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The weekend after Thanksgiving is the unofficial start of the Christmas holiday season, which means holiday-themed events and markets are in full swing.

Here are all the best ways to get in the spirit, starting this long weekend:

🎄 Wander through a winter wonderland at Newfields' Winterlights, where walking paths take guests past thousands of twinkling lights making a delightful stroll through the gardens — now through Jan. 7.

🚗 Rather drive through the lights? Head to the Indiana State Fairgrounds Christmas Nights of Lights to see more than 1 million lights synchronized to music through your car stereo — now through Dec. 31.

🐧 Get wild and do Christmas at the Indianapolis Zoo. See the lights, visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, chill with the penguins — now through Dec. 30.

Included with zoo admission, price varies.

🎅🏻 Put a twinkle in your eye at the Circle of Lights, the annual lighting of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument at Monument Circle.

Festivities start at 5pm Friday, with the lighting at 6:50pm.

⛸️ Get transported to another time at Carmel's Christkindlmarkt, during which part of City Center turns into a traditional German market with food, drink, ice skating and shopping.

Open 4-9pm Wednesdays and Thursdays, noon to 9pm Fridays and Saturdays and noon to 8pm Sundays.

🎁 Take in the Christkindlmarkt, but make it downtown. The Athenaeum Foundation is bringing back its Christkindlmarkt at the Rathskeller Biergarten with music, food, handicrafts and more starting noon Friday and then every weekend through Dec. 17.

Regular hours: 4-8pm Fridays, noon to 8pm Saturdays and noon to 5pm Sundays.

❄️ Hop on the Snowfall Express at the Indiana State Museum's Celebration Crossing, then get your photo with Santa and visit his reindeer.

Opens 11am Friday and runs through Dec. 31. Included with museum admission, $19 for adults/$13 for children.

🚃 Bring your own drinks aboard the Holiday Lights Trolley for a tour of Christmas spirit around Indianapolis. See light displays, visit a holiday market or stop at a Christmas-themed bar on one of two tour options.

Tickets are $79. Various dates and times Saturday through Dec. 23.

Your guide to holiday events in Indianapolis

Get in the holiday spirit with lights, shopping, ice skating and more.

Fake snow falls on a german Christmas market

Fake snow at the Athenaeum's Christkindlmarkt is the cherry on top of the picturesque market. Photo: Arika Herron/Axios

Indianapolis, Indiana

The weekend after Thanksgiving is the unofficial start of the Christmas holiday season, which means holiday-themed events and markets are in full swing.Here are all the best ways to get in the spirit, starting this long weekend:

Things to Do

Why it matters: There's probably going to be a game, or five, on in your home.

Thanksgiving week sports broadcasts drew record viewership last year, in a climate where TV audiences are otherwise tuning out.

Zoom in: The biggest game around here comes Saturday when IU football travels to Purdue to play for the Old Oaken Bucket at noon on the Big Ten Network.

State of play: It's a weak Thanksgiving serving, featuring two 3-8 teams coming off losses (in IU's case, a devastating one against Michigan State) and finishing disappointing seasons.

In one bright spot, Purdue quarterback Hudson Card is expected to play against IU after missing last week's game at Northwestern.

The intrigue: This could be IU coach Tom Allen's last game.

Allen has a dismal 33-48 record over seven seasons and the university could fire him — at a cost of a $20.8 million buyout in his contract.

What we're watching: The Butler men's basketball team plays No. 19 Florida Atlantic at 2:30pm Thursday in the ESPN Events Invitational.

Plus: The No. 21 IU women's basketball team plays No. 19 Tennessee at 6pm tomorrow in a game nationally televised on Fox.

Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers play the Toronto Raptors at 7:30pm Wednesday and then the Detroit Pistons at 8pm Friday, both at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

💭 James' thought bubble: The Pacers' typical day-after-Thanksgiving home game can make for a festive night out downtown.

