500 Festival Parade returns. What to know about parking, performers and tickets
2025's AES 500 Festival Parade is expected to draw more than 200,000 spectators to watch floats, giant helium balloons, bands and all 33 Indy 500 drivers.Here's what to know about one of the most anticipated events of the year:
The parade will take place on Saturday, May 24. Festivities kick off at 11:45 am, and the parade begins at noon.
WTHR, Channel 13, will broadcast the parade live for the Indianapolis audience, while Peacock will stream the event live.
WTHR will re-air the broadcast at 8 p.m. on May 24.
NBA champion and former Indiana Pacer star Scot Pollard is this year's grand marshal.
Kelsey Hart is the featured performer for the AES 500 Festival Parade Opening Production. The Indianapolis Colts Cheerleaders and Pacemates will also perform.
Hart will perform a post-parade concert at Turntable starting at 8 p.m. The general admission show benefits the 500 Festival. Use code PARADE to get tickets for $10 at turntableindy.com.
38th Infantry Division Band, Indianapolis – Director, Catherine Maloney
Centerville High School Blue Regiment, Centerville, Indiana – Director, Johnathan Lucy
Chartiers Valley Showband, Bridgeville, Pennsylvania – Director, Traci Kelly
Goshen High School Crimson Marching Band, Goshen, Indiana – Director, Tom Cox
Indianapolis Public Schools All-City Marching Band, Indianapolis – Director, Josh Goodman
Jimtown High School Marching Jimmies, Elkhart, Indiana – Director, Kathy Baughman
Belleville West Marching Maroons, Belleville, Illinois – Director, Michael Pond-Jones
Eastern (Pekin) Musketeer Brigade, Pekin, Indiana – Director, Matt Lindley
National Band Association Indiana All-Star Band, Zionsville, Indiana – Director, Mickey Stisher
New Prairie Marching Cougars, New Carlisle, Indiana – Director, Jared Jaggi
Purdue University "All-American" Marching Band, West Lafayette, Indiana - Director, Matt Conaway
NorthWood High School Red Regiment, Nappanee, Indiana – Director, Eric Criss
Speedway High School 500 Regiment Band, Speedway, Indiana – Director, Amy Mohl
Warren Central Gold Brigade Marching Band and Color Guard, Indianapolis – Director, Ed Meckes
The parade starts at the intersection of Pennsylvania and North streets and goes south to Washington Street, east to Meridian Street, and then north on Meridian to end at North Street.
See the parade route at 500festival.com.
The 2025 theme is 'Connected Through May,' celebrating how the 500 Festival unites with local organizations and community members through its diverse events and programs, especially in May.
AES 500 Festival Parade tickets are on sale, starting at $25, at 500festival.com/tickets.
Proceeds from all 500 Festival ticketed events help support the organization's free education, health, and fitness initiatives for Indiana youth.
Organizers suggest arriving early to find parking, as many downtown streets will be closed to traffic and public parking in preparation for the event. Several parking facilities will be open for event parking, but due to street closings, not all routes into the various parking locations will be available.
500 Festival Parade recommends drivers:
Arrive early and relax during peak exit times.
Enter downtown from the side on which you plan to park and park facing the direction you intend to depart.
Plan where you will park ahead of time. Plan your route ahead of time and carpool if possible. Prepare to park away from the event site.
Plan to use a parking garage or lot. Metered parking is limited around special event areas.
Book parking in advance through SpotHero.
Visit 500festival.com for street closures.Meters close on May 23 for Vermont Street between Pennsylvania and Delaware streets; and on May 24 for the parade route.
The event is coordinated by 500 Festival, a not-for-profit organization that produces more than 50 events and programs while celebrating the Indianapolis 500.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: When is the 500 Festival Parade? What to know about the 2025 event
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