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CarmelFest

4.7 (13 reviews)

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Katie U.

I've lived in Carmel my entire life, but this year was my first time attending the local favorite event, Carmelfest. This is a two-day festival that takes place primarily at Carmel Civic Square by the gazebo / fire station / fountain. Locals infamously stake their parade spot days in advance but to be honest...you can just show up day of and find a spot to stand and watch the parade. It's not that big of a deal. The actual festival has vendor booths selling / promoting stuff, live entertainment, a kids zone area and what I refer to as "state fair" concessions. Grab a lemon shakeup and elephant ear and sit back and people watch. This event draws a crowd! Stick around for the incredible fireworks show, too. Tip: Carmelfest is easily accessible by the Monon Trail, so if you're willing to walk, park in the Midtown or Arts & Design District to avoid the most congestion.

Food
Nicole S.

The city and people of Carmel are kind, and you really see this during CarmelFest. Where else can you leave chairs out on the sidewalk for four days before a parade in order to secure a spot ... and no one will move them or steal them. (Pro tip: In order to secure a decent spot for the CarmelFest parade, you probably should leave your chairs out. Just saying.) The parade is just one aspect of the festival. There are also food trucks, bounce houses, carnival games, caricatures and face painting, musical acts, and lots of vendors. The fire house is open, so kids can look at the fire trucks and even hop in them. This is a very popular festival every year, so expect lots of people!

Any kind of food you want, as long as it's pork tenderloins and hot dogs!
Jemmie W.

This event is ok. It's everything you think it will be - carnival type food, well heeled locals milling around, local organizations and their booths, vendors selling trash and trinkets that buyers never use or see after they get home, etc. There are also two stages for music and other performances. What it needs is something more edgy. Carmel is like that near perfectly round, smooth rock that has been in the waves for years such that anything obtuse, sharp, and edgy has been smoothed out. This event epitomizes that and bores the crap out of me after 10-15 minutes. Where are the ethnic food vendors? How many varieties of burgers and carny fries do we need? Where are the booths advocating for the rights of excessively tattooed, atheist, midget amputees? Where are the gangsta rappers from 38th Street throwing down rhymes about Carmel PD harassing people for DWB? Show me something *interesting*.

Kid zone at this year's CarmelFest.
Liz S.

This year was the first time I went to the CarmelFest and I really enjoyed it! It was spread across a good size of downtown Carmel. There were two bounce areas for kids, one for younger kids and one on the opposite side of the fest for older kids. There were also many food carts to choose from! I got a Lemonade shake-up, which is always a good choice, and a corn dog. Prices were as expected at a festival, but if you ordered a shake-up many food trucks refilled for cheaper a price. The bounce area for the younger kids was a great time. My nieces and nephew loved it. The wristbands were $25 per kid, or $10 a piece for ages 6 and under. With the band they were able to go on any of the bounce areas unlimited times. The fireworks were great! They were shot off right in front of the Palladium. They had a great grand finale, one of the best I've seen in a long time! There were many places to choose from to sit and watch them as well.

Funnel cake :)
Niki B.

Ask yourself: Is it really the Fourth of July if you don't come here? Would Katy Perry be proud of you if you didn't watch the fireworks? Cue CarmelFest. Walk in, buy your elephant ear, and meander through the concerts, games, contests, and vendors. You'll be in the American spirit within minutes and it's exciting because the Fest gets bigger & better every year. The south-end of the festival boasts a lively children's area full of rides, huge inflatables, and a kid's stage. The coolest part are the mini trampolines with harnesses that you can pay to try. The harnesses allow you to jump and do cool flips in the air. Beginner Cirque de Solei? You also have to pay for the other games as well. Fairly cheap. The gazebo in the center of CarmelFest has live music with local bands that play both days. There's always a singing competition during the day on the fourth and the finalists perform again that night. Always chalked full of local talent. Everyone brings a picnic blanket, chairs, and coolers, then lays out in the lawn all day, staking their spot. And the food? It's your typical fair food (in a good way) plus some. Yep, it's got your fried options, incredible Indian corn, swirly ice cream cones, and lemon shake-ups. There's also guests like Bella Pizzeria and a new stir-fry-made-to-order booth. Cash is needed. There are about a hundred sponsor booths, hippie vendors, and interactive stops around the festival and without spending a dime, you could be entertained for at least an hour. If you haven't been, check it out next year! Always on July 3rd & 4th and no entry fee.

