When The Vogue first opened in 1938, it featured 800 seats, spacious lounge rooms, and a free 400-car parking lot. | Photo by @deuce_meadows
Neon signs evoke a vintage sort of charm. Their foremost purpose is a practical one, but the iconic glow and vivid color they cast pierces the darkest nights, granting them a lighthouse-like power that seems to say “come in, take a load off.”
Indy’s unique collection of neon is nothing to scoff at. Turn off the lights and step back in time with us as we tour the Circle City’s neon scene.
Red Key Tavern
When Prohibition ended in 1933, enterprising people across the nation scrambled to open up legitimate bars — including two British brothers who opened the Old English Tavern, later renamed Red Key Tavern. The original neon sign, which features a Manhattan, is believed to date back to ~1951. After slowly falling apart over the decades, it was restored to its full glory in the mid 2010s.
Fun fact: St. Elmo is the patron saint of sailors.
Every good Hoosier knows St. Elmo’s has been an Indy icon for well over a century. While its main sign has been modernized, it still has several neon signs lighting up its windows — including one in the second story window that beckons to every hungry traveler, “World Famous Shrimp Cocktail.”
The Vogue
The Vogue originally opened as a premier movie house in 1938. It’s undergone many changes since, but one thing has remained the same: Its iconic signage. Today’s iteration of the marquee, which originally debuted in 1948, mixes neon and LED lighting for a unique, eye-catching display.
In its glory days as a luxury hotel, several Hoosier governors made The Marott their primary residence.
Now an apartment building, The Marott originally opened as a luxury hotel in 1926. Its star-studded guest list over the next few decades included Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, John F. Kennedy, Winston Churchill, Bob Hope, Babe Ruth, and Paul Newman. As downtown has developed, The Marott has managed to stay the tallest building in its area, making its iconic sign even more noticeable.
Mesas de Conversación | Wednesday, Oct. 23 | 4-5 p.m. | University of Indianapolis | Free | Practice your Spanish language skills with friends + neighbors.
Afrobeat Dance Class | Wednesday, Oct. 23 | 8-9 p.m. | Phiri Art Gallery | Free | Let loose at this fun, creative dance workshop.
Twilight Tales: Beyond the Grave 18+ | Wednesday, Oct. 23 | 8:30-9:30 p.m. | Indiana State Museum | $20 | Discover creepy artifacts and mysterious objects + learn about legends from Indiana’s past and present.
Thursday, Oct. 24
PEEPs: Spectacular Spiders | Thursday, Oct. 24 | 9:30-11 a.m. | Creekside Nature Park, Zionsville | $3+ | Preschool-aged kids will get to discover nature through hands-on, educational activities.
Hauntless Halloween | Thursday, Oct. 24-Saturday, Oct. 26 | Times vary | Holliday Park | $10 | Hike along candlelit trails to meet magical forest creatures, then return to the nature center for a campfire, refreshments, and activities.
Howl and Wine | Thursday, Oct. 24 | 6-9 p.m. | Biltwell Event Center | $85+ | Sip a spooky cocktail, enjoy great food, watch adoptable dogs strutting their stuff in a Halloween costume runway show, and support Indy’s animal shelters and residents.
Friday, Oct. 25
Trick or Treating in the Plaza | Friday, Oct. 25 | 5:30-8 p.m. | Grand Junction Plaza, Westfield | Free | From trick or treating to a spooktacular showing of “Scooby Doo,” you’re in for a frighteningly fun time.*
Less than a month after the closure of its Kennedy-King tasting room, West Fork Whiskey Co. announced its triumphant return to Indy. The distillery will be opening a new cocktail bar + tasting room in Fountain Square at 1233 Shelby St. It expects to open its doors in late 2024 or early 2025.
Eat
Pacers fans are in for some new treats this season from local businesses setting up shop at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, including Please & Thank You and HotBox Pizza. Bonus: Concession stands are also rolling out new tech to allow fans to order via QR code and pick up their food without waiting in line. (WTHR)
Indy is in the process of installing 32 street signs around the city to herald Taylor Swift’s arrival, including “Cruel Summer Court” and “Bad Blood Boulevard.” Check out the map to find them all. (CBS4)
Kids
They’ll be here on the double. “Paw Patrol Live! A Mighty Adventure” is coming to the Murat Theatre at Old National Centre Saturday, March 22-Sunday, March 23. Tickets go on sale on Friday, Nov. 1. (WTHR)
The Colts secured another win vs. Miami this week — but it was far from pretty. Get the post-game breakdown with Locked On.
Number
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Health
Health
🩺 Health each other up
The new hospital is expected to open in 2027. | Rendering via IU Health
IU Health has been hard at work planning + building its $4.3 billion, 44 acre downtown campus since 2021. But as the massive hospital rises, it hopes to bring the surrounding community up with it.
IU Health, The Children’s Museum, Ivy Tech Community College, Citizens Energy Group, and other local partners have joined forces to form the Indy Health District. The area includes historic neighborhoods such as Crown Hill, Meridian Highland, and Ransom Place — all neighborhoods in which the average life expectancy is 10 to 26 years lower than other parts of the Indianapolis metro area.
The Indy Health District aims to address the health + socioeconomic inequities that have affected these neighborhoods by:
Creating walkable communities with transportation options, employment opportunities, and diverse housing
Establishing programs to connect IU Health, 16 Tech, nearby universities, and the local community
Ensuring community access to high-quality health care + education
The only thing we love more than a trendy find is a timeless one. Check out these five fall and winter fashion must-haves you’ll be wearing for years to come:
Looking for a little staycation? Following in City Editor Nicole’s footsteps, I spent last weekend in Brown County and can confirm peak foliage is happening right about now. If you’re hanging around Nashville, stop by Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Rolls & Cafe for a breakfast volcano.
