Summer in Indiana is packed with festivals. If you’re looking for a fun day or weekend trip to celebrate the start of summer this May, there are plenty of options statewide–whether you’re looking for a family outing, a day trip date, or a solo adventure!

500 Festival Parade

The quintessential Indiana summer is incomplete without some celebration of the Indianapolis 500. Whether you plan on being at the race or not, you’ll find plenty of programming all through the month of May to get you in the Indy 500 spirit. The 500 Festival Parade draws some 200,000 race fans each year. The celebration begins at 11:45 a.m. on Saturday, May 23rd, and the parade commences at noon. Catch giant helium balloons, a lineup of floats, and every driver in this year’s race. The opening production will feature Loren Allred (of The Greatest Showman fame) singing the national anthem, and Ephraim Owens (seen on The Voice) performing with the Indiana Pacemates and the Indianapolis Colts Cheerleaders.

Banks of the Wabash Festival

If your kids can't wait until the county fair for some festival fun, check out the Banks of the Wabash Festival in Terre Haute. From Thursday, May 21st through Saturday, May 30th, Fairbanks Park in Terre Haute transforms into a perfect summer carnival. The days will be packed with live music, fair food, carnival rides, and more–don’t miss Rumble at the River on the 30th, an event which promises to mix professional wrestling and boxing for an exciting close to the festival.

Southern Indiana Renaissance Faire

The Southern Indiana Renaissance Faire is open for just one more weekend–this Saturday and Sunday, May 23rd and 24th. If jousting, sword swallowers, live music, and a sea of great costumes sounds like your dream festival, this one’s for you. The festival is family friendly, but three pubs serving up alcoholic drinks make it an especially great destination for adults. There are also plenty of vendors serving up food–I recommend the porksicle, a massive hunk of seasoned pork on a stick.

Constellation Stage & Screen will bring seven productions to the stage for their 5th Anniversary 26/27 Season, featuring four Mainstage productions, two plays designed for younger audiences, and a holiday variety show.

The Mainstage lineup this year will see Heist by Arun Lakra returning to the Constellation stage in September, after its initial run was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. The lineup also features Annie, An Enemy of the People, and The Cottage.

Dubbed Constellation for Kids, the youth series this year features R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps The Musical: The Phantom of the Auditorium and Mojo & Jimmy: The Totally Awesome Magic Show. Mojo & Jimmy will be a “PB&J Cafe” show, featuring a dinner theatre experience designed specifically for children.

The ConsteLate Show: Holiday Special will incorporate talk show and variety show elements into an immersive late-night experience starring new local guests each night.

Constellation Stage & Screen offers two programs to improve community accessibility: Pay What You Will Thursdays and Sensory-Friendly performances. Pay What You Will Thursdays allow community members to choose their own ticket prices for certain shows, providing an affordable alternative to regular price tickets.

Sensory-Friendly performances feature lower sound levels, low lighting kept on throughout the show, elimination of flashing lights from the performance, and other accommodations crafted to facilitate a low-stress option for families of children with sensory sensitivities. These performances are also Pay What You Will.

The City of Bloomington and Downtown Bloomington Inc. are bringing a Family Night Out block party to Kirkwood Avenue on the second Wednesday of every month May through October. The block in front of the Monroe County Public Library will be closed to vehicular traffic to allow families and individuals to spread out across the street and enjoy live music from buskers, displays from local artists, food from local restaurants, and more.

Community groups and local businesses will table at each event, bringing information and activities to attendees of all ages. The City of Bloomington’s Front Porch Trailer will provide an array of activities, including corn hole and Spikeball sets, sidewalk chalk, jump ropes, and more, giving the whole family a chance to treat Kirkwood Avenue like their own front lawn.

Local restaurants will feature special deals during each Family Night Out, and there will be ample tables for groups to sit down and enjoy their food amidst the bustle of Kirkwood Avenue.

Family Night Out is geared toward people of all ages. All dates will take place rain or shine.

On Saturday, May 16, The Goat Conspiracy Sanctuary will hold their 2026 Spring Fling, featuring a 5K fun run and porch concert from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration for the 5K fun run begins at 9 a.m., and the race begins at 10 a.m. The porch concert at the Cabin begins at 11 a.m., featuring performances from Bruce and the Spillers, Sunnyside Down, Badminton 3, and Always Late.

Admission is $20 for adults, $10 for kids 12 and under, with no charge for babies and toddlers under three. This entry fee also includes self-guided visits with the goats. Heartwork Brewing and the Planted food truck will also be at the event selling food and drinks.

For more information, visit: https://www.thegoatconspiracy.com/