The Circle of Lights celebration starts at 5pm Friday, with the monument lighting scheduled for about 6:50pm.

Then the Pacers tip off just a few blocks away — you might even have time to grab food.

I've done both before and had a great time.

Zoom out: The Colts play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 1pm Sunday at home during a huge week in the NFL, which has added a Black Friday game.

The bottom line: It's going to be hard to escape sports — and you might not want to.

IU, Purdue and Pacers: Indiana's Thanksgiving sports feast

The Old Oaken Bucket is the big prize in a big sports week.

The Purdue Boilermakers hold up the Old Oaken Bucket after a win over the Indiana Hoosiers last year at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.

Purdue won the Old Oaken Bucket last year. It'll be on the line again Saturday. Photo: Justin Casterline/Getty Images

National Basketball Association (NBA)

It&#x27;s sports week in America.Why it matters: There&#x27;s probably going to be a game, or five, on in your home.

Sports

News

Do you have room for one more at your holiday table? I'd be glad to join you!

I'm gentle on a leash and would love to find someone who likes to go on long walks.

What they're barking: Everyone says I'm a total sweetheart, probably because I love to give kisses.

Of note: All adoptions come with 30 days of support from IACS to help ease the transition from the shelter to your home.

Dig deeper: See Pearl and more pets available at IACS and fill out an adoption application online.

Creature Feature: Meet Pearl!

I'm a people dog! Photo: Courtesy of Indianapolis Animal Care Services

🐾 Pearl here!Do you have room for one more at your holiday table? I&#x27;d be glad to join you!

Mayor Joe Hogsett's third consecutive landslide election is proof that Indianapolis is a Democratic stronghold.

Hogsett allies are pushing back on that narrative, arguing that the mayor has been the key to the party's success and a generic Democrat would not have performed as well.

State of play: Hogsett won re-election with about 59% of the vote despite running against an opponent, Republican Jefferson Shreve, who spent at least $13.5 million of his own money — essentially limitless resources in an Indianapolis mayoral election.

Zoom in: Hogsett wasn't defenseless. He raised about $2.6 million this year and more than $6 million for the cycle, keeping him on the airwaves.

If Hogsett hadn't run, any other Democrat would have struggled to fundraise at that level.

Between the lines: Therein lies the case for Hogsett as a singular force.

Democrats close to Hogsett say his moderate brand and fundraising aptitude made him uniquely well-suited to fend off a formidable challenger — and that Republicans could win again after he (presumably) steps aside in four years.

Hogsett also showed he's a shrewd political operator, for example, by emphasizing Shreve's past pro-gun positions that are unpopular in the city and baiting him into proposing gun control measures that offended many Republicans.

Flashback: Hogsett's predecessor, Greg Ballard, was a two-term Republican mayor who presided over a Republican-controlled City-County Council during his first term from 2008-2012.

What they're saying: "I think a lot of people lose track of, not that long ago, Indianapolis had a majority Republican council and a Republican mayor," Mike Schmuhl, chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party, told reporters after Election Day.

"You can't tell me, in 15 years, the demographics changed that dramatically and now we're 60-40."

Yes, but: Republicans and some Democrats I've talked to say there are key differences between 2007, when Ballard won his first term, and now.

Ballard rode a wave of anger over rising property taxes, which helped catapult him over Democratic incumbent Bart Peterson.

Plus: Former President Trump's emergence as leader of the Republican Party has made it harder for moderate, urban-minded Republicans to win over Indianapolis voters who lean Democratic.

By the numbers: Evidence beyond the municipal elections points to an increasing Democratic advantage in Indianapolis.

When the late Terry Curry won his first election for Marion County prosecutor in 2010, he captured about 52% of the vote.

By 2018, Curry's share of the vote increased to 67% — and his successor, Ryan Mears, maintained 59% last year while running for prosecutor against a well-funded Republican opponent.

President Biden won 64% of the vote in Marion County in 2020.

