Top 8 things to do in Indy this weekend: Sept. 21-23

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Here are a few things going on around town this weekend.

1. Weekly Music Round-Up

It’s a big weekend for live music in the Circle City. Indy Jazz Fest continues into its second weekend with the big Block Party set to happen at College Avenue Jazz Kitchen and Yats between 3 p.m and 12:30 a.m. 13 bands will perform on five different stages with tickets going for $25 in advance or $30 at the door.

If you’re more into Americana, folk and alt-country, Holler on the Hill will bring you headlining performances by critically acclaimed six-piece soul outfit St. Paul & The Broken Bones and emerging indie-rock band Moon Taxi plus over 30 national, regional and local performers. The two-day festival takes place at Garfield Park Conservatory and Gardens Saturday and Sunday with tickets going for $48-85.

Rock the Ruins is a family-friendly, one-night music and food festival set against the backdrop of one of the most iconic features on the northside of Indianapolis — the Ruins at Holliday Park. Tickets are just $5 and AARP members get in for free. More musical concerts and acts are listed below:

FRIDAY

Father John Misty – MacAllister Amphitheater at Garfield Park – 6 p.m. 

Kid Rock + Brantley Gilbert – Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center – 6:30 p.m. 

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – The Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts – 8 p.m. 

Chicano Batman – The Hi-Fi – 8 p.m. 

Cirque Goes to the Movies – Hilbert Circle Theatre – 8 p.m. 

The Doo! – The Rathskeller – 8 p.m. 

Manchester Orchestra – Nickel Plate District Amphitheater – 8 p.m.

SATURDAY

Buddy Guy – The Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts – 8pm

Cirque Goes to the Movies – Hilbert Circle Theatre – 8pm

Rod Tuffcurls & The Bench Press – The Vogue – 9pm

SUNDAY

Ozzy Osbourne & Stone Sour – Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center – 7:30pm

2. Oktoberfests & Beer Festivals

‘Tis the season to dust of the lederhosen and rinse out your stein. Several Oktoberfests are taking place this weekend right here in and around Indianapolis. The city of Carmel will host their Oktoberfest Friday at the Carmel City Center from 6-10 p.m. Just down the road, the city of Fishers will host a two-day festival at Saxony this Friday (5:30-10:30 p.m.) and Saturday (3:00-10:30pm). An Oktoberfest party is set to take place at Literhouse (21+) this Saturday between 6pm-12 a.m. with tickets starting at $60. HopCat will host Hoptoberfest Sunday between 10 a.m. and midnight. If none of those events sound appealing, you can opt to make the two-hour drive to Cincinnati for the second largest Oktoberfest, second only to Munich. Oktoberfest Zinzinnati runs Friday to Sunday in the Queen City.

On top of Oktoberfests, there are two other beer festivals taking place this weekend, Festiv-ale and the Irvington BrewFest. Festiv-ale brings beer lovers, wine connoisseurs, and foodies together to enjoy over 75 tasting stations, including martinis and microbreweries, food from various local restaurants, an over-the-top silent auction, a live band and a stein hoisting contest. The event is Saturday at Victory field with VIP entry beginning at 4 p.m. Tickets start at $40.

The Irvington BrewFest, hosted at Our Lady of Lourdes Saturday at 7 p.m., features beer, live music, swag and food all in one spot. Tickets start at $25.

3. 35th Annual Circle City Classic

The 35th Circle City Classic is this weekend, featuring the big game with Howard University (last time in the Circle City Classic – 2001) and Bethune-Cookman University (last time in the Circle City Classic – 1998). Outside of the Saturday game at Lucas Oil Stadium (kickoff – 3 p.m.), over 150,000 people are expected to converge on the city to enjoy a cabaret, parade (10 a.m.-noon), pep rally, musical performances, well-known celebrities, a battle of the bands, after party and more!

4. 10th Annual IUPUI Regatta

Ten days of special events, beginning on the 13, will all lead up to the big day — the 10th Anniversary of the IUPUI Regatta at Military Park and the downtown Indianapolis Canal. The IUPUI Regatta is a half-mile canoe race down the canal, a high-energy campus tradition which involves both IUPUI’s campus and the Indianapolis community while benefiting the Stefan S. Davis IUPUI Regatta Scholarship. In addition to the race, experience live entertainment from IUPUI organizations and local community bands, an arts & culture fair, food and marketplace vendors, and a kid zone with inflatables.

5. Running and Walking for a Good Cause

There are plenty of in-town opportunities to get exercise and to do it for a good cause! Here’s a short list of charitable walks/runs this weekend.

SATURDAY

10K Pledge Tour 2018 – Southport High School – East Gym – 7:30 a.m. 

Connect2Help211 5k Walk/Run – Lilly LIFE Center – 8:30 a.m.

 2nd Annual 5K Peace Run and 1 mi Fun Run – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park – 9 a.m. 

Walk to Defeat ALS – White River State Park – 10 a.m.

SUNDAY

Indiana AIDS Walk – Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center – 11 a.m.

6. Fiesta Familia

Head over to the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis for free admission to celebrate Fiesta Familia Sunday! The festivities will honor children and celebrate Latino culture. Take part in a hands-on, paper flower folding activity, join in the Mexican folk art of Repujado, be serenaded by the Zelaya Mariachi Band and see lively performances featuring traditional Mexican dance with the Ballet Folklórico Mosaicos and Latin American music from the Paula Monsalve Quintet.

7. Oranje 2018

After taking three years off, ORANJE will be back for its 14th and final event on Sept. 22, 2018 at the former historic Coca Cola Bottling Plant on Mass Ave – future home of the Bottleworks District. Known for featuring a near-overwhelming amount of creative media, ORANJE has presented upwards of 50 artists and 30 music acts in a given year, spanning across numerous genres of music and art media in one night. The result is a highly stimulating and interactive environment in which creativity thrives and patrons socialize, enjoy food and drinks and have the opportunity to purchase art. Using the tagline “Indulge Your Senses,” ORANJE encourages exploration of the event, which features a non-stop music lineup, audience participation and even spontaneous performance art. Tickets are $20.

8. 19th Annual Rocky Ripple Festival

The annual Rocky Ripple “Festival in the Park,” with proceeds going to the Rocky Ripple Parks Endowment Fund, focuses on “the arts.” The event is staged entirely through volunteer efforts from the community. 2018 marks the 19th year of the festival. An eclectic assortment of bands will play throughout the entire day at a family friendly admission price — free! Over 70 artists, featuring an eclectic mix of original art and unique artisan items for sale. Each year brings new talent as well as many favorite repeat vendors. Beer and wine at the festival are provided by the Broad Ripple Brewpub. There will be a variety of food offerings from local vendors, including fresh corn on the cob and ice cream. For more info, click here.