This was my first year attending the FFF. I honestly had no idea what to expect, so I went in with…read morean open mind, and I'm very glad that I did. After attending, I would advise people to not think of this as an "eat everything and leave so stuffed you're going to burst" type of event because that's far from what it is. Rather, it's more of a way to introduce the public (that pay) to try some small samples of local, regional, and national companies' products and get a chance to purchase them. The overall flow was very good, although I heard that this year's attendance was down significantly. That might partly be because of the fact you have to pay then also pay for more food or that there were two other events going on at the State Fairgrounds. Would I ever pay to attend this? Probably not although I did get to try many different businesses' products that I had seen on the shelves and wanted to try but didn't for various reasons. For people that are just moving to Indy or aren't exposed to many Yelp events that connect you to amazing local businesses, definitely check the FFF out. If you've already tried most of the businesses around central Indiana or at a Yelp event, chances are you've already tried these businesses' products before. Rregardless, there was free Graeter's. I may or may not have tried 4 samples..... That black raspberry dark chocolate chip ice cream though....

This was a neat festival showcasing Indiana talent. Nearly all vendors were from Indiana or close…read moreby. Come hungry, as nearly every vendor is sampling food. There is an area where you can buy prepared food as well. Prices are reasonable for what you get. Vendors either sell their products or will tell you how to procure them -- so many are available at Market District, Kroger, and Fresh Thyme! Grab a 21+ band and try all the local vinos, beers, and liquor. Catch one of the cooking demos (this year featured Ted Allen and local favorite Chef Loreal). $15 was a reasonable entry fee for what you got. I would recommend only planning to attend one day unless you score a deal. There's not enough to keep you busy two days in a row. Take advantage of one of the cooking classes. I took a beginner knife skills class and loved it!

The French Market hosted by ST. Joan of Arc is always a fun place to go. They have lots of vendors…read moreranging from food, art, jewelry and so much more.

Ooo la la! What a great festival! St. Joan of Arc puts this festival on every year. It has so many…read moregreat foods that you can't normally get locally. Tarte Flambé, beef bourgeon, fresh Cafe Du Mont beignets, ratatouille, and so much more! They have live music and lots of local venders as well as a bake sale. They have lots of volunteers from the church and school that do a great job of putting this event on. They offer tours of the gorgeous Roman Catholic Church during the event. They offer mass in French also. This is a great festival that if you haven't been you should put on a beret and head over to it.

I went to city market for lunch and got food at a middle eastern restaurant and dessert at a cookie…read morestand. The falafel wrap and fries I got from the middle eastern restaurant were amazing. The cookies were great too. City market had plenty of options and lots of seating. Some of the stands were empty, though. And the inside is just very dated in general. A lot of things just need a small update. You can tell you're in a building that's seen better days, that all it is. Not sure about parking. Extremely easy access from the cultural trail bike path and from the IndyGo Redline (transit center stop). It's downtown so walking there is easy if you're close by. This place has seen better days. However it's still got a lot of great options and it's still worth a visit for lunch!

This place needs a facelift and an energizer of some sort. It was dead on a beautful sunny…read moreSaturday afternoon. It has a lot of potential. I hate when cities build up one area (Bottleworks) and neglect the now rundown but traditional spot that once had all the traffic. We need fresh produce and meat markets with small eateries in one big building again.

$30 date for a 1.5 hours activity date downtown is hard to find, but the new ice skating here is…read morejust that! My partner and I had so much fun and love this new addition to Indy's downtown.

We had an amazing Sunday outing at the rink. Affordable and easy with larger groups (with…read morereservations). The staff at the skate rentals and concession were extremely pleasant and fun. Small concession but great selections! We enjoyed a bourbon cider and baileys hot cocoa. It was a bit rainy but awning above the rink helps! If you're a bit of a pro and want to skate backwards at all, that's not allowed here. But no personal complaints from a novice skater like myself

