Amazing food. Our first time here, as we recently moved here. I loved EVERYTHING I ate. Tried to sample everything, but simply couldn't fit it all in. The Wagyu beef sliders and the pork belly grits were my top 2, but Smoking Goose's goat summer sausage was delicious, as was Chef JJ's lamb. Everything with tomatoes was incredible. So many different ways to eat tasty 'maters! Soo much good beer and wine, also. Again, impossible for me to sample it all, so I tried to focus on places I was less familiar with or were entirely new to me. Nothing was bad. Shoot, even the beet dishes were great! read more

The Good- The food was overall amazing! My top 5 were (in no particular order): ARTISAN FOODWORKS Cantonese Duck Taco GOMEZ BBQ The Dusty Pig MONON FOOD COMPANY Beet Taco w/ Goat Cheese Sauce THE NORTHSIDE SOCIAL Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese TEDS MARKET Corn Chowder The Pad- Military Park was still a bit damp from all of the storms but I thought the food and beverage tents were well spread out. It's also great that they have a pedal and park station (which I volunteered at in the morning) which enables people to ride their park to and from the festival. The Ugly- By 2:15pm (barely over halfway through the festival) there were restaurant booths that had closed up for the day after running out of food. I'm not sure if the Dig In Festival organizers did not adequately give a ticket count, more walk-up tickets were sold than usual, or the restaurants themselves under estimated their food needs, but it was disappointing to see. I would guess that we were unable to try a good quarter of the food stations by 3:15pm... Also $1 waters with no chance to fill up a water bottle ourselves? read more

Great event in pretty much every way. This year was out second year going to DigIn and our first as a VIP. The VIP ticket is the one place I have a minor complaint and I'll knock that out first. They only had one person doing wristbands for the VIP line and this caused it to be much slower moving than the standard early entry line. Outside of that one little thing everything else about the event is outstanding. My phones battery has been acting up so I wasn't able to take any pics to share like I wish I could have. Some of the standouts food wise for me were The Local, Spice Box, 800 Degrees Pizza, Citizen Hash, Union 50, and circle city soups. Lots of other stuff was great but those ones were some that really jumped out at me. read more

This was our first visit to Dig-In and our group of six gives it mixed reviews! The hot, humid weather affected our enjoyment of the day unfortunately. All of us agreed that mister stations would have been wonderful! We were also upset at the stations that ran out of food within the first two hours of general admission!! Pioneer and Story Inn were out by 12:15 and Cerulean's bacon wrapped pork belly was gone by 1:00. My husband missed this sample and he reminded us of that fact all day!! We were disappointed at the small number of wineries and the tiny pours we received compared to the beer pours. The best part of the festival was the food! The duck items were the favorites of our group, especially the duck meatball and duck kabob! Other favorites of mine were: Story Inn's corn ice cream, Vida's corn cake dessert and Tinker Street's gazpacho. The guys loved the beer choices and enjoyed way too much beer! Military Park was a nice location with all the shady trees. Even though some lines were long, they moved pretty quickly and volunteers helped with checking off our passports before we reached the food. Loved the free sunflower from the florist! Wish I could have watched more of the chef's competition since it seemed like fun and the food looked and smelled wonderful. I hope the organizers read the reviews and make some changes for next year's event. The one item that doesn't need changed is the high quality of the food and the chefs! read more

Great little festival showcasing Indiana chefs, Indiana breweries, and Indiana Wines! The location added to the great atmosphere! We'll be back next year! We may even buy early entry tickets next year to avoid lines and get to talk with chefs a little more! read more

Dig IN - Festivals Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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This was our third year enjoying the festivities of Dig IN and this was the best year yet. The line to get in to the event was a bit long/ridiculous, but after that it was smooth sailing! All of the lines for the vendors this year seemed to move much faster and places were not running out as early this year as they did last year. This event is a great way to try new places from all over the state and to learn about the farm to fork movement going on all over indiana. All of the staff were great and helpful, the free cold bottled water is fabulous, and I heard there was free sunscreen somewhere, but luckily I brought my own. If you've not been to Dig IN before, you should definitely put it on your to-do list for next year! It is always a big hit in our family!! read more

