May 1, 2018
The Month of May | 500 Festival Events
Month of May schedule of events Indianapolis is all about finishing first, and the arrival of May is the green flag for all events that lead to The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. In May, we start a month-long celebration of the Indianapolis 500. From the 500 Festival Kickoff to May to the Keybank 500 Festival …
Read MoreApril 29, 2018
IndyCar Driver Graham Rahal to Drive Indy 500 Pace Car for 2018 Indy Mini
IndyCar driver Graham Rahal will drive the Indy 500 pace car to lead the 2018 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon on May 5. Rahal will be behind the wheel of the blue 2018 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, the official Indy 500 pace car used for race day on May 27. He’ll lead the way when the …
Read MoreApril 16, 2018
500 Festival Surprises IPL 500 Festival Parade Grand Marshals
2018 grand marshals prove they’re better together Two is better than one. That can be true in many basic ways, but when the two people complement each other like Abby Abel and Mitch Bonar, the saying lives beyond its meaning. Ever since they met through their high school’s Unified Track and Field program, …
Read MoreApril 6, 2018
33 Princess Approved Spring Favorites
Quickly approaching is the 500 Festival’s favorite season; a time when the sun starts shining, the black and white take hold and we’re in full gear toward the month of May. Our love for this time of year is rooted in the racing, running, festivities and celebration, so to continue the spirit of sharing things …
Read MoreApril 2, 2018
From Tiaras to White Coats
This year’s Princess class has a variety of interests. While some study the arts, business, and education, three of these 33 young women are professional students in graduate school. Carolina Vogel is a 1st-year medical student at Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Elaina Etter and Olga Vlashyn are both pharmacy students at Purdue …
Read MoreMarch 20, 2018
500 Festival Princesses Walk in St. Patrick’s Day Parade
The 500 Festival Princesses are going green! Sporting some shamrock style among their sparkling tiaras, a group of the Princesses welcomed the festive weekend by joining Indianapolis’ annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration on Friday, March 16. Before the checkered flags and the red, white and blue that accompanies May’s Memorial Day Weekend celebration, the Princesses …
Read MoreMarch 5, 2018
Don’t Mess With a Princess
2018 Princesses Set 60-Year Program Record for Highest GPA These women are the real deal. Whatever you thought you knew about the 500 Festival Princess Program, throw it out. It’s not a pageant. It’s not a competition. The sashes and tiaras are part of the history, but the academics and community outreach are part of …
Read MoreFebruary 14, 2018
500 Gives Back to Like-Minded Community Organizations
Grant program application deadline: February 28 The 500 Festival wants to help your organization! To be exact, $33,000 is available to Indiana community organizations that share the values and mission of the 500 Festival. We can relate to the passion and dedication that it takes to promote the community within the Hoosier state. And while …
Read MoreFebruary 14, 2018
500 Festival Nominates Rhonda Smith With ROSE Award
On February 14, 2018, the 500 Festival surprised its Volunteer of the Year, Rhonda Smith, with a ROSE Award (Recognition of Service Excellence) from Visit Indy. Rhonda’s dedication to serving others as a 500 Festival volunteer for well over a decade has been unmatched. An employee of OneAmerica, Rhonda has led the OneAmerica Pit Station at …
Read MoreFebruary 8, 2018
The Special Event Show
500 Festival Staff members Travel to New Orleans Event to Gather Ideas for May in Indy By Sara Adams (Event & Program Manager) The Special Event Show was a dream to experience! It was a dedicated time for event professionals of all facets to join together to share, learn and experience both what is time-tested …
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