Latin Music series to begin on Lugar Plaza / Athenaeum to host Das GartenGrillFest / Floating Farmers Market to open Friday
* The Indianapolis Cultural Trail and the Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development will launch Viernes Cultural: Latin Night at Lugar Plaza, beginning Friday, May 30, from 7 to 10 p.m. The first in the summer series will feature live music by Son de Esquina and a beginner-friendly Merengue lesson with Jen Gaskill, sponsored by Indiana Donor Network.
Viernes Cultural, a celebration of Latin culture, is free to attend and includes live music, dance instruction, and food and drink in a festive, family-friendly atmosphere. This year, Viernes Cultural will occur monthly, from May to September, on the last Friday of each month. Viernes Cultural headlines the Cultural Trail’s summer offerings of free, engaging and unique programs available for all along the Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene and Marilyn Glick. Opportunities range from live music and group bike rides to yoga for all ages. A full calendar of opportunities is available on IndyCulturalTrail.org/calendar.
“Viernes Cultural exemplifies our mission to create, inspire, and sustain connections and cultural experiences that are accessible to all,” said Kären Haley, executive director of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail. “Everyone is invited to participate in the wide variety of activities and cultural experiences that are available on the Cultural Trail this summer, including simply taking a bike ride or walking on the Cultural Trail itself”
The series is sponsored by PNC Bank. “PNC is proud to support the Indianapolis Cultural Trail and this free, family-friendly event that brings our community together to appreciate each other for a fun celebration of Latin culture,” said Jason Eckerle, PNC regional president of Central and Southern Indiana. “We are fortunate to have this world-class public space and are thrilled to see how the trail continues to attract visitors to the heart of downtown Indianapolis.”
The full 2025 schedule for Viernes Cultural: Latin Night at Lugar Plaza is below:
● May 30: Live Music by Son de Esquina; group merengue dance Lesson by Jen Gaskill; food and beverage by The Garnacha Spot and Just Call Kate Mobile Libations.
● June 27: Live music by 317 Proyecto; group bachata dance lesson by Jen Gaskill; food and beverage by The Garnacha Spot and Just Call Kate Mobile Libations.
● July 25: Live music by Son de Esquina; group cumbia dance Lesson by Latin Expressions; food and beverage by The Garnacha Spot and Just Call Kate Mobile Libations.
● Aug. 29: Live music by Pavel and Direct Contact; group salsa dance lesson by Latin Expressions; beverages by Just Call Kate Mobile Libations.
● Sept. 26: Live music by Son de Esquina; group salsa dance lesson by Jen Gaskill; beverages by Just Call Kate Mobile Libations.
Registration for Viernes Cultural is not required but encouraged. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1363200101199?aff=oddtdtcreator.
For more information about the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, including free programs and events, visit: indyculturaltrail.org/calendar or follow @IndyCulturalTrail on Instagram and Facebook and @INCulturalTrail on Twitter.
* The Athenaeum Foundation’s Das GartenGrillFest will return for another year with a hog roast. Described as a “celebration of Father’s Day with a German twist, the event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, June 15, in the Rathskeller Biergarten.
Two bands will perform on the Biergarten stage, with The 78’s playing from 10:30 a.m. to noon and Indianapolis Liederkranz German Band from 12:30 to 2 p.m.
“Everyone is invited to come celebrate dads the best way possible, with a backyard BBQ,” said Athenaeum Foundation President Craig Mince. “Das GartenGrillFest will immerse attendees in the German community while enjoying delicious food and talented entertainment.”
The celebration will feature a backyard barbecue brunch, including a hog roast prepared by Michael Gomez from Gomez BBQ. Traditional sides will be provided by the Rathskeller, and other brunch favorites from Coat Check Coffee will also be available.
For those feeling extra festive, secure a table of six and get some extra dad-themed snacks for the table.
Complimentary coffee, lemonade, iced tea and orange juice will be provided and a selection of wine, beer, batch cocktails and soda can be purchased from the bar.
Tickets are on sale now, and event organizers encourage attendees to purchase tickets online in advance. General admission: Adult $45 (plus fees); children ages four-12 $20 (plus fees); children three and under are free.g eneral admission tickets include admission and a buffet-style brunch. Six-person tables for adults are available. Table purchases include buffet-style brunch and special snacks for the table. For more information on the Athenaeum Foundation, visit athenaeumindy.org.
* The Indy Health District will host its first Floating Farmers Market of the summer at the Ruth Lilly Center Parking Lot at 21st Street and Capitol Avenue from 4 to 6:30 p.m. on Friday. The markets will include several vendors, providing produce, seeds and even haircuts. IU Health will also offer free health screenings on-site.
The market will provide access to healthy, affordable food. Said organizers, “By delivering fresh, nutritious, locally grown produce directly to the neighborhoods within the district, the Farmers Market offers an efficient, community-driven approach to food access that honors residents’ voices.
Vendors include, but aren’t limited to, The Elephant Garden, Small Town Produce, From the Ground Up Goods, H3r Story, Flavor by Faith, Touba Gardens, Flanner House Farms, 3 Sisters Garden and Mother Loves Garden.
The markets are for the public, but particularly for the neighbors in the district. The five primary neighborhoods of the Indy Health District are Crown Hill, Historic Flanner House Homes, Highland Vicinity, Meridian Highland and Ransom Place.
The Indy Health District is proud to partner with Harvest 2 Home Indy, a locally owned and operated business led by Danita Hoskin, a lifelong District resident and president of the Crown Hill Neighborhood Association. The partnership ensures expert management of the market and advances a core strategic principle of the IHD, supporting small business incubation and local entrepreneurship as drivers of community health and stability.