Beyond my expectations. Lines were short and everyone brought an impressive contribution to share. Can't wait to come back next year! read more

Dig IN - Festivals Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Everything about Dig IN (including the heat and sunburn) make me smile weeks after attending. A small group of friends and I took a weekend away to attend this event. A mutual friend had suggested it and spoke highly of it; she was a volunteer, organizer, etc over the years, so I trusted her judgement and was looking forward to some good bites, unique tastes, and an afternoon with friends, but really didn't know what to expect. What I never considered, somehow, was that my expectations (largely based on things like The Taste of Cincinnati) would be so blown out of the water- Cincinnati, listen up- and I would be raving about my experience long after my stomach had emptied. This festival/event was WONDERFUL. It was hot, which I generally don't love, and it took place in a largely open space (read: little shade). Despite that, getting to the tents for food wasn't just good because the food was wonderful, fresh, unique, and delightful, but it also afforded a bit of time under shade. Good food and relief. An excellent combination. Our group spent a good 3 hours tasting food, jumping from one line to the next, digesting as we waited. I don't think I had an absolute favorite (nor was I able to taste everything) but weeks later the peach soup, the walnut/corn salad, the lavender drink, and the taco, do stand out. Maybe those count as favorites? Additionally, I tried some great fruit wines, a popsicle when the heat of the day was too much to handle, and all in all really, really enjoyed myself. Water was plentiful and we all felt very taken care of. Everyone in our group seemed to have a good time at Dig IN. The venue was so great- a view of the water, a bridge, a park, the eco-garden as we walked in...great variety of scenery and it NEVER felt crowded. There were lines (time to eat your food) but never claustrophobic. Amazing. I will certainly make the trip again next year and recruit people to come along. Cincinnati has nothing on this festival, way to go Indy! read more

My husband and I volunteered on Saturday to help set-up the event. Our hours of setting up tables and chairs was rewarded with 2 free GA tickets to Dig-In. We had heard last year that booths were running out of food and it was a general disaster, so I was skeptical -- especially when I saw the HUGE line. (The line that, for whatever reason, reached down into the parking garage instead of along the sidewalk.) After about 20 minutes, however, we were in. I never waited more than a few minutes in line to get a sample. (Caveat: I did not wait in the Joseph Decuis line because it was just too long.) I was disappointed with the wineries -- with a few exceptions, the wine was bad. Like one pinot grigio I tasted seemed like it was already turning into vinegar. In the end, I ponied up $5 for a drink ticket and got a glass of Southcider from New Day Meadery. Lots of inventive dishes. I liked some more than others but nothing I had was awful. There were a few surprises -- the roasted corn popsicle from Nicey Treat was creamy and delicious. While WRSP is in a great location, there isn't a lot of shade -- and when your event is in August, relief from the heat is necessary. I did appreciate the free bottled water. The tubs were empty a few times but were always refilled. It seemed a bit unfair that some of the big name chefs were segregated into the VIP area. When you're already charging $40 for an event, giving special treatment for people willing to pay a lot more is kind of obnoxious. I ate maybe 6-7 samples so volunteering is the way to go for me; that way I don't have to worry about feeling like I got my money's worth. read more

Dig IN is one of the events that makes me really happy to be living in Indy... its celebration of locally-grown and sourced products, and the wealth of great Indiana breweries and wineries is one of the great things that makes Indianapolis its unique small town/world-class city feel. Not only that, but the price was beyond reasonable: I've been to (and organized) similar events in other cities, and the admission prices were at least twice what Dig IN charged. Dig IN was really well-organized... you received a "passport" upon check-in, and when you received your tasty treat from the vendor, a volunteer gave your passport a "stamp". This helped avoid the vendors running out of food too early (which is pretty typical at these types of events), and it also acted as a good way to create a sampling strategy and make sure you didn't miss a thing. One thing that they did really well and which helped with the organization is Dig IN's very robust volunteer program. If you volunteered for four hours, you also got to enjoy the event for free for a couple of hours. (And the most difficult thing about volunteering was saying "we have a bacon-cured Indiana tomato paired with five-year aged Cheddar cheese and balsamic gelée, topped with olive oil powder and micro chives" about 100 times without getting too mixed up). I was there later in the afternoon, and the lines seemed a little intimidating, but they moved quickly. There were always a few undiscovered places with no lines that seemed to rotate, so you could really avoid the standing around bits if you managed to stay on top of those. There were a couple of places I could just never hit at the right time (so I never got that corn popsicle at Nicey Treat, and ScratchTruck's food was long gone before I got there). But in general, I was beyond sated by the end of the festival, and more than impressed by the innovative dishes and quality beers our town has to offer! One additional thing to note is that it is August in Indiana, and the venue has very little shade... so bring a hat and sunscreen!! They offered giant tubs of bottled water for free, and that was a very good thing. read more

