Getlostindiana was invited to attend the "Taste of Speedway" event this evening, held at the…read moreDallara IndyCar Factory. What a fun way to sample the local tastes (nearly 40!) from "Exhausted Parent" ice cream to human grade rotisserie chicken flavored dog treats! You read that right. Go ahead. Read it again if you need to, then refer to the photos to see how humans can eat these treats. Aaaaanyway, enjoy these photos. The final photo is all the loot that came home with me! And with that, "The Snack Shack" is stocked for the summer! I don't have a dog, but neighbor dogs know I have dog treats! If you haven't gotten lost on Main Street in Speedway, Indiana, lately, it's time to get back in the race!

This was my first "Taste of Speedway" event which was held at the Dallara IndyCar Factory. I was…read moreimpressed by how much food was available. At first, you might think that the portions are really small, but by the time you visit over 30 places to try what they have brought, you get pretty full! I am particularly fond of the Main Street restaurants. I enjoyed the food from Dawson's, Big Woods, 1911 Grill, Tacos & Taquila, Daredevil, and many more. And not all the vendors were restaurants. There were a wide variety of businesses in Speedway that brought food too. Some were apartment complexes, or realtors, while others were promoting fitness and healthy living. There was a lot of variety from snacks and donuts, to ribs, chicken, pastas, and desserts. The price was very affordable with tickets bought in advance being only $10, while they were $15 at the door if you held off. As my wife and I entered the building, it appeared that the room was pretty full with visitors already. There were a few tables for people to be seated, but not nearly enough for everyone, so it was important for people to clear their own trash before leaving (sadly, there were a few who weren't so considerate.) Trash cans were in short supply especially since there were lots of small plates and cups being disposed. What I didn't realize right away was that there were more vendors on the north end of the building. There was a bit of a bottleneck where some large displays blocked a view of the numerous vendors on that side. Because a vendor was right by the bottleneck, it was hard to tell if people were waiting in line or waiting to get through to the other side. Fortunately, everyone seemed to be in good spirits and enjoyed the evening. Hopefully any future events can address the trash and table issues and be mindful of the bottlenecks created by displays. Review #2490

As someone who has a background in visual arts, I'm always excited to visit Newfields! Art in…read moreBloom, The Lume immersive experiences , Winterlights and of course Harvest Nights are some of the annual events I look forward to. Last night was the third time I attended Harvest Nights. This was the first time I arrived before it was dark so it was less spooky and a bit more wholesome in the daylight. We arrived at 7 and stayed until about 9 pm to experience everything lit up after dark. When you arrive, you're surrounded by stacks of pumpkins in every size, shape, color and type imaginable. Beautiful Fall arrangements are everywhere you look. The Fungi Forest was something new I haven't seen before. Very cool! I felt a bit like Alice in Wonderland encompassed by giant mushrooms towering above illuminated by strategically placed neon lights. One of the highlights of the event was the Cutwater Lounge--a 21+ space upstairs in the Lily House transformed into "Mischief Manor" only for Harvest Nights. The bartender told me this was the first year having this feature. We had a flight of the Cutwater alcoholic beverages that included a snack mix of tasty treats. The Mule and Espresso Martini were our favs with the margarita coming in 3rd. Cutwater's take on the Lemon Drop (which is a drink I typically enjoy) was strong yet tasted a bit watered down. The adult only experience wasn't very well marked (it's upstairs) and signage in general--starting at the parking lot entrance--needs improvement. I'm not sure we would have known about the adult area had it not been for the nice lady who sold us some yummy sweet potato fries with sage and bourbon maple dip. The Spider Stomp, Ghost Train and light show projected onto the Lily House all add to the overall experience. The seasonal food and drink options are great albeit a bit pricey. Passed on the $12 Bavarian pretzel but had to try Elysian Pumpkin Ale and wanted to try the cider but $14 was a little steep. It's not necessary to spend $20 for premium parking that they pressure you to purchase when you first pull into the lot. I recommend getting there early and wearing some of your best walking shoes. It's a cashless campus so good to keep that in mind. Love Newfields and can't wait for Winterlights in a couple months!

We went at 7:30 which was the perfect time since it was just starting to get dark. The line was…read morelong but move pretty quickly. We loved all the lights and decorations. There were tons of decorated pumpkins throughout Newfields. There is a food/drink garden area in the middle with benches to take a break if you want. We ordered the Marsh & Mallow Spooky Campfire Cocoa (spiked hot cocoa) and we all liked it and was comforting on this chilly night. The Lily house had a long line but we enjoyed going in and seeing all the spooky details inside.