This festival has some strong points, but also some areas where I think they could improve…read more The website noted there would be 20+ food vendors. It seemed like there were fewer than 10 even if we counted the fair grounds concession stand and the table where they were selling Doritos and other snacks. The ones that were there, however, were excellent! I had some pierogi that were definitely made with fresh dough and were authentic and delicious. The Filipino combo plate was a ton of food for $10 and included adobo, rice, noodles and an eggroll. It was all delicious and fresh. The Korean, Turkish, and African food looked amazing too, and the people selling the food were clearly the ones who prepared it. The entertainment on stage was great! There were adults and kids dancing, doing martial arts demonstrations and singing. They all did an amazing job! I wish there would have been a schedule on the website. The booths were kind of hard to figure out; no one was really walking around the booth areas so it felt a little awkward. Some were selling things and others had information about their country and culture. Maybe those who are more extroverted would have felt more comfortable just diving in without any other visitors to diffuse some of the pressure to be social . A map or listing of booths would also have been helpful. Most of the people in attendance seemed to be those with family members performing and so it seemed a lot of people left after each group performed and then others came in for the next performance with no one really walking around. The cost to get in at $12 cash only at the door seemed a little steep. In fairness the advance price was $8. Parking is $8 at the fairgrounds. The fairgrounds website said to enter gate 3 due to construction, but that was closed...we checked the lots across the street, but those were blocked off...we then drove around the perimeter of the fairgrounds and finally got in gate 6, paid our $8, but then found no signs directing us where to go...we found a worker who was able to direct us, but then found the lot to be full...we finally did get a spot, but some signs would be helpful along with a plan for overflow parking. Better information on the website and better (any!) signage at the fairgrounds would help greatly!

Attended the Indianapolis International Festival, on the last day of this 3 day celebration. This…read moreyear was the 43rd event hosted at the Indiana State Faurgrounds in the Elements Financial Blue Ribbon Pavilion. To get in cost $8 in advance or $12 at the door. More than 50+ ethnic groups represented in Central Indiana gather to share their rich cultural histories and traditions. There are from 20+ food vendors, music performances, and dances. There are cultural booths hosted by volunteers where visitors could connect with learn more about the culture and depending on the booth participate in an activity. I went to see some friends, who were volunteering in the food court area selling Filipino food. I got to try some of their desserts and some of the Korean food. Had a good time seeing the performances and cultural representations.

This mural is massive. It not only covers Big Hoffas BBQ's main building, front, back, and sides,…read morebut it bleeds over to the building next door. It uses every inch of the building and incorporates flag masts on the buildings roof. It was painted in 2019 by Jackie McCracken and Robert Schaefer. The mural wall is not flat or smooth. It has ridged, kind of like a tin roof, and overlooks Big Hoffas' parking lot. The mural theme continues on into the restaurant. I am not sure of the tie in with Barbecue and pirates, but Big Hoffas is all in and seems to make it work. The mural is very colorful and has a lot going on. In the center you will find a couple of pirate ships sailing off the coast. The front door of the restaurant is used in the larger of the ships. The left side of the mural (as you are facing it), is very interesting. It is actually kind of 3D and has cutouts of a pirate scene with a swashbuckler bursting out of a window of a building and and 4 more pirates down below sitting by a campfire. There are also a set of white angel wings in between those pirates that are like those that are starting to pop up all over the place and where people can takes pictures in front of and make look like they are wearing them. They seem kind of out of place to me, but no big deal. The rest of the mural is mostly a coastal image. I love the artistry and use of color and can only imagine how long it took to paint it. You can not help but be "wow'ed" by this mural. You probably wont spend too much time checking this mural out. It is a lot to look at a digest. I was there about 10 minutes. So, I recommend coupling it with a visit to Big Hoff's to eat some of their delicious "Q". Since it overlooks their parking lot, parking here is easy. I would also recommend checking out that entire mural that includes the patio area and a whole other building next door.