The bottom line: Democrats are routinely winning around 60% of the vote, or better, in Marion County.

Some Democrats warn that streak could be tested if a more progressive-minded candidate runs for mayor in 2027, but Republicans are pessimistic about their prospects after Shreve's lopsided loss.

Market Street is a regular column about local politics and power. Send me tips: james.briggs@axios.com.

What Hogsett's landslide wins say about Indianapolis

Is Indianapolis a Democratic city, or is Mayor Joe Hogsett just that good?

Photo illustration of the Indianapolis city hall with lines radiation from it.

Photo Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios; Photo: Rick Maiman/Getty Images

Market Street

Mayor Joe Hogsett&#x27;s third consecutive <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="landslide election" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2023/11/08/joe-hogsett-jefferson-shreve-mayor-election-results" data-vars-content-id="a3eaaa4e-2302-4c6e-8a46-e6087c542e67" data-vars-headline="What Hogsett&#x27;s landslide wins say about Indianapolis" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2023/11/08/joe-hogsett-jefferson-shreve-mayor-election-results" target="_self">landslide election</a> is proof that Indianapolis is a Democratic stronghold.The intrigue: Or, is it?

Politics

Don't bet on Indiana lawmakers passing any gaming bills in the upcoming legislative session that begins in early January.

Driving the news: Former state Rep. Sean Eberhart, R-Shelbyville, agreed to plead guilty earlier this month to honest services fraud for his role in helping Spectacle Entertainment obtain the licenses for and relocate two casinos.

Eberhart was promised a job with the company — and an annual salary of at least $350,000 — in exchange for using his position at the Statehouse to advocate for legislation favorable to Spectacle, according to prosecutors.

The intrigue: Part of Eberhart's plea includes an admission that he conspired with others, and court documents reveal that some of the evidence against him included covert "audio and video recordings."

Between the lines: The specter that more charges loom hangs over the Statehouse as lawmakers convene this afternoon for Organization Day, the ceremonial start to the session.

Plus: Longtime Statehouse watchers at Hannah News Service suggested in a recent Gaming Insight newsletter that others close to the investigation could still be wired as the investigation continues.

Flashback: Last year, lawmakers had been expected to consider a bill to legalize online gambling, like poker and blackjack, and online lottery, but the legislation never even got a hearing.

What they're saying: "It makes gaming really hard to engage in when you have problems like that," Bray said. "It taints the Statehouse. It diminishes the confidence that people have in the integrity of the Statehouse. It causes an awful lot of problems and it makes it particularly difficult to engage in that kind of policy."

The bottom line: Bray and House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, said they don't expect to see any gaming bills moving this session.

Gaming investigation casts pall over upcoming Indiana legislative session

An ongoing criminal investigation has thrown cold water on gambling legislation.

Bray, left, and House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, addressed reporters yesterday. Photo: Arika Herron/Axios

Indiana

Don&#x27;t bet on Indiana lawmakers passing any gaming bills in the upcoming legislative session that begins in early January.Driving the news: Former state Rep. Sean Eberhart, R-Shelbyville, agreed to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="plead guilty earlier this month" data-vars-click-url="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/briefs/former-shelbyville-rep-eberhart-agrees-to-plead-guilty-to-felony-charge/" data-vars-content-id="1a84a257-c515-4155-9ce5-20062f1d46c4" data-vars-headline="Gaming investigation casts pall over upcoming Indiana legislative session" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/briefs/former-shelbyville-rep-eberhart-agrees-to-plead-guilty-to-felony-charge/" target="_blank">plead guilty earlier this month</a> to honest services fraud for his role in helping Spectacle Entertainment obtain the licenses for and relocate two casinos.

Indianapolis officials are investigating whether a century-old law may require it to fully excavate land once used as the city's first public cemetery and now slated for a massive redevelopment project.

Driving the news: A spokesperson for the Department of Public Works said its legal team is looking into questions surrounding a 1923 law that granted control of the land used for Greenlawn Cemetery to the city.