I'm diggin it. This event is a mecca for Indiana foodies. I attended last year and was absolutely blown away by the array of food, beer and wine. What impressed me more was the speaker series -- here I could drink a pint of local beer, while listening to experts from my own neighborhood talk about ecology, sustainability of agriculture, the culture of food, the best Indiana foods... It was a turning point in my life with food. This year was no let down. Thankfully they tried to make some of the vegetarian options more visible, but you still had to ask at each booth whether there was anything available. My other critique is that there is no stipulation on "how local" the ingredients are. If you're looking for gourmet (which this certainly is) you'll be glad; if you're wanting to eat only local, you probably will be let down. Favorites: Bread pudding, spaghetti squash with raw marinara and basil, Circle City Sweets peach tart, the Patachou tomato gazpacho, and Sun King beer. read more

Oh Dig In..how I love thee, let me count the ways. Dig In now has 3 years of experience under it's belt. It's one of, if not the, top festival in Indy each summer. It combines lots of intensely good things: talented chefs, locally grown food (including beef, pork, chicken, duck, etc), delicious craft beer and intelligent speakers bountiful with food knowledge. Tickets run around $30-$40. I couldn't give the event 5 stars due to the longish lines and the fact that so many vendors started running out of food 2 hours into the event, but let's say it's 4.5 stars. 2012 was the first year where a VIP ticket was offered-- I couldn't pull the trigger on that this year, but likely will for next year's event. I heard the lines were shorter, the drinks were flowing, and the food was plentiful during that one magical hour of VIP-ness. I can't get over how much awesome goodness is packed into this one day -- while I think 2012's event could be called the "year of the taco", they were all different and interesting. There were lamb tacos (yeah, Oakley's Bistro), beef tongue and cheek tacos (yeah, Joseph Decuis) and goat tacos with pork rinds (yeah, Goose the Market) just to name a few. Tons of corn and tomato dishes and some dessert items sprinkled in as well. If you're looking to really get a Taste of Indiana, I say DIG IN, my friends. read more

$45 ok; running out of food not ok; especially when I made a point to be there by 1p! Over all the event was fine. The sections (1-6) which were on the corners of ea tent could have been posted on the ground in addition so that it didn't fee like i was running around in circles. The names of the chefs (which were important) were much larger than the restaurant names on the tent and visa versa in the passport book which was confusing. read more

Awesome food review of the great State of Indiana! We were surprised at the superb quality! This is a few notches above Taste of Chicago! Any event that touts strap on wine glasses had to be awesome! read more

Dig IN - A few combined samples. - Festivals Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Best day of Summer. I usually hate festival type atmospheres, but somehow this event rises above. The cap on attendance helped with the lines from last year. read more

The food (while it lasted) was incredible as usual. The weather was downright debilitating - whew! read more

Fantastico!!!! Don't miss this event next year good eat! Good drinks! Good peeps! Longer than anticipated lines VIP pass might be preferable! read more

Dig IN - Festivals Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Another great year for Dig IN! I was so concerned that it was going to be like last year in that it was so blisteringly hot, that I wouldn't have the appetite to match the offerings. Thanks to a breeze, free water, fans, and cooling stations, this year was MUCH better than last years. Another factor for me was that I think portions were smaller, so I was able to try many more options. By no means do I think smaller portions are a bad thing -- I *want* to be able to try as many food options as possible! My favorite this year was J. Ford's Duck Confit Egg Roll. Wow. Piping hot, perfectly balanced sweetness/acidity/salt flavors and great texture. Very impressive. Another favorite was the Lamb Reuben by the Chef's Academy. That bit of mint just set the whole thing off in a beautiful way. On a side note, the kindness of volunteers and other Dig In go'ers just really restores my faith in humanity's connection to common courtesy. Other nice surprises included a free glass this year (YAY!) and free sunflowers, which are just about the happiest darn flower there is. This is just one of many reasons I fall in love with Indianapolis a little more with every passing season. read more

