If you’re an Indy resident and reading this, buckle up. We’re full throttle in 2024 and we’re not taking our foot off the gas.
If you’re looking for your next weekend getaway, book Indy, and do it fast. Airbnb just released their 2024 trends report and guessed who topped their list? Indianapolis.
Indy is one of those places where #IYKYK. But, as someone who is so proud to call this place home, I invite you to be in the know with my top picks for what lies ahead in our blockbuster year.
With the new $30 million stunning Bicentennial Unity Plaza now open, we’re embarking on our first full year for downtown, outdoor ice skating. It has all the feels of a Hallmark movie.
Commission Row, a three-story restaurant and speakeasy will open its doors in January as Indy’s newest and most anticipated downtown restaurant opening.
Despite February temps, Indy is bringing the heat as the host city for the 2024 NBA All-Star game with major art installations taking over the city, parties, a Crossover fan fest, concerts, and more.
- Golf enthusiasts can now enjoy state-of-the-art golf simulators at The Hangar in Indianapolis, providing a fun and immersive indoor golfing experience.
- Perfect for all skill levels, the simulators offer a variety of courses and challenges year-round.
RH Indianapolis swept the city in surprise when they opened the gates to the 42,000 square foot, 151-acre estate of the late philanthropist, Christel DeHaan. No matter what the season is, the gallery and on-site restaurant is remarkable. But, come spring, the outdoor terrace overlooking the 35-acre…
Indy is in the path of totality for the Total Solar Eclipse. This event is expected to be one of the largest mass travel events of our lifetime and Indy is ready with an impressive line-up of festivities.
Spring welcomes the debut of three major installations at 100 Acres: Art and Nature Park on Newfields’ campus.
Project for Public Spaces deemed the Cultural Trail one of the “biggest and boldest steps by any American city.” It’s getting bolder – and bigger. The addition of two more miles (making it a 10-mile trail) will be complete in early 2024.
New trails and better connectivity will certainly be a theme in 2024, which is why we should be excited that we have the opportunity to go further and faster when Pacers Bikeshare rolls out 250 electric bikes for rent next spring.
Another inaugural event to grace the calendar was I Made Rock N Roll, catching national attention from Essence and Ebony Magazine. (hand clap to GANGGANG)
We’re on pins and needles waiting for the exact date and location for Indy’s brand new, one-day music festival where we’ll soak in the true origins of one of America’s most prized possessions – rock music, birthed by the rhythm and blues of Black people. See you at I Made Rock N Roll, wherever it is.
May in Indy is all about speed, but this year, the Indianapolis Zoo is shell-ebrating the slow and steady stars—giant tortoises! Come face-to-face with a creep (yes, that’s what a group of tortoises is called….get it, a slow creep!) of two of the largest tortoise species in the world.
Oh, and Memorial Weekend happens to also be the 108th running of the world’s largest single day sporting event where we’ll see Kyle Larson attempt The Double.
SPARK is back on Monument Circle for year two. Can we give this new initiative a collective round of applause?
All Lanes Lead to Indy
- In a never-been-done-before stunt to welcome nine days of Olympic Swimming Trials, Lucas Oil Stadium will transform into Olympic-size pools.
- Downtown Indy will transform into a Paris-themed sports campus, complete with an Eiffel Tower and fan zone in the Indiana Convention Center.
- Single session, single day, three day, and all session tickets are now available. Be a part of the action and buy tickets here while supplies last.
This summer we’ll be soaking up the sun from the rooftop of the Madam Walker Legacy Center as they debut this new gathering space.
BUTTER 4
BUTTER 4. And if you went to BUTTER 1, 2 or 3, you know this Fine Art Fair continues to impress, even snagging the attention of the New York Times.
Taylor Swift takes over Indy for not one, not two, but three nights.
And if you’re not a self-proclaimed Swiftie, maybe you’re a Savannah Banana groupie, as they’re back in Indy for three nights, too.
With the city investing an unprecedented amount of money (to the tune of $100 million) to enhance and expand our trail system, the growth of this cycling city would certainly impress Major Taylor, if he were alive today. The Michigan Street connector trail will be complete which will make it accessible to go from White River State Park to the B&O Trail and out to Speedway.
Biking Era
Indy continues to shine as one of the bikeable and connected cities in America. The two mile expansion of the Cultural Trail brought in 30,000 square feet of new garden space. And, 325 new electric bikes were added to the Pacers Bikeshare fleet, and as the only program of its kind in the country, complimentary bike rentals were offered to residents.
IndyGo’s Purple Line is slated to open at the end of 2024, moving people between downtown, the Indiana State Fairgrounds, and Fort Harrison State Park.
Construction is currently underway on the 143,500-square-foot Indiana Convention Center expansion, including a 50,000-sq.-ft. ballroom, that will connect to a new 800-room Signia by Hilton, creating an unrivaled convention package.
Two of Indy’s major institutions are undergoing a massive overhaul, starting with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. And, Conner Prairie is working on a new Museum Experience Center with six experience areas, an indoor playscape and traveling exhibits. While we won’t see the finished products until 2025, Conner Prairie has boosted their 2024 programming list and welcomes the highly anticipated exhibit called Promised Land as Proving Ground.