The planning committee for the MARDI GRAS on Main Street Event can take great pride in the the…read moresuccess of this event. This party was certainly flourishing and even the the businesses involved seemed surprised by the turnout. Patients was required by all as each location was packed with shoulder to shoulder crowds testing the stress level of all the staff. The servers, bartenders and hostesses were awesome with the patrons. Festive atmosphere, individuals and groups celebrating, enjoying drink specials, dinner specials customized around each business with a Cajun flare, street entertainers and some fabulous costumes. Obvious the bitter cold evening cramped the outdoor plans but no one let the weather deter them and part of the reason some businesses were so crowded. Each business had a personalized Mardi Gras menu to select from. This year the Crawfish Boil (flown in for the event) and Gumbo were making major headlines at Big Woods. I personally had the Gumbo and I have to say it was phenomenal. The Andouille sausage, chicken and large shrimp were generous and the spices complimented the rice based dish with just a touch of heat. Perfect color, silky-smooth body with just a hint of nutty flavor. I truly wish they would offer the Gumbo on the regular menu, or monthly or more than once a year. It was that good. All three of us fell in love with this hearty dish. Hurricanes, cocktails and Hazy Jane's (BrewDog) pints were flowing. Even though not on the Mardi Gras menu the Shrimp Egg Rolls were very flavorful. My husband adores and had the big bowl of Chili with chopped onions and the fresh (hot!) jalapenos. He highly recommends the Chili to every chili lover he talks too. Another successful Mardi Gras on Main Street in Speedway. I'm glad it's on Friday evening so it doesn't conflict with other Saturday events. Already looking forward to next year!

Soo disappointed. Nothing close to the Mardi Gras experience I was looking for. No street…read moreactivities. All bars were over crowded and the service was pretty much non existent. Very disappointed. Don't waist your time on this one.

The Indy Jazz Fest on Main Street was very successful & enjoyable tonight. Wonderful crowd of all…read moreages with blankets, chairs, picnic baskets and coolers enjoying a brisk evening outdoors with soft jazz. Children playing, friends sharing picnics and stories while winding down from the week. Folks were playing outdoor games, sharing picnics,and even a little tailgating while visiting with friends and neighbors. Lino's was available for all who preferred to leave dinner and drinks to the professionals. Beer was flying from the taps, lines out the door for coffees, with dinner and desserts consumed by many. By end of the evening chocolate croissants and cannoli's were devoured, tiny Italian cookies dwindling away with many new fans. We're looking forward to the next Jazz Festival on Main. I'd like to see a few additional Speedway business take part even if from tents set up next door on Sara's patio or inside Dallara's event space. Great time!

Disappointing. The St Chris Festival used to be a much bigger function prior to COVID. There was a…read morecarnival, vendors and a huge topper tent for seating outside. The kids in particular really looked forward to the festival every year. All that stopped with the pandemic, which was understandable, but once the Festival returned, there was no carnival or tent. The excuse at the time was that it was due to construction. Okay, well now the construction has passed yet nothing has returned. It's basically just a small fish fry that's held in the cafeteria and a drive-through in the parking lot. Maybe they can't find the help, or maybe they just don't want to be bothered. Either way, it's a shame.

Food and fun! Rides and games for the kids, beer garden and games of chance for the adults. Come…read morehungry! The fish sandwiches are made from hand breaded filets and you can dollop the house made tartar sauce on it. Food for everyone. My vegetarian daughter loves the mac and cheese, french fries and fresh veggie and fruit cups. There are big tenderloin sandwiches and delicious coney dogs (house made coney sauce) and pulled pork. Plenty of fabulous desserts, too. Cakes, pies, cookies... All of that is inside, in the cafeteria or at carry out. There is also a food court between the buildings where you can find strawberry shortcake, baked potatoes and sweet potatoes and the Filipino Food Tent. She has amazing noodles, fried rice, veggies, egg rolls and chicken or pork grilled on a skewer. All the egg rolls are made on site! It's a great event in sunny Speedway!

I this was so fun!! The other reviews are accurate- the lines are very long and there are a lot of…read morethem. But honestly I was having so much fun I didn't mind! There are 2 stages so there is always live music while you are waiting in lines which helps. The food was SO GOOD from the vendor they brought it, and the beer choices were very good! Even as someone who pretty much only likes sours and ciders, I was able to find 2 beers I liked enough to drink 32 oz of it. The events were really what made this so much fun! My favorite was the daschund races obviously. We got to the "arena" area about 20 minutes early with our beer and got front row seats - so worth it!! They are so cute and it is so fun. The stein holding contest was also very impressive and fun to watch. We danced at the Rathskeller, cheered along to live music, and saw lots of people we knew. Looking forward to this next year!

Went to Germanfest today. I had a couple tickets waiting for me that I won from @YelpIndy. There…read morewas confusion by everyone around the ticketing and also they could not find my tickets. People waited in line for wrist bands only to find out they needed to go to the podium first to get a ticket. This is the 13th year for this event I would think things like this would be worked out. I found a parking spot about a half a block away so that worked out well. I had a nice time. I talked to a lot of nice folks. I ate some good food. I really enjoyed my potato pancakes with sour cream. I do not drink beer but they also had wine and regular cocktails. They had German music and everyone really enjoyed it. They had weiner dog races but it was very crowded around the track and I did not get to see them but I did see plenty walking around the event. They had several vendors and I purchased a hat for my grandchild. I had fun and also enjoyed a meal at The Rathskeller.

