The Swan Lake: Symphony of Lights: Grand Kyiv Ballet breathes new life into the masterpiece at Clowes Memorial Hall with vivid light design, illuminated costumes, and world-class dancers from around the globe. October 16
Indy Fuel Season Home Opener: Start the hockey season out right at the Fuel home opener against the Washington Nailers at Fishers Event Center, and get a free rally towel and player autographs while you’re at it. October 16
Good Riddance: A Gnarly 1990s Murder Mystery, Dude!: A mall’s grand opening turns to chaos when a murderer strikes. Throw on your most serious scrunchie and hold tight to your Game Boys and Pogs as you help solve this mystery at The Alexander. October 16
Industria Collective Presents 3xbutterfly: Combining jungle, drum and bass, R&B, dubstep, techno, and other world sounds, DJ 3xbutterfly keeps the dance floor energized at Black Circle. October 16
Beethoven and Mahler 1: With guest pianist and 2025 American Piano Awards winner Michael Davidman, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra spotlights Beethoven’s Overture to Prometheus and Piano Concerto No. 2 alongside Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 at Hilbert Circle Theatre. October 16–17
ComedySportz Midwest Invitational: Teams from across the country come together to match wits in 60-minute bouts at this improvisational comedy competition at The Wit. October 16–17
Downtown Fall Fest: Big Car Collaborative and the Downtown Indy Alliance present Indy’s first-ever free festival reveling in all things autumn along the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, with flower and pumpkin fields, pumpkin carving and decorating, crafts, yard games, bounce houses, food and art vendors, and live music. October 17
Locally Made: Indy’s Fall Fest + ArtsPark Reopening Celebration: After August’s devastating flooding and tireless recovery efforts, the ArtsPark at Indy Art Center comes alive with activities, art, food, and more as local and regional artists display their artwork, wares, and artisanal goods. October 17
Wolf Park Pumpkin Party: Enjoy hayrides, food trucks, live music, conservation-focused crafts, and an evening with the Wolf Park’s canine ambassadors as they get their own pumpkin treat on this special Howl Night. October 17
Susan Huckle: LA-based actor and memoirist Susan Huckle comes to Tomorrow Bookstore to talk nonsensical family beliefs and sign copies of her book, The Earth Is Flat?! And Other Things My Mother Taught Me. Can anyone relate? October 17
Shakespeare & Love With Adam Golka: Pianist Adam Golka joins the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra at Schrott Center for the Arts in a Christel DeHaan Legacy Concert inspired by Shakespeare plays A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Love’s Labour’s Lost, and Much Ado About Nothing. October 17
Circle City Tempests vs. Cincinnati Wolfhounds: Cincinnati has a lot to prove at Kuntz Stadium in this rematch against Indy’s women’s D2 rugby team following the Tempests’ decisive 72-0 shutout victory in September. October 17
OwlFest: Free with park admission, OwlFest offers visitors to Eagle Creek Park Ornithology Center two days of hikes, bird-watching adventures, expert talks, crafts, games, concessions, vendors, and more focused on the majestic nocturnal birds of prey and other wildlife. October 17–18
Herron-Morton: LGBTQ+ Life in the Heart of Indianapolis: The Indianapolis Special Collections Room at Central Library holds a Sunday afternoon history lesson about LGBTQ+ community building and social and political activism developing in the Herron-Morton Place neighborhood during the 1970s and ’80s. October 18
Indiana Hoosiers vs. North Carolina Tar Heels: The Indiana University and the University of North Carolina men’s basketball teams put their skills to the test in this preseason game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, a high-intensity preview of the season to come. October 18
Niladri Kumaar: The Space Between the Notes: Frequent collaborator of Indian tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain, who passed away in 2024, and sitar maestro and composer Niladri Kumaar leads an ensemble playing selections in tribute to his late friend at Payne & Mencias Palladium. October 18
Grimm Matinee: Cat People (1982): Enjoy Paul Schrader’s Cat People, a remake of the 1942 film of the same name starring Nastassja Kinski—a mixture of fairy tale, erotic thriller, and body horror—at the Contemporary Art Museum of Indianapolis. October 18
Taking Creative Risks With Zola Lamothe: Indianapolis artist Zola Lamothe discusses her latest project Underst(h)ood, which situates a figure in a KKK mask at various institutions around the city to highlight both their historical and current impact, at Aurora Photocenter. October 20
The Smashing Pumpkins: One of the ’90s’ most acclaimed bands, the Pumpkins celebrate 30 years of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on their Rats in a Cage Tour. October 20
Counterpack Erratum Zine Jam: Come to Storefront 147 at the Contemporary Art Museum of Indianapolis to work, connect, and learn about zine culture in this free and open zine jam at HQ Books & Records. October 21
Dennis James Hosts Halloween: This annual evening of mystery at IU Auditorium includes a live reenactment of a 1949 radio drama, “The Vengeful Corpse,” as well as 1920s silent films Habeas Corpus featuring Laurel and Hardy and The Haunted House starring Buster Keaton. October 21
MORE Magazine Issue XIII: Tailored Pre-Launch Happy Hour: Indy’s woman-owned, people-first initiative celebrates the release of its next print issue focused on fashion with a gathering at the Old National Bank Corporate Office featuring local designers and creatives, live performers, and a bazaar. October 22