Patty L.

All American 4th of July festival 30+ Food Vendors and twice as many Art vendors! Great place to celebrate our freedom! Love this country! Thankful for the courage of the men and women who made it possible to enjoy this day

Husband enjoying a corn dog.

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1 year ago

Very nice setup and quality vendors. Nice entertainment. Crowd wasnt too bad to walk around.

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Review Highlights - CarmelFest

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Taste of Carmel - Sweets

Taste of Carmel

(2 reviews)

The Taste of Carmel. It is the food fest fundraiser benefiting Orchard Park Elementary School that…read moreI try my best not to miss each year. It never disappoints; just makes me a little uncomfortable by the end of the night. Take a look at just a few of the dishes served up tonight. You'll also see that theI I was invited to attend the VIP First Taste - the hour prior to the start of the event that grants serious foodies early access to sample creations by some of Carmel's award-winning chefs. Never been to this extraordinary eating extravaganza?? You are missing out! Get there next year, support a very worthy cause, and make your stomach extremely happy. #TasteOfCarmel2020 #OrchardParkElementrySchool

Taste of Carmel is a foodie fundraising event that happens in Carmel the first week of March. All…read moreof the profits go toward Orchard Park Elementary School, to help pay for classroom materials, field trips, school programs and teacher support. I attended in 2018, and I have to say, it was really great. There were at least three dozen food and beverage vendors set up in one big, indoor room at the event center, and you can just walk around and take samples from each one. Multiple samples! As many samples as you want! There were particular tables that I kept going back to (hello, endless vodka shots and meatball sliders). I came to the event hungry, and I left full, buzzed and happy. The great thing about Taste of Carmel (besides the fact that it is a fundraiser that directly helps a local school) is that the vendors at the event are all local and from the Indianapolis / Carmel area, so you get to discover new restaurants and businesses during the event. There were a few local distilleries that I had no idea existed in the area, so I was happy to sample their beverages. Parking is abundant at 502 East Event Center, where the event is held. But this event is really popular, so there are busses that will take you to nearby parking lots where there is more parking. I'm looking forward to Taste of Carmel next year!

Indianapolis Greek Festival

Indianapolis Greek Festival

(27 reviews)

We went for the first time this year and were so glad we did! I've heard that it's many people's…read morefavorites, and so we were eager to visit. Here's what we loved: + Free entry (and $5 parking to park close but totally worth it) + Food area = they allow you to pick up all the food you want and then pay for it all together as you exit. Same with the dessert room. Super efficient! + Huge Greek salads and Greek fries = favorite savory foods + Dessert room in the church = favorite thrill of the event (yummmm) + Baklava cheesecake = favorite dessert we tried + Fun dancing = performances and they involve everyone later in the night + Seating = many shaded tents with chairs and tables + Kids area = puppet shows, coloring, and beading crafts + Church = beautiful building and they let you peek in too + Photo opps = fun and creative + Marketing = Lenie does the best job and is so on top of things! + Social media = so much great info posted clearly on their IG Things to note: + Dessert line = it's long but it moves quicker than you'd expect. I saw that they have a dessert pre-order option and a pick-up area that makes it much quicker but it was fun to see everything in person to choose! No regrets. + Dessert menus in line = there was a dessert menu listed outside of the church but as we were waiting in the line, it would've been helpful to have some menus posted along the line so people could think up their order while waiting. (Or we should've taken a photo of the outdoor sign!) + Entrance from parking lot = mostly everyone parks in the big field next to the church but then you walk up a little hill, between trees, through the parking lot, and past the emergency vehicles. It felt like maybe that wasn't the right entrance, so some signage or some type of entrance would be fun there. It's such a wonderful event and we'll definitely be back! Great work!