The law seemingly includes a caveat that the city must remove all remains before allowing its use for anything other than a cemetery.

The Indiana Remembrance Coalition surfaced the law and is calling on the city to fund and conduct a full archeological exploration and excavation of the property.

Catch up fast: Historians and city officials agree there are likely remains still buried at the shuttered cemetery along the White River south of Washington Street that could be unearthed as the city constructs the new Henry Street Bridge and Indy Eleven builds its new soccer stadium.

The bridge would connect the future Elanco global headquarters to downtown.

The city has also proposed creating a special district to help fund the mixed-use development that the stadium would anchor.

What they're saying: "The city remains committed to the archeological process developed with input from community stakeholders for the Henry Street Bridge portion of the former burial ground, and has expectations for the same level of due diligence as it relates to the development of a proposed soccer stadium," DPW told Axios in a statement.

Between the lines: That process involves archaeologists monitoring the excavation that is required for the roadway construction and stopping all work within 100 feet if remains are discovered.

DPW said it's too soon to talk about including funding for excavation in the budget for the sports development area deal, as it hasn't been finalized.

Flash (way) back: When Indianapolis was founded in 1821, a public burial ground was situated just off Kentucky Avenue along the White River.

Several additions were made until the cemetery shuttered in the late 1800s.

Historians say historic maps do not show the "colored" section, but records from the time make it clear that the city's cemetery was segregated and Black residents were buried west of the original grounds — essentially along the river bank.

The intrigue: Human remains have been unearthed on the property multiple times over the preceding decades, which the IRC says makes it clear that the city did not previously abide by the 1923 law.

Yes, but: It's unclear if the law is still applicable today.

What's next: The City-County Council's metropolitan development commission will consider the establishment of the special district at its meeting tonight. IRC members are expected to attend.

Questions swirl over development on historic cemetery

Greenlawn Cemetery was the city's first public burying ground.

The new Henry Street Bridge project will cut through the "burying ground" and across the White River to the Elanco development just west of downtown. Map: Courtesy of Indiana Historical Society

Indianapolis officials are investigating whether a century-old law may require it to fully excavate land <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="once used as the city&#x27;s first public cemetery" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2023/05/15/indianapolis-first-cemetery-greenlawn-black-history?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_axioslocal_indianapolis&amp;stream=top" data-vars-content-id="fa23f79c-416c-4710-9660-0a1364953d95" data-vars-headline="Questions swirl over development on historic cemetery" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2023/05/15/indianapolis-first-cemetery-greenlawn-black-history?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_axioslocal_indianapolis&amp;stream=top" target="_self">once used as the city&#x27;s first public cemetery</a> and now slated for a massive redevelopment project.Driving the news: A spokesperson for the Department of Public Works said its legal team is looking into questions surrounding a 1923 law that granted control of the land used for Greenlawn Cemetery to the city.

Welcome to another Meatless Monday taste test!

This time, we got together and tried all the not-turkey options to hold down the center of your Thanksgiving Day table.

How it worked: We scoured the shelves at Fresh Thyme and Whole Foods, your best bets to find these specialty items.

Best flavor: Field Roast's plant-based "celebration roast"

This was the best looking, which matters when it comes to a holiday meal centerpiece.

Plus: It comes with a powder that, when added to water and cooked, thickens into a mushroom-based gravy.

💭 James' thought bubble: This had the best overall taste, probably even more flavor than most real Thanksgiving turkeys.

Arika's cat Al ate most of the Quorn roast when she wasn't looking, FWIW. Photo: Arika Herron/Axios

Best imitation turkey: Quorn's meatless turkey-style roast

This was by far the most unsettling out of the box. It's a pale loaf that cooks inside a plastic film.

Yes, but: After cooking, it slices up into very convincing turkey-like pieces. Serve the slices on a platter with gravy and dinner guests would be hard-pressed to spot the difference.