This is such a fab event. Such delish flavors & combos. I've never been able to sample everything, but I enjoy trying as much as I can . It's tough to pick a favorite. I really like how the event highlights, providers, chefs, and restaurants. It's really fun to mill about and enjoy the music. read more

Dig IN - People watching; food eating. - Festivals Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

I found myself stuffed and passed out on a grassy knoll. Great time and awesome food. read more

Third time was definitely the charm for Dig IN. Instead of getting all mad about parking, I headed for my designated area, and was to the main gate in no time. I proceeded to make a complete fool out of myself, having a wonderful time tasting delicious food and having a personal goal of trying all the wineries (accomplished, whoo hoo!). The hard cap on the tickets made for a much less crowded experience (some lines I tore through too fast, having not finished the plate from the booth before!) and the heat was on, but there was abundant water, and I even got to hear about how Eskanazi Health has a food initiative that is so awesome that I want to go and just watch. An apothecary garden, I think my heart skipped a beat at that phrase. So yes, go, love, eat, and love some more! read more

The best food and drink festival in Indiana! I love that it is an all-inclusive event. Water was hard to come by for a while, however I appreciate that they were trying to go green and yet still recognized when they needed to bring in bottled water. The chefs are friendly and happy to talk about their food. Loved trying restaurants that have been on our list as well as catering spots outside of Indianapolis that I would not have tried otherwise. Beer and wine samples were more generous than I had expected. Wear sunscreen and plan to stay the whole time if you can! read more

This was our second time to Dig In, and we'll continue to come back. It was certainly hot and humid, but the food and beer were worth it. We had the opportunity to try new foods that we wouldn't ordinarily try. We have a few new restaurants that were going to try. We're not going to miss the event next year. read more

This year was just fantastic. Logistically, it was a dream: I arrived at 12:15 to no line at the gate -- walked right in. And the arrangement of the tents seemed to make a much better "flow" this year. It's really inspired the way the local chefs team up with local suppliers. And a terrific cross-section of local beers and wines. Highlights: Delicia's goat tacos, Barn Brasserie's pulled pork and cole slaw, Union 50's kim chee meatball, 800 Degrees' wood fired pizza. Quibble: only four dessert items, if you include Nicey Treats? Major caveat: it's billed as a noon to five event, but places start running out of food early. First to go (as always): Steven Oakley, followed by Circle City Sweets, The Local, Brad Gates . . . So get there early (probably no reason to splurge for the VIP) and head to the back of the festival, then start grazing. read more

One of the best food festivals in Indianapolis! Get here early and start eating your way through popular to new restaurants in town. The chefs are on hand and happy to discuss their food samples. The event not only includes food but also wine and beer (generous pours too)! When you arrive, you receive a commemorative glass and a passport. The passport allows you to track what you eat and also counts one sample per person per chef. This year, I volunteered as a passport checker and had a blast. The restaurant team was wonderful and super friendly. I look forward to visiting them soon on their home turf and tasting more delicious food. You also get free admission after your shift! If you love indy and volunteering this is a good time. Only down side is no breaks, working on your feet for four hours, and water seemed sparse for all attendees. read more

Definitely worth the ticket in. We had just moved here and Dig IN was one of the first food fests we attended. Really liked it and we will be attending them again in the future. read more

This is probably my favorite event in town and I enjoy volunteering for it every year. The event in general is very well run and the chefs, wineries, and breweries always bring their best to the event, even if not everything is going to be your favorite. It is an expensive event, so to nitpick I really wish they would move this event to the fall when it's cooled off some or find a partial inside venue like the fairgrounds. It's really hard to fully enjoy the event and all the food when it's always so hot every year. Also, fix the drinking water situation. It gets worse every year. read more

