Little Green Thumb at Garfield Conservatory…read more We tried a new-to-us program today and it was honestly SO cute! This peaceful, hands-on story time was such a sweet way to spend the morning with the kids. The kids got to: Feed & pet the chickens Read stories about the sun Use the sunshine to melt crayons into cute animal shapes Pick peppers Check out dried sunflowers & their seeds Have a little dance party Plant beets Explore the garden It was such a calm, down-to-earth experience that combined story time, gardening, animals, crafts + outdoor exploring--perfect for little ones! Garfield Park Conservatory -- Indianapolis Ages: 2-5 $6 per child Registration required Next Little Green Thumb: September 16 | 10-11 AM Join them in Blake's Garden to learn about gardening and help plant, grow & harvest in the vegetable garden. There will also be a story, craft + time to explore! Definitely adding this one to our list of sweet Indy activities for little kids!

The conservatory offers a variety of plants, flowers, and serene views of the waterfall. The…read morewaterfall and fish pond was definitely my favorite view out of everything offered at the conservatory with their scenic views and decor. The sunken garden was an okay view, the fountains were beautiful but there wasn't any other foliage, flowers, or scenery out there to enhance the view. The garden definitely has potential to be better than it is.

A fun spot for a browse and lunch. We didn't get a chance to explore the museum but spent some time…read morein the gift shop and the cafe. Both have a lot of choices and are a relaxing environment. The meal was good and I thought cooked well for such a small cafe. I enjoyed the bookstore/gift shop offerings and was able to buy some things as gifts for others from Indiana. I'd go back for sure to enjoy the museum or just to meet someone for lunch!

What an amazing venue for a private event! I attended a…read morefundraiser for Storytelling Arts of Indiana on April 11, 2026. The Basile Theatre has wonderful sound and acoustics. The entry area had plenty of room for the crowd of 100+ plus food tables, a bar with drinks, and a merchandise table. The private parking lot is also a plus. The entry to many events, like the fundraiser includes parking.

I claim the Contemporary Art Museum of Indianapolis (CAMi) as one of my favorite places in Indy…read more What a hidden gem! They have packed a lot of cool stuff into this space that's adjacent to The Tube Factory. One of the best parts of CAMi: It's free! Just come in and be greeted by a sweet and friendly person behind a desk who will answer any questions you might have. I didn't have any questions -- I just wanted to explore, and you are free to do that. This is an art museum and art gallery, but it's so much more. You'll find a few different storefronts upstairs and downstairs. There's a really cool record shop / 'zine shop on the ground floor, which recently hosted a Found Magazine event. The owner is very friendly and let me know that she teaches 'zine-making workshops, which melted my formerly teenage 'zine-making heart. I love that people are still making 'zines in the digital age. There's also a pottery shop, with really beautiful, handmade goods. Wander around, and you'll find art installations in different rooms of the building. One of my favorite exhibits was interactive, and asked you to erase a drawing and collect the eraser shavings into a jar. How absolutely kooky and wonderful. Another exhibit asked you to think of one really good thing and one really bad thing, and write them down in a notebook. There are places to sit and read or work everywhere. There are secret little nooks with chairs that look out a window. There are spaces to spread out, explore, gather and sit in quiet. One of my favorite places is a building that's just outside of the CAMi building that houses a shrine to motherhood, as well as a shrine to chickens. Oh, the juxtaposition! It was a nice place to sit and be surrounded by dried marigolds, eggs, crystals, and other sacred objects offered up to life-giving goddesses. If you can't get enough of the chickens, then check out the chicken coop that's located just outside the building. I was told that it is a very well-made chicken coop by a chicken expert, and when I peered inside, the chickens looked very happy and content. What a fun and random thing to come across in this art space.

Happy first Fridays start here! I was here for first Friday and had a great time to kick off the…read moremonth of May! CAMi is the reborn space of the Tube Factory Artspace (and might now be considered one campus). It houses a bar, a few storefronts, a few art exhibits, and many more studios. The campus is also a five acre collective that helps maintain affordable housing for artists. There's a good bit to see and do outside and inside. Entry is free and there's ramps for everything around the space. There is also a designated parking lot for CAMi as well. I liked all of the exhibits inside. I recommend the Research Gallery, highlighting some prominent people in Indy's history in a slightly humorous way. I won't spoil too much of the visit, so that way you can see for yourself!