Wow! What a statement piece mural has been added to Westfield. On the east walls (and wrapping…read morearound three other walls) of the Big Hoffa's BBQ and the Main Street Shoppes is one of the largest murals I've seen. The entire length of wall has been turned into a Pirate's Cove with multiple sailing ships, pirates, and even a few skeletons. The north ends of the buildings continue the mural to add images of an island paradise and a cloud covered sea. The mural was created by Rob Schaefer and Jackie McCracken in 2019. There is so much detail to see, I will pick just a few to highlight here. Ship's masts - Not only is there a giant mural, but some construction was done to turn the largest ship's masts into actual wooden structures with crow's nests that stick up above the wall of the mural. As you approach from the east, it makes you think it is a real sailing ship! Pirate theme - For anyone who has dined inside Big Hoffa's, there already existed a pirate theme, so kudos to the artists for taking that and making the entire building a not so subtle advertisement. Insta-worthy - If you can get here when there isn't a crowd, there is a section of the wall with a pair of angel wings where you can take a selfie while surrounded by pirates. This is one of those pieces you have to see for yourself to appreciate how much skill and effort went into creating the mural. The surfaces aren't smooth, but unless you look carefully, you can't tell that there are raised ridges that run vertically which add even more challenge. Although I am rarely a fan of other murals being painted over, (the space used to have a giant village painted in a somewhat primitive style), I can't deny that the visual appeal of this new mural is much greater to me. The next time you are in Westfield, make a point to stop by these shops! Review #3360

This mural was a bit difficult for me to find. It is located between Brothers Bar & Grill and…read moreCasba Bar in a little alleyway. It faces Guilford Ave, if that helps. This piece is by Matthew Aaron, who painted it in 2020. There is a large dumpster right to the side of the mural which has Aaron's signature dynamite on it. That is is trademark. You will find a few of them that he has painted around the city. The mural itself is decent. It depicts some neat looking buildings at night, with stars hanging from strings from the sky. Aaron used his fond memories of the Broad Ripple neighborhood as his inspiration for this piece. I do not see it though. But what I do see, and if you look above the mural and off in the distance is that it does resemble the River House building. I am just saying. Anyway, Aaron uses a basic color scheme in this mural. The buildings are brown, gray, green and blue with yellow lights coming from the windows. That is all set on a black background with white stars. It has kind of a comic book feel to it. The mural overlooks a parking lot so it may be partially obstructed if there are any cars parked in the spots. There is metered street parking within a short walk of this mural or you can just pull into the alley that the mural is off of and park there to get a closer look. As with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other wonderful murals in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. There are tons of murals in the alley and adjacent alleys to check out.

If you are in the Broad Ripple area, especially near Union Jack Pub, treat yourself to some free…read morePublic Art just behind the pub. There is a parking lot on the north side of the pub and two buildings. The first one directly north has several art pieces that I'll write a separate review for. Nightlife Is on the west wall of another small building on the northwest corner of the parking area. There is also a large dumpster by this other building. Nightlife was painted in 2020 by Matthew Aaron (goes by matthewaaron on his signatures and social media.) At first glance, once you work around cars parked in front of it and the dumpster, it looks like a story book city. Simple lines and simple structures that don't require an art degree to interpret. There are a variety of "windows" painted onto each of the buildings in the mural as well as a black sky. What makes it storybook for me is that the stars that are in the sky appear to be hanging from small wires. Other than his signature, the "mmxx" represents the year 2020. And though it appears simple (and therefore very approachable to non artists) if you had seen the condition of the wall before it was prepped and cleaned and then finally painted by the artist, you would understand why it takes so long for artists to complete a mural. I have also seen a photograph of the mural at night after a rain when it is lit only by streetlights. It has an ethereal quality that is stunningly beautiful. I've seen the photos, but I don't own rights to share them. Here's a little bonus for you: If you are standing close to the mural, take a look at the side of the dumpster next to the mural. The artist added his signature image of a stick of dynamite to the dumpster. The artist does not endorse using dynamite for anything harmful. He simply finds it interesting that depending upon how it's used, it can be really great or really destructive. Who is old enough to remember when JJ Walker would say "Dy-no-mite" on his sitcom when something was wonderful or fantastic. Of course it can be used for fireworks too! But in the wrong hands, it can become destructive with its blasting power. The duality of the word and object can make you wonder. Review #3856

Beautiful place, my granddaughter took her senior photos here. There were lots of options and she…read moregot a beautiful collection of pictures!

This is one of my favorite places for a leisurely stroll, run or identifying plants and animals…read more There are such cool sculptures throughout the park and the pollinator flower gardens are so wonderful to walk through when in bloom. There is plenty of parking and it is free. You should check it out for a nice walk, run, birding or picnic.