Indianapolis summer festivals celebrate history, food and drink

Correction: This article has been updated to show the corrected date for the Italian Street Festival and to add fests.

Festivals, the likes of which celebrate dairy, fairies and freedom, abound in the Indianapolis area this summer.

Some are new, others have been around for decades, and all promise good time.

Mark your calendars for these must-attend summer festivals.

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Indy Strawberry Festival

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 8 | Monument Circle

A tradition since 1965, the Cathedral Women of Christ Church Cathedral and volunteers bake about 20,000 shortcakes, which are piled with strawberries, ice cream and whipped cream and sold to raise funds for local and international charities.

The “Works” costs $10; shortcakes with fewer toppings cost less (as low as $2). Bulk and pre-sale orders begin on May 25.

For information, visit indystrawberryfestival.org.

Holy Rosary Italian Street Festival

5-11 p.m. June 9-10 | 520 Stevens St. and surrounding Lacy Park

The festival features food stands selling Italian wines and homemade pastas, pizza, salads and desserts with a live music line-up. On Saturday, a 6:45 p.m. traditional Italian religious procession precedes a special 7 p.m. Mass.

The event is free to attend, and food tickets are $1 each (cash only).

For more information, visit indyitalianfest.org.

Indy Pride Festival

11 a.m. to 11 p.m. June 10 | Military Park, 601 W. New York St.

Saucy Santana and Deborah Cox lead the entertainment lineup.

A parade kicks off at 10 a.m. at East St. Clair Street and North College Avenue.

Visit indypride.org for more information.

Tickets, which cost $6.40 to $75 each, are available at bit.ly/41J34DG.

Mark your calendars: Pride events around Indiana happening in Summer 2023

2nd annual Juneteenth Foodways Festival

4:30-8 p.m. June 16 | Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site, 1230 N. Delaware St.

Celebrating how Black cuisine adds flavor to America’s favorite foods, the festival will feature more than 30 Black-owned restaurants, caterers and vendors.

Juneteenth food festival returns: Chefs, caterers and food trucks sought

Guests can watch reenactments of White House chef Dolly Johnson, purchase dishes prepared from her recipes, tour the residence and access to the Presidential Site’s exhibit, “No Compact of Silence: Black Civil Rights Advocates in the Harrison Era.”

Tickets are free with registration at bit.ly/3WaoU1I. Early access passes for 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. are available for $20 each at bit.ly/41KQ5RT.

3rd Annual Juneteenth Freedom Celebration

10 a.m. to 2 p.m., June 17 | Tarkington Park, 45 W. 40th St., Indianapolis

The Midtown Indy event will feature performances by Arts for Learning Indiana artists including Sancocho Drums (African drumming), Ronne Stone & Epiphany Dance Collective (African Dance), and storyteller Portia Sholar Jackson, who will share the history and significance of the Juneteenth federal holiday. A spoken word performance and a youth basketball clinic hosted by Tamika Catchings’ Catch the Stars Foundation are also slated for the event.

Admission is free.

6th annual Indy Juneteenth Festival

10 a.m. to 6 p.m., June 17 | Military Park

Indy Juneteenth presents this festival with art by Phiri Art and music by Dwani as well as food and drinks vendors.

Tickets are free with registration at bit.ly/3Oo0os9.

Madam Walker Legacy Center Block Party

Noon to 5 p.m., June 17-18 | 617 Indiana Ave.

A variety of musical performances and family-friendly activities are on tap, along with Black-owned food trucks and building tours. Admission is free. Registration is encouraged at bit.ly/3o69uyX.

St. Christopher Catholic Church Summer Festival

5-11 p.m. June 23 | 3-11 p.m. June 24 | 5301 W. 16th St., Speedway

The festival returns after a three-year coronavirus-related break to help show off a renovated campus, with live entertainment, a beer garden, bingo and a 50/50 raffle.

Mass on the Grass returns on June 24 with all welcome to celebrate the Eucharist in a casual “come as you are” setting.

Uncork Me Indiana

3-7 p.m. June 24 | Military Park

The new wine festival is a little later in the year than the decades-old Vintage Indiana Wine Festival that ended its annual run at that location in 2022. However, it still aims to be the largest wine festival in the state with up to 5,000 attendees expected.

Wisconsin-based Brothers Molloy Events is producing this 21-and-older fest at which guests can sample unlimited drinks from 32 Indiana wineries, meaderies and cideries.

Food vendors will include Books Bourbon & Bacon, J & J A Taste Of Home Catering, Pastabilitiez, Pierogi Love Indy, The Garnacha Spot, Treats By Fee and Wild Boar BBQ.

Look for live entertainment in the form of dueling pianos; a headset-driven silent disco; drag performances and games.

Tickets: $55 each for regular admission and $10 each for designated drivers available at brothersmolloyevents.com.

New wine fest: 32 wineries line up to offer sips at Uncork Me Indiana

CarmelFest

1-10 p.m. July 3 | noon to 10 p.m. July 4 | One Civic Square in Carmel

Families will come to celebrate Independence Day with live entertainment, festival food, shopping and, of course, fireworks. Performances will be on two stages on both days. A July 4 parade starts at 10:30 a.m. The sparks go off at 9:45 p.m.

Visit carmelfest.net for information.

Ice Cream Social

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 13 | Monument Circle

The Ice Cream Social returns to Monument Circle’s southeast quadrant with hand-scooped ice cream served up by local celebrities. The circle will be closed off to automobile traffic to accommodate the pedestrians getting giant ice cream sundaes at five scooping stations.

Ice cream sundaes will cost $4 each. Bottles of water will be sold for $1 each.

The 2023 event, featuring mascots, games, music and face painting, benefits Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis.

Brewers of Indiana Guild Microbrewers Festival

1-6 p.m. July 22 | Military Park

Hundreds of beers, ciders and craft cocktails made locally are available for sampling, in addition to local food, shopping and games. The fundraiser benefits Little Red Door Cancer Agency.

Tickets: $40 to $85 (early purchases get the lowest prices); $10 to $20 for designated drivers, available at drinkin.beer/imf.

Indy Chicken & Beer Festival

2-7 p.m. Aug. 12 | The Cradle at Monon 30, 1118 E. 30th St.

Guests will find about 40 vendors are participating, a hot wing eating contest and sets by local DJs.

Samples from vendors are included in each ticket for the 21-and-up event. Extra sample tickets will be available for purchase.

Tickets: $35 to $45, plus fees, at chickenandbeerindy.com.

Baby Got Brunch

11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 19 | Victory Field, 501 W. Maryland St.

Local chefs dish up sweet and savory brunch bites. An open bar serves bottomless mimosas and bloody marys. And Mr. Kinetic plays '90s hip-hop. Attendees must be 21 and over. The party benefits organizations that fight youth hunger.

Tickets — $65 for general admission; and $95 for VIP 10 a.m. early access — are available at babygotbrunch.net.

Save the date: USA Today Wine & Food Experience

It's a ways off, but the USA Today Wine & Food Experience will come to White River State Park Oct. 21.

Some longtime festivals have yet to announce their returns for 2023. Let us know if we missed any.

Contact IndyStar reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cheryl.jackson@indystar.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on Twitter: @cherylvjackson.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis 2023 summer festivals feature food, drinks and more