What a fun experience! How have I driven by this place so many times along the highway and never…read morebeen? I have had it on my hit list for so long and was thrilled to attend their annual plant sale this past weekend. Note to self: it is hopping! It appears that the sale takes place over the course of several weekends. We ended up purchasing okra, tomatillos and a few fun purple tomato varieties. They had live music, Tinker coffee and chickens on hand to round out the experience ;) It was fun to see everyone so fired up for gardening and supporting the cause. I've made a note to attend their Farmraiser for the Parks Alliance in the fall. Keep up the amazing work for our community!

I've been making an effort to review more of my beloved Eastside's businesses, restaurants, and…read morecommunity organizations. As someone who has lived on the Eastside for around 12 years, I've always felt like it gets a pretty high level of disrespect and yet is filled with good people and good businesses. The area surrounding Indy Urban Acres is a weird mishmash of working class, lower income, residential programs, and more challenged areas economically and in terms of crime. It's honestly a perfect location for Urban Acres. It's fairly easy to drive by Urban Acres without completely noticing it. It's a collection of four organic farms dedicated to empowering and educating people by providing equitable access to free, high quality produce. The program has been around since 2011 and has provided farm-to-home workshops and tours to thousands of volunteers, groups, and teens. The staff are dedicated and the volunteers deeply involved in the program. The site itself is semi-accessible. The parking lot is mostly gravelly and, as you might expect from a garden, the majority of the area is ground. However, having been to Indy Urban Acres multiple times I have very little difficulty getting around in my wheelchair. Indy Urban Acres donates 100% of its produce to food pantries and directly to select low-income families. They also grow flowers, however, that they use to help raise funds for the program. You can get these flowers in bouquets at Kroger. You'll know them by the Indy Urban Acres logo and the hashtag #flowersthatfeed. Indy Urban Acres is a program under the umbrella of the Parks Alliance of Indianapolis, a non-profit organization. As a little known secret, there's even a geocache on site here. I'm not telling you where! This is a marvelous program that nicely utilizes what was a vacant lot near 21st and Shadeland while also addressing the food needs in the area and in broader Indy. It empowers youth and also educates adults and children in valuable ways. I can hardly ever drive by this place without stopping to just appreciate their efforts. It's a great project and a valuable asset for Indy's Eastside.

The secret is out: Eskenazi Sky Farm is the perfect spot for a stunning skyline view of Indy…read more How to get there: Drive to Eskenazi Health, park in the parking garage, ride the green elevator up to floor 7, turn to the right, and BOOM. You're on the roof. Not just a roof, but a roof covered in plants that the hospital actually uses (very cool). There are benches up there that you can sit on and you can even bring food up there to enjoy. Why not?! It's free for the best view in Indy.

Such a precious hidden gem!…read more My bosses made me aware of the sky farm earlier this week. We brought lunch from Duos to the farm in the sky. There are so many little plants growing on the farm. Rachel is the director of the farm and she was able to show us some plants and explain what the space is used for. She let us know that people undergoing treatment are able to take the veggies grown to their own homes. The dietician staff helps to show those checked into the hospital healthy ways to prepare the food picked from Sky Farm. So grateful that I was able to enjoy this hidden gem! Check it out for sure!

