AES 500 Festival Parade

Adding color to downtown Indy since 1957!

One of the original 500 Festival events, the AES 500 Festival Parade is one of the nation’s largest, most-respected parades, consistently earning national acclaim alongside the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. More than 200,000 people will line the streets of downtown Indianapolis to experience the larger-than-life floats, giant helium balloons, celebrities and dignitaries, award-winning bands, and all 33 drivers competing in the Indy 500.

The 2023 AES 500 Festival Parade will take place on Saturday, May 27, in downtown Indianapolis. Parade festivities start at 11:45 am, with the parade beginning at noon. The Parade will be telecast to the Indianapolis market on WTHR, Channel 13, and nationally on Peacock.

This year’s theme, Fueling May, celebrates the people, traditions, history, and memories that bring the spirit of May to life. May in Indianapolis is more than just a month. It is a tradition, celebration, and spectacle like no other. It’s the iconic moments that fuel May. Participants kissing the bricks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and crossing the finish line after conquering a half marathon, parade floats and balloons filling the streets of downtown, the honoring of our fallen heroes and families, and the memories created that last a lifetime.

Please be advised that you should only purchase tickets for the AES 500 Festival Parade via 500Festival.com. We recommend that you do not buy tickets outside of our website as we cannot guarantee the quality, location, or price being offered to you. The 500 Festival is not affiliated with any other ticket platforms. Should you want to purchase outside of an online platform, please call 317-614-6400.