Events All Year, Many Festivals & Installations Kicking Off Now.
Answers to Hoosier State trivia from prior BiCentennial theme post are: 1) Corydon 2) Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin 3) Patoka 4) Ohio 5) “The Crossroads of America” 6) peony 7) cardinal 8) seven 9) a buffalo 10) Angel Mounds. For review of questions, click here.
On Dec. 11, 1816, President James Madison signed a congressional resolution to admit Indiana as the nation’s 19th state. Thus, Indiana officially celebrates its 200th birthday on December 11th, 2016.
But much like the Indianapolis 500 really is about the entire month of May and not just the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, Indiana’s Bicentennial Celebration is a year-long event!
Here are a few highlights from central Indiana in the upcoming months:
- Enjoy Pop Festival at the Carmel Clay Public Library on March 26th, where the state’s signature treats of soda and popcorn abound. Help create a piece for the Indiana Bicentennial art installation!
- The Carmel Clay Public Library presents Hoosier Hysteria @ the Library through the end of March, featuring a celebration of the state’s famous basketball heritage.
- 200 Years of Indiana Art: A Cultural Legacy just opened at the Indiana State Museum, and features artwork from Hoosiers past and present.
- Saturdays through April 2nd, Indianapolis City Market presents the Bicentennial Bazaar, celebrating the state’s farming and agricultural heritage at the downtown market.
- With the better weather, what about a Bicentennial Road Trip? The Indiana Office of Tourism Development has compiled ideas ranging from history to architecture to transportation to yes, even basketball.
- Hoosier Women in Art, through March 26th at the Garfield Park Art Center, celebrates the ways in which local women create experimental and innovative artworks.
- The OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon always signals the start of the Month of May celebrations in Indianapolis. 2016 marks the Mini’s 40th Anniversary, but most importantly, the celebrations (and even the race t-shirt) will be Indiana Bicentennial themed. The event is Saturday, May 7th.
Among Indiana’s 92 counties, there are a plethora of celebrations, small and large, throughout the year. Art and history abound, and most events are family-friendly! Explore the Indiana Bicentennial Celebration’s events calendar.