INDIANAPOLIS (April 4, 2025) – The 500 Festival announces Kelsey Hart as the featured performer for the AES 500 Festival Parade Opening Production, presented by Katz, Sapper & Miller. Tickets are on sale starting at $25 and can be purchased online at 500festival.com/tickets. Proceeds from all 500 Festival ticketed events help support the organization’s free programming and events for Indiana youth and college students.  

Country music artist and songwriter Kelsey Hart, whose hit song Life With You has amassed over 53 million global streams, will headline this year’s opening production. The track debuted in the Top 10 on Billboard’s Country Digital Songs Chart and reached No. 1 on SiriusXM The Highway’s Hot 30 Weekend Countdown. Hart, whose songwriting credits include hits for Jake Owen, Dylan Scott, and Trace Adkins, continues to make waves with his own music. Joining him on stage will be the Indiana Pacemates. 

The opening production reflects this year’s theme, Connected Through May, bringing together incredible talent like Kelsey Hart to connect attendees and race fans through music and shared experiences. Kelsey’s performance will create lasting connections and unforgettable memories, uniting fans in the excitement of the Indy 500. 

“Forty5 is excited to partner with the 500 Festival to bring Kelsey Hart as the opening performance of the AES 500 Festival Parade in Indianapolis,” said the Forty5 team. “That evening, Turntable — Indianapolis’s newest concert venue, located in the heart of Broad Ripple and proudly owned and operated by Forty5 — will host a special concert presented by Forty5 and the 500 Festival. We are thrilled to collaborate with such an incredible organization to bring a memorable event to Indianapolis on race weekend!” 

The Parade will take place on Saturday, May 24, in downtown Indianapolis with festivities beginning at 11:45 a.m. This classic race-weekend tradition features spectacular floats, larger-than-life balloons, marching bands from across the country, celebrities, everyday heroes, and the 33 drivers that will be competing in the Indy 500 the next day.  

The Parade will be televised live for the Indianapolis market on WTHR, Channel 13. You can also catch a rebroadcast at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 24, on WTHR+.

Following the Parade, please join us for a special night as Forty5 and Katz, Sapper & Miller present; Kelsey Hart, benefiting the 500 Festival. The post parade concert will take place at Turntable, starting at 8 p.m. Ticket details are available here. Use code PARADE for a $10 ticket.   

Support of the AES 500 Festival Parade is provided by: AES, WTHR-13, American Dairy Association of Indiana, Anthem, Central Indiana Chevy Dealers, ClusterTruck, dormakaba, Eli Lilly, Franciscan Health, Indiana Pacers, IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, End Lung Cancer Now, Indianapolis Colts, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IndyHumane, Katz, Sapper & Miller, KeyBank, Meijer, OneAmerica, Purdue University, Regions Bank, Republic Airways, Sullivan Hardware & Garden, Two Men And A Truck, and The Vogue.