Last year the wait was over and hour and I didn't end up getting any strawberry shortcake because I…read morehad to get back to work. So, this year we did the pick up order for 10. Two of us walked over around 9 am to pick them up. Mind you a line had already formed outside and people were already enjoying their strawberry shortcake. So, we go inside and down to the basement of Christ Church Cathedral. So, we're thinking they had 10 shortcakes in a bag, a tub of strawberries in a container, same for the ice cream and whipped cream. So, when we got back we could make our own when we got a chance. NO!!! We get there and we don't even know how long the shortcakes had been sitting on the tables already made!!!! They had so much juice in them that transporting them was a mess in those flip containers they were in. By the time we got back it was mushy. Some of us didn't even eat them they just weren't fresh like you would get if you had them in line. Next year we won't be doing that. I wish they had them separated. My other coworkers were like why were they already made if you weren't even there yet? We were the only customers down there. No one was in the basement picking up orders. :-/ Hopefully next year will be better by going and getting in line. So, if your company or group of 10 want to order ahead know that they might be sitting for who knows how long....

I've gone every year and the festival only gets better! The lines move quicker, more people are…read morethere to enjoy, and the shortcake is always amazing. Definitely recommend getting there early OR ordering ahead for 10+ orders if you don't want to miss out

Talk about being transported back in time! I've always driven right past this place thinking that…read morethey just offer top quality tomatoes, but it's actually so much more than that. They have more than tomatoes, they've got other fresh produce, and fresh food - a full kitchen, actually. Serving up soups and sandwiches and walls and walls of candy if you have a sweet tooth. The area in the back for food was actually quite busy (it was lunch time on a Saturday), so I decided on just getting some sauces and fresh produce for home. I literally spent a good half hour going through every nook and cranny of this place. It truly transported me to another decade. Thankfully, I live pretty close. It's safe to say I'll be going back more often!

There's a sign in the salad bar area that tells customers a) The Famous Tomato has the freshest and…read morecleanest salad bar in Indy, and b) please don't touch the salad bar, and also wait behind this line so someone can help you create your salad. I guess this is how they maintain a salad bar that's so fresh and so clean. (No Outkast.) You animals used your grubby, bare hands one too many times to reach for the croutons, and now look what you did. Now we have to talk to someone if we want a salad, and point at what we want like a child. It's all your fault! Actually, it's probably for the best because the salad bar did look delectable and immaculate. So many fresh a clean vegetables! They also have an area with soup and chili, which the staff will also help you with. There are some tables in the salad bar area, so you can sit and eat your food inside the shop. Mostly, though, The Famous Tomato is a specialty food store. Lots of old fashioned candy, hot sauce and barbecue sauce, novelty sodas, so many different flavors of Moon Pies, and random things like salted peanuts in the shell. It's also a little farmers market, so you'll find lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. The Famous Tomato feels like a hidden gem, even though it's right there in plain sight in Speedway. For some reason, I would pass by it and I thought it was a Fazoli's? It's most certainly not, though. When you step inside, you'll see that this is a special place, with lots of special and local foods.

This was a fun festival to attend. Would I go every year? Probably not, but definitely worth going…read moreevery once in a while. I tried several different foods - fettuccine, fried ravioli, meatballs on a stick and cannoli. The fettuccine was not great. This one would be a skip for me - the noodles were overcooked and the sauce was very average. I LOVED the meatballs on a stick. That red sauce was amazing and I 100 percent recommend getting some of that and sticking with the red sauce based foods. Fried ravioli was alright. I have had better but it was satisfactory and a good way to start my food journey through the festival. The cannolis were excellent too. I saved one for the next day and it stayed crispy and delicious. There is music, some carnival type activities and something to note: food tickets are cash only!

If you're a foodie and enjoy Italian cuisine, this is the street festival for you!…read more Come hungry and ready to mangia! There are so many tasty food options. We had the Antipasto salad, fried ravioli, Italian sausage and meatballs. There's also breadsticks, pizza, fettuccine Alfredo, cannolis, cheesecake and tiramisu...it's possible I'm leaving something out! All the food is made by the parishioners. There's also beer, wine, soft drinks and water. We got the Metazoa beer, Llama Mia, specially brewed for the event. I was surprised an Italian festival didn't offer Peroni. Bring cash to buy food tickets. One ticket is $1. Most items run 4-6 tickets. Otherwise, everything else is free - parking (courtesy of Lily) and entry to the festival. There's also live music. You can bring lawn chairs to sit and enjoy it. The festival runs 5 - 11 p.m. both Friday and Saturday. It's a good idea to get there early to beat the long lines. Also, vendors often sell out of food. Already looking forward to next year!

I had a great time with about a dozen of my friends touring the festival, eating dinner, and…read morelistening to music. There were tons of food options but I ended up going for the tacos because it's so hard to resist. The food options included Jamaican, Greek, a group bar, lots of barbecue, medieval, and others. I wish there was an Indian or Thai food option or new American. Maybe next season!

Today I went for the first time, and it was a good experience…read more I have avoided attending before - I was like "why would I pay $5 admission into an event where then I pay money for food?!" But, for $5 it is fun - over a dozen food trucks, music from the radio station, and Colts + Pacers marketing teams. There was enough seating when I went and the weather was great. Only problem: $4 for a bottle of water!!! And $6 for a beer. $10 for a top shelf cocktail. Eek.