For a wheelchair user, I seem to have a weird fascination with everything in the world that's not…read moreparticularly accessible. Case in point? The Irvington Lodge. I love this building. I would never really recommend the building for wheelchair users, though I've managed to get around it fairly well. The building began development in 1921 and was completed in 1922. Like many Masonic Lodges, the ground floor was intentionally designed to allow for retail spaces as this would help support the Lodge. If you're familiar with the Irvington Lodge, then you know that it bears on it the rather ominous "Lodge #666" marking. It seems fitting to have this be in a neighborhood recognized for its many haunted locations, but there's no denying it even creeps me out a bit. The building was rumored to be the host of Ku Klux Klan meetings in the 1920s - KKK Grand Dragon D.C. Stephenson lived only a few blocks away in a mansion on University Avenue. Until 1950, the Lodge also hosted the Irvington Post Office. The Irvington Lodge continues to be an actively utilized building. Retail spaces are taken by Irvington Vinyl & Books, Hampton Designs Studio & Shop, and LVLUP Gaming Lounge. Additionally, Mosaic Church uses the Lodge's entire 3rd floor. Accessibility is most challenging in the 1st floor retail spots, though I noticed during my recent visit that Irvington Vinyl & Books had installed a bit of a ramp trying to help the situation. It's certainly not ADA, though it is an improvement. You can get into the first floor of the lodge. There is an elevator to the 2nd and 3rd floors. The 2nd floor includes a theatre room, reception room, a fully functioning kitchen, and a buffet area. You can rent these facilities and the rates are pretty market friendly. The Theatre Room has over 2300 square feet and many period touches still in place. It's rather stunning. The Reception Room is right about 1400 square feet. The 3rd floor has a couple of large main rooms. Hardwood floors are in place throughout and there's a stunning balcony that would be great for a wedding (unless you're in a wheelchair - then it would suck). This is one of those buildings I can't help but love. I'd give almost anything to have an office here, though it would inherently be a not particularly wheelchair friendly one. You also have close proximity to the Irving and nearby Irvington area businesses. Renting the facilities requires the usual liability insurance in place and a deposit, though rates are pretty friendly. They don't have preferred vendors - so, it offers flexibility that some venues don't. The Irvington Lodge was acquired, I believe, around late 2017-2018 by longtime Eastside resident Yasha Persson and a team. Given the pandemic was right around the corner, it was a challenging time to acquire such a beautiful building. However, here's hoping it continues to be such a beautiful, vibrant part of Irvington.

3rd floor gallery in the Irvington Lodge is a beautiful space! Great light for the artwork and just…read morea gorgeous venue all around. The pinball room is also amazing and a great way to get the whole family out to experience art and entertainment without breaking the bank! It is also perfect for weddings, parties and pop up markets. A true Irvington and Indianapolis gem!!!

We enjoyed a beautiful day at the Talbot Street Art Fair today!…read more There were so many booths. Lots of different types of art and media. Booths did not feel repetitive, which can sometimes happen at art fairs. There was plenty of street parking! We even found a spot in the shade, which was great because it was hot today! I expected it would be very crowded but it was actually not too bad. Lots of people, but never found it crowded or hard to love through booths. The food and music set-ups were planned out very well. There were places to eat in the shade. There was also a great mix of vendors. So happy to be back at this festival this year!

Always worth a visit! I would recommend early as parking is a challenge. Most lots charge at least…read more$10. Also it's either really hot or raining. Welcome to In. This weekend was really hot but it's a shady street if you need out of the sun. I'm always impressed with the creativity of the artists. Photography, pottery, jewelry, paintings and more. There is also live music and plenty of food vendors. I may have purchased a few bracelets and a blueberry lemonade. Makes for a fun day.

Our Indy Wine group had an event at one of the art studios in the Stutz Artspace Gallery and it was…read morea very nice experience. I had never been to the Stutz building downtown, so this was a first for me, and was very impressed with the architecture of the building, and the shops on the first floor. The artspace gallery on the third floor is very interesting with quite a few art studios and displays of their work in front of the art studios. There is quite a selection of wonderful artwork, and every first Friday of each month, the art studios have a showcase to the public of all of their artwork and the artwork is for sale. We went to one of the art studios for Anna Akifer. She was kind enough to host our event for Indy Wine, and was very gracious to show us her artwork and explain how she got interested in water colors and drawings. She demonstrated one of her watercolor artwork to us, and explained her thought process when painting stroke by stroke. We all browsed Anna's studio and the artwork that was for sale. I did purchase one of her prints which was a watercolor painting of flowers that was beautiful. Stutz Artspace Gallery is a beautiful venue with exquisite displays of artwork, and I'm glad we have some culture in downtown Indy that we can appreciate on a regular basis. I cannot wait to come back the first Friday of the month for the art gallery showcase. It will be worth seeing.

The Stutz recently had an update and it's fantastic! Tonight was one of the first of the winter…read moremarket events they will be hosting this month. The building will be offering new food options, which I'm so excited about since I work 5 min away from here, including Cafe Patachou, Amelia's and more. The art booths and staff were so welcoming and friendly tonight. I found some great buys from a number of local artists. The decor was beautiful, the vintage cars on display were fun to admire and the vibe was cozy fun. I always love visiting this space and can't wait to come back again!