Indianapolis 500 Fan Fest Begins with Stop in Evansville

With the Indianapolis 500 just weeks away, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is kicking off its Fan Fest tour across the state of Indiana to get race fans fired up. In fact, the first stop of the tour will be in Evansville this weekend.

If you've never spent a day at the track in Indianapolis, you're certainly missing out on one of the Hoosier State's best attractions. The 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge is scheduled for Sunday, May 25, 2025, and it may be one of the biggest years for the event yet. However, before the big day, the folks at the track want to make sure you're properly ready for "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."

Counting Down to the 2025 Indianapolis 500

If you're thinking about holding off on buying your tickets, I highly encourage you to go ahead and pull the trigger. As of the final week of March, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway reports that only about 10% of seats remain for the 2025 race. Officials at the track say they are extremely excited about this year's event, which could see yet another record crowd.

"There's nothing else quite like this on the planet," said Michael Kaltenmark, Senior Director of Marketing for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "We think we may sell the event out for the first time since 2016, which was for our hundredth running. That means we'll probably have upwards of 350,000 people here on race day, filling the world's largest permanent sports venue."

What Is the Indianapolis 500 Fan Fest?

In preparation for this massive event, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will kick off their "Indianapolis 500 Fan Fest," spreading the May magic all across the state a little early. Stops are planned in Evansville, Fort Wayne, Bloomington, and Indianapolis, with each one offering race fans a unique experience. Attractions and activities will vary by location, but it's safe to say folks in the southern part of the state are in for a real treat.

"Certainly, in May, everybody thinks about us and comes to join us, but before that, we like to go to them and get them fired up about May before it's time," Kaltenmark said. "Evansville will actually kick off our Fan Fest tour this year."

Indianapolis 500 Fan Fest in Evansville

This free event will be held on Franklin Street in Evansville, with Franklin Street Tavern and Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill, this Saturday from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. Central. Kaltenmark added that race fans can expect to see an Indy showcar and will have the opportunity to win some coveted prizes during various giveaways. It sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun, and of course, a great way to get ready for another fantastic race in Indianapolis.