This is my first time attending the Greek Festival, I would say the food and the environment are…read moreamazing! The food is very delicious and tastes amazing! They have entertainment and dancing, and everyone is enjoying their time! I would recommend this place if you are looking for an amazing time to relax and enjoy your night. It only happens once every year! Would go back next year to enjoy the food and entertainment!

Harvest Nights at Newfields - Tastes just so spacy and angry. heh.

Harvest Nights at Newfields

(49 reviews)

As someone who has a background in visual arts, I'm always excited to visit Newfields! Art in…read moreBloom, The Lume immersive experiences , Winterlights and of course Harvest Nights are some of the annual events I look forward to. Last night was the third time I attended Harvest Nights. This was the first time I arrived before it was dark so it was less spooky and a bit more wholesome in the daylight. We arrived at 7 and stayed until about 9 pm to experience everything lit up after dark. When you arrive, you're surrounded by stacks of pumpkins in every size, shape, color and type imaginable. Beautiful Fall arrangements are everywhere you look. The Fungi Forest was something new I haven't seen before. Very cool! I felt a bit like Alice in Wonderland encompassed by giant mushrooms towering above illuminated by strategically placed neon lights. One of the highlights of the event was the Cutwater Lounge--a 21+ space upstairs in the Lily House transformed into "Mischief Manor" only for Harvest Nights. The bartender told me this was the first year having this feature. We had a flight of the Cutwater alcoholic beverages that included a snack mix of tasty treats. The Mule and Espresso Martini were our favs with the margarita coming in 3rd. Cutwater's take on the Lemon Drop (which is a drink I typically enjoy) was strong yet tasted a bit watered down. The adult only experience wasn't very well marked (it's upstairs) and signage in general--starting at the parking lot entrance--needs improvement. I'm not sure we would have known about the adult area had it not been for the nice lady who sold us some yummy sweet potato fries with sage and bourbon maple dip. The Spider Stomp, Ghost Train and light show projected onto the Lily House all add to the overall experience. The seasonal food and drink options are great albeit a bit pricey. Passed on the $12 Bavarian pretzel but had to try Elysian Pumpkin Ale and wanted to try the cider but $14 was a little steep. It's not necessary to spend $20 for premium parking that they pressure you to purchase when you first pull into the lot. I recommend getting there early and wearing some of your best walking shoes. It's a cashless campus so good to keep that in mind. Love Newfields and can't wait for Winterlights in a couple months!

We went at 7:30 which was the perfect time since it was just starting to get dark. The line was…read morelong but move pretty quickly. We loved all the lights and decorations. There were tons of decorated pumpkins throughout Newfields. There is a food/drink garden area in the middle with benches to take a break if you want. We ordered the Marsh & Mallow Spooky Campfire Cocoa (spiked hot cocoa) and we all liked it and was comforting on this chilly night. The Lily house had a long line but we enjoyed going in and seeing all the spooky details inside.

Setonfest - Tickets required for rides

Setonfest

(2 reviews)

If you live in Carmel, you will probably hear at some point: "You should go to SetonFest." Or, more…read moreaccurately: "You should go to that little carnival over at the Catholic church on 116th Street and Haverstick Road." No one I talked to could recall the name of the little carnival, just that it was at a Catholic church and had been around for some time. Does a name really matter when we're talking about ferris wheels and corn hole? Not particularly. A carnival appears, we go, and we have fun. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church hosts SetonFest every summer, usually the last week of July or the first week of August. It's an event that stretches across three evenings -- Thursday, Friday and Saturday -- from 6 p.m. until 11 p.m. This is a good place to throw down some change on carnival food. You'll find the usual fair fare, such as roasted corn, walking tacos, cotton candy, hot dogs and bratwurst, steak sandwiches and shaved ice. (I may or may not have eaten three of them. OK, I did.) There is also a beer tent. This area is where you can get your drink on -- discreetly. After you've had enough to drink, you might want to try your hand at some corn hole, play a few bingo cards, dance to the live music, or enjoy one of the several rides. Yes, there's a ferris wheel. There's also that ride where you go around in a circle. There's also a giant slide, the one with the swatches of burlap and the bumps. If you're at SetonFest on Friday and Saturday at dusk, you'll see the fireworks display in the night sky. It's a great way to cap off a nice time at a community event.