💭 Arika's thought bubble: While I just skip the turkey altogether and go for sides, this would be my pick to take its place.

Best gravy: Whole Foods's 365 brand plant-based roast with gravy

This one was divisive, but had the most traditional "stuffing" inside the roast.

It had the best gravy, but that wasn't enough to save the mushy, blended vegetable texture.

Best to avoid at all costs: Tofurky's plant-based roast with wild rice stuffing

Out of the box, it looks like a softball of fake meat.

Once cooked, it develops a hard shell that's a real chore to slice.

The flavor is also off to the point of being nearly inedible, making it our least favorite by far.

Of note: Tofurky's gravy is sold separately and is also to be avoided.

The bottom line: Plant-based roasts are expensive for their small size (ranging from $10 to $20), take up valuable oven space and need at least an hour to cook.

If you feel the need to replace the turkey with a meat-free substitute, there are edible options, but we'd rather save room for an extra slice of pie.

Meatless Monday: Faux-turkey taste test

A plate with slices of plant-based roasts. 

We tasted them so you don't have to. Photo: Arika Herron/Axios

Alternative fake meat

Welcome to another Meatless Monday taste test!This time, we got together and tried all the not-turkey options to hold down the center of your Thanksgiving Day table.

Food and Drink

Some of the highest-performing public schools in Marion County are part of the Indianapolis Public Schools district.

Yes, but: The district also houses some of the lowest-performing.

Why it matters: The state's largest school district is in the midst of a massive reorganization aimed at shrinking the wide academic performance gap between schools and students.

What's happening: The district's "Rebuilding Stronger" initiative is reconfiguring middle school grades, setting a minimum standard for academic programs and course offerings at all schools and working to replicate high-performing school models.

"When we looked across the district, some of the reasons we started on this journey was because of the variance we saw in the opportunities available to students, depending on the school that they chose," superintendent Aleesia Johnson told Axios.

One example: Next school year, all district-managed middle schools will offer Honors Algebra I, Honors Geometry, Spanish I and Honors Biology.

State of play: On the most recent ILEARN exams, several IPS schools were among the top scoring in Marion County, including Sidener Academy, where nearly 70% of students passed both the English and math portions — the highest percentage of all public schools in the county.

Dozens of IPS schools, though, had fewer than 10% of students achieve the same.

Meanwhile, fewer IPS schools ranked among top performers when looking at pass rates for both portions of the ILEARN test among Black and Hispanic students, who make up a majority of the district's population.

"That is problematic and we know that," Johnson said. "So, we can't be satisfied… We have, across all of our schools, a lot of work to do."

Be smart: Test scores rarely, if ever, tell the full story of school performance.

Scores often correlate closely with demographic factors like family income.

Challenges like mobility and greater proportions of high-need students often determine a school's performance on standardized tests.

Still, kids need to be proficient in reading, writing and math — despite the challenges they may face — to be set up for success later in life.

"We know the pace of improvement has to continue to accelerate," Johnson said.

The latest: The state launched new performance dashboards designed to show more than test scores, providing a more holistic picture of school performance and health.

Some data is still being added to the dashboard, but you can search for individual schools or corporations here.

Performance gap persists at Indianapolis Public Schools

A massive reorganization seeks to level the playing field.

Illustration of a standardized test answer sheet with a cursor

Some of the highest-performing public schools in Marion County are part of the Indianapolis Public Schools district.Yes, but: The district also houses some of the lowest-performing.

Education

National

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Politics & Policy

China is becoming the most formidable rival America has faced, and the risk of confrontation with Russia, North Korea or Iran still looms. Authoritarians are rising, the chaotic Afghanistan exit revealed the limits of U.S. power, and the pandemic, climate change and other critical challenges continue to pose grave threats.

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The U.S. faces a range of health care flashpoints — unaffordable drugs, opioids, vaping — as we debate whether to adopt universal care. For now, the Affordable Care Act is the law of the land, but Republicans want to issue it a final death blow.

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