th St., Indianapolis | $30 | The most daring racers in the world go all-out for 10 nerve-racking miles to earn a spot in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
OneAmerica Financial Broad Ripple Art Fair | Saturday, May 18-Sunday, May 19 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Indianapolis Arts Center, 820 E. 67th St., Indianapolis | $10+ | Shop from 150+ local, regional, and national artists — plus enjoy live music, food, Bier Brewery products, artist demos, and interactive art activities.
Third Saturday Walks x Cultural Trail | Saturday, May 18 | 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Fountain Square Plaza, 1101 Virginia Ave., Indianapolis | Free | Grab a coffee at a partnered business and take a walk through the vibrant heart of Fountain-Fletcher — everyone is welcome and the walk is pet and stroller friendly.

Sunday, May 19

College Night | Sunday, May 19 | 4-11 p.m. | North Mass Boulder, 1411 Roosevelt Ave., Indianapolis | $10 | Take a break from the books and climb with your friends — if you have a valid student ID, you’re eligible for a $10 day pass with shoe rental included.

Monday, May 20

Pit Stop Themed Hambone’s Trivia | Monday, May 20 | 6:30 p.m. | Sun King Fishers Small-Batch Brewery, 9713 District North Dr., Fishers | Free entry | Get ready to feel the adrenaline rush of Indy Car racing during this themed trivia night.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Traffic

A new roundabout is in the works — and it’s not in Carmel. Drivers on the southeast side of Indianapolis should expect to see construction over the coming months in the 2800 block of Churchman Avenue in Beech Grove. Closures are expected through September. (IndyStar)

Number

8,000. That’s how many people have registered for the free annual Pacers Bikeshare pass in just the first week since the new program was announced. Indianapolis is the first city in the US to offer free bikeshare annual passes to all county residents.

Sports

Although the Fever didn’t win their home opener, there was a sellout crowd of 17,274 — we’ll call that a win. The New York Liberty spoiled the team’s debut 102-66. Check out our Instagram story to get City Editor Nicole’s POV at the game.

Try This

The Athenaeum Foundation announced the return of Das GartenGrillFest — a family-friendly celebration of German heritage and Father’s Day. The event will take place in the Rathskeller Biergarten from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 16. Get more info + tickets.

Edu

A group of 12 students at Believe Circle City High School on the near north side of Indy are receiving Associate General Studies Degrees, thanks to a partnership with Ivy Tech — putting them a step closer to reaching their goals. (WRTV)

Sports

The Indiana Pacers are down 3-2 in the series with the New York Knicks. Can they bounce back and win the series? What will it take? Host Tony East and Locked On Knicks host Gavin Schall break it all down.

Festival

Looking for a music festival just as cool but a lot closer to home than Coachella? GAZEBO Festival is headed to the 85+ acre Waterfront Park in Louisville, KY next weekend, featuring 26 artists across two stages. Check out the full lineup and ticket options.*

Finance

Ah, the art of the balance transfer. This card offers not one, not six, but 18 months of 0% intro APR on balance transfers, giving you nearly two years to save big. (Plus, you can earn 2% cash back on purchases with no annual fee.) Learn more and apply.*

Development

🏉 Get rucked

Rendering of the new entryway that is proposed for the southeast corner of the property. | Rendering by Schmidt Associates via Riverside Sports Properties

A group of local investors are proposing a $45 million revamp of the Kuntz Memorial Soccer Stadium (1502 W. 16th St.) with a goal of attracting USA Rugby.

The project is expected to take place in four phases, with the first three (totaling about $12.7 million) focused on enhancing existing facilities, plus the addition of a new entryway. The final phase will add a new training facility + a separate parking garage.

Plans also call for:

A public plaza, improved lighting, and other new amenities
Expanding from its current 5,000-seat capacity to more than 8,000 seats
Several hospitality suites and a press box area
Extending the Indianapolis Cultural Trail to 16th Street and Riverside Park

Riverside Sports Properties LLC has reached preliminary terms with Indy Parks & Recreation to take over managing the stadium.

The Parks Committee of the City-County Council is expected to review the lease agreement on Thursday, May 23 before going to the full council for a final vote in June.

The Buy

Small biz. Celebrate National Small Business Month by exploring our retail shop, Six & Main, featuring local brands from across the country. Find unique gifts for your friends or treat yourself to something new.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Nicole

From the editor

With the Indianapolis Cultural Trail expanding west, why not have it go all the way to Riverside Park and blend into the Riverside Promenade? As a westsider, I’d personally love this. More trails means more accessibility + areas to take the new Pacers Bikeshare e-bikes for a spin.

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