Good summer fun. Lots of food. Good beer garden. Rides are great for the little ones. The…read morevolunteers are super friendly. Live band was excellent. Make sure you go to this one. Tip of the day - get there early as parking is tight or ride your bike.

Carmel International Arts Festival

Carmel International Arts Festival

(9 reviews)

Add this event to your fall festival bucket list! One of the best in the central Indiana area. I…read morewent both days to wander around for 2+ hours and explore, as admission is free. The festival features more than 130 juried artists who are each exceptional at their work. This is not a craft fair or flea market; rather, these are high end pieces ranging from paintings to photographs to jewelry and ceramics and beyond. Some of the price tags are high (meaning you could drop $3,000 if you wanted to) but many offer affordable prints of their paintings at a lower cost, for example. I was mesmerized to see the diversity and quality of artwork. Even though there are thousands of attendees, the festival is set up well and flows easily. There are food vendors on-site (would love to see more international cuisine), dance demonstrations and more. My only suggestion is to give it more "international" flair as I'm not really sure why it's called the international arts festival. Perhaps a number of the artists travel from abroad? I'm not entirely sure.

This was our first visit to the Carmel Arts District and we enjoyed ourselves when we visited the…read moreInternational Art Fair. It was a nice time for the family. The children really enjoyed seeing all different types of art displayed there. They even got to participate in one of the art exhibits. Carmel High school had a display where the children could choose a number and color that number on a giant Mona Lisa painting. After all the colors were finished, the painting would be displayed at the high school. Do they really enjoy being a part of that. We'll have to get back up there to see how the finished work turned out. There were food vendors out, live music, dance lessons taking place. So a few things to see. It was nice. I enjoyed the fried veggie truck. I can't remember the name but it was good. I will say it would have been nice to see other representation of other cultures here, as it called itself the "International" fair. But definitely a nice event to go do to get some fresh air and see some local art talent.

Broad Ripple Beer Fest

Broad Ripple Beer Fest

(2 reviews)

Broad Ripple

This festival is always so great - from the fall / Halloween theme to the intimate setting it's…read morejust a great day. It's a smaller festival than Indiana Microbrewer's Festival or Winterfest in that there are ~1,000 attendees but it's still an amazing value since your ticket comes with unlimited pours from over 40 Indiana breweries - mead and cider are available, too. Several will bring special brews to the event and almost everyone has multiple options and something for everyone to enjoy. Food is available for purchase & other vendors are on-site. I had a great time bowling for charity with Joy's House. Even better is that part of each festival's proceeds help a local charity. Costume contents, a DJ, and other activities - like the keg toss - are also an annual occurrence.

Broad Ripple Beer Fest is like a smaller version of Winterfest and Microbrewers Festival…read more(Summerfest), albeit much less hectic than the two larger festivals. There is still plenty of beer to go around with 50+ breweries, and the ratio of attendees to beer is much more manageable. Some of the more popular beer fest features are still in place, such as specialty beers at HopCat tent and cask selections. Most breweries have seasonal beers to choose from as well. An added bonus of Broad Ripple Beer Fest is the festive atmosphere. Since it's close to Halloween, many folks came out in costumes and the people-watching was quite fun. The beer fest can be a pre-game to other Halloween parties or the party itself. Being an outdoor festival in the fall, weather can be a factor and it can be tricky. You just have to be committed before attending. If you enjoy beer festivals but don't like the crowds, Broad Ripple Beer Fest offers a more chill (literally and figuratively) experience. It's a good alternative to the bigger festivals and also a nice halfway point as well.

CarmelFest - festivals - Updated May 2026

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