There’s an extra day off on many of our schedules this weekend, which means all the more room for celebratory activities. Of course, you can always spend it parked on the couch with a tub of ice cream and a movie — but in our opinion, there are just too many events to take advantage of for that. We’ve compiled a list of five things to do in Indianapolis to help you make the most of your Labor Day weekend while supporting local businesses, too!
BUTTER
@ganggangculture
Cultural development firm GANGGANG is hosting BUTTER, a mutli-day fine arts fair from Thursday, Sept. 2 to Sunday, Sept. 5 at the Stutz. The fair will showcase works by over 30 local and national Black artists with the purpose of uplifting them into conversation with the nationwide creative community. General admission tix for the entire weekend are only $25 — you can grab yours here!
1060 N Capitol Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46204
Thematik
@317paradox
Each month, a different theme is embodied to the fullest extent at Thematik, an event meant to celebrate over-the-top fashion featuring a drag show hosted by local queens @theladydumpster and @seethemirage. The theme for this Saturday, Sept. 4 is disco, meaning that attendees should dress to impress with their best pair of go-go boots and bell-bottom jeans. There’s an incentive for participants to showcase their own unique self-expression — whoever is chosen as the best-dressed guest will receive an all-expenses paid styled photoshoot with PATTERN’s creative team! Check out the Paradox website for more information.
6281 N. College Ave. Indianapolis, IN 46220
Indy Arts Fest
@indyartsfest
Art lovers, rejoice! Indy Auto Man Car Dealership and Hue Murals are partnering to host the first annual Indy Arts Festival this Monday, Sept. 6. The event involves a lot of paint — in addition to live art demonstrations, there will be graffiti artists painting car parts and special FX artists using human canvases for body painting. Bring your wallet, because even if you don’t end up splurging on artwork from the many vendor booths, you definitely won’t be able to leave without grabbing a delicious beignet from one of the food trucks. To make sure you don’t miss out on the action, find tickets here.
3130 Madison Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46227
IndyFringe 2021 Theatre Festival
@indyfringe
The drama-filled IndyFringe Theatre Festival is an absolutely audacious celebration of alternative theatre encompassing nearly every genre imaginable. The festival will span across seven stages to host 336 shows including local and visiting artists. P.S. – guests are welcome to enjoy a free outdoor beer tent. Awesome, right? For more information, check out the IndyFringe Instagram or visit the event page here.
SHE. Xperience All White Jazz Brunch
@sheeventindy
SHE. is a non-profit organization in Indianapolis with the mission of providing venues for minority women to showcase their businesses to the community. On Sunday, Sept. 5, the SHE. Xperience will include a jazz brunch with live music, food, performances, networking, and a fashion show. The dress code? All white, meaning guests have a final chance to debut their best brights before the summer season comes to a close. The best part: Admission is completely free. To support SHE. and learn more about the event, check out their website!
Lugar Plaza, 200 E. Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204
Katie Freeman is Indy Maven’s Editorial Intern.
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