Always a good time, go ROGER HAWKINS! !! I think he had the best dish with the beer can chicken nachos his line was a mile long

Another great year and money well spent!! How can you go wrong with tacos, meatballs and beer to wash it down? I am impressed with the organization and friendly volunteers! I noticed tables running out of food around 4:00, we are in it for the long hall as I think the vendors should be! Also, maybe a different passport system? It becomes a balancing act all day! It was another successful year! read more

It's a foodie paradise. For those of us that like good food but aren't quite a devotee to foodie fanaticism, it's still a very enjoyable time. read more

A lovely way to spend an afternoon. Even when lines were long, they generally moved quickly. I would have liked to see more vegetarian dishes - several chefs offered vegetarian versions of their dishes, but those versions didn't include a meat substitute, so they didn't end up being as substantial. Hoping for some creatively prepared tofu next year, or a "double dessert" pass for vegetarians, because I could also eat Nicey Treat all day long. read more

Awesome Dig-in 2013! Early admittance was worth every penny. We found a lack of trash cans but the FREE cold water was plentiful.

This was my 1st trip, and I can see why some find it their "FAV-ORITE day of the year". Indiana fusion food, beer and wine from all over the State. Without any World-famous Indiana Greenbean Cassarole or Fried Chicken, but with vegetarian, even vegan offerings - for those who indulge. My complaint was the long lines and that so many booths ran out of their samples by 1 or 1:30. They knew how many people were paying $40+ to enter (4,000 to 5,000). So, it shouldn't be hard to plan. (Maybe the restaurateurs are not reimbursed for their costs?) Only one or two of the wineries/breweries ran dry on a particular selection. If in Indy in Aug 2017, and you like thoughtful food, definitely plan to attend! read more

A bit disappointed when comparing to last year. Many vendors ran out of food samples an hour before closing and some others substituted with less exciting items. Overall not as good as last year. read more

Food, glorious food. Oh, and drink too. I thought the entire event was well organized. They provided a map of the different restaurants and a "passport" that each place checked off so you knew where you had been. My two complaints were the long, long, long and did I mention long lines? For some morsels, you had to wait 15 minutes. I'm not sure there would have been time to try every single stop with the time you had available. My other complaints was how many stops ran out of food just 1.5 hours into the event. It was terrible planning and didn't say much for that restaurant/chef. Otherwise, the food was tasty and I'm hoping to be back next year. read more

We go every year. Best food event hands down. Local breweries in the best chefs give you a little taste. Everybody put their best foot forward and most the time it works out pretty good read more

Great event located along the canal. Features the best restaurants and chefs in Indiana. In addition to the food options there are several wineries and breweries which are featured during the event. Entrants are ensured one sample from each vendor. read more

The VIP ticket was not worth the money . The parking was a joke because there was no one around the parking garage we were suppose to use . I would have given anything to be able to buy water or a soda . It was really humid and you had to drink beer or stand in a big line at a water station . Won't be going back next year . read more

I love how everyone is friendly, and the atmosphere is amazing. Music fills your ears, alcohol fills your stomach, and food fills the soul

I won free tickets, thanks to Yelp, :) so we went this year. I'm glad I didn't have to pay, because as a vegetarian, there's not a lot for me to try. Some of the vendors were awesome in the fact that they created dishes that could easily become vegetarian. I enjoyed being able to sample wines, beers, & dishes from different restaurants, but it was ridiculously hot, & the lines were ridiculously long. We got there half an hour after opening, & it felt like a waste to stand in line for 15 minutes to get told they didn't have a vegetarian option. Some vendors who had the little 'vegetarian option available' sign, did not, in fact have a vegetarian option, & some that didn't advertise the sign actually had a veggie option. Frustrating in the heat. Really frustrating to do this from vendor to vendor. What I was able to taste though, was pretty tasty. If you're an omnivore, you'll probably like it, but I wouldn't bother if you're vegetarian, unless you feel like wasting $30. Best thing personally was that we were able to park for free at the zoo since we're members, & they had a golf cart shuttle us over (& back) & give us bottles of cold water. Really handy since my husband is disabled & can't walk long distances, so great job on that guys! :) read more