Your weekend plans: Circle City Classic, Harvest Nights, Monument Circle Oktoberfest
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The Morgan State marching band is coming to Indy for the Classic. Photo: Dustin Satloff/Getty Images
Circle City Classic weekend is back to bring the football and the fun to Indianapolis.
Why it matters: For more than four decades, the annual football game and the celebrations surrounding it have honored Black achievement while bringing HBCU tradition and athleticism to Central Indiana.
- The Classic is also a fundraiser that generates money for Indiana Black Expo scholarships.
Driving the news: The game between the Miles College Golden Bears and the Morgan State University Bears kicks off at 3pm Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
- Tickets start at $28.
Zoom in: The weekend fun starts with a free pep rally outside Lucas Oil Stadium, 4-6pm Friday.
- The bands take center stage Saturday morning during the Circle City Classic Parade. It starts at 10am Saturday near North and Pennsylvania streets and ends near North and Meridian streets.
Plus: The Classic — which began with a Wednesday night prayer service at New Direction Church — also includes networking opportunities, an education day and college fair, and a gala event at the Indiana Roof Ballroom.
- Check out the full lineup of events here.
More weekend picks:
🍻 Keep Oktoberfest season going strong during the Columbia Club's free Oktoberfest bash on Monument Circle, 5-10pm Friday.
- The Indianapolis Liederkranz German Band starts playing at 6pm.
- Purchase food tickets in advance at this link.
🎃 Get spooky and artsy when Harvest Nights returns to Newfields Friday night at 7pm. The celebration along the museum grounds and gardens and in the Lilly House runs through Nov. 2.
- Tickets start at $26 for adults, $24 for seniors and $17 for kids.
💃🏾 Celebrate Latin culture with dancing, live music and food at the free Viernes Cultural: Latin Night at Lugar Plaza, 6:30pm Friday.
- Beginner-friendly dance lessons start at 7pm.
🎸 Rock out with Papa Roach at Everwise Amphitheater, 7pm Friday.
- Tickets start at $54.50.
🤡 Go under the big top for the 70th edition of The Murat Shrine Circus during one of five shows Friday-Sunday at Old National Centre.
- The show at 5pm Sunday will be offered in English and Spanish and feature a Mariachi band. Tickets start at $35.
🎨 Spend a Saturday evening with local musicians and artists during the free Garfield Park Art and Music Festival.
- 4-9pm Saturday at the MacAllister Amphitheater at Garfield Park.
🎤 See a crew of stand-up legends take the stage during Comedy Jam, 7:30pm Saturday at Clowes Memorial Hall.
- Tickets start at $62.
😂 Or laugh with Jay Leno when he performs at the Payne & Mencias Palladium in Carmel, 8pm Saturday.
- Tickets start at $51.
🦕 Enjoy a free day of special activities and musical performances at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis during Fiesta de la Familia, 10am-5pm Sunday.