It’s no surprise to anyone from Indianapolis that the city knows exactly what it is doing when it comes to hosting major events. When talking to fans from out of town they all usually say roughly the same thing, skeptical at first but the city is beautiful and easy to navigate.
The festivities kicked off on Saturday with the opening of the Fan Central at the Indiana Convention Center. You are greeted by a giant offensive line with a quarterback standing overtop as soon as you walk in the door. The Fan Central was filled with tons of free games and activities for the family and was a blast for anyone who wanted to participate.
Rain or shine (and there was definitely rain and some ice) Doja Cat and AJR took the stage Saturday night. Despite the bad weather, there was a big crowd on Monument Circle taking in the first free show of the weekend.
Sunday morning started with the Extra Yard 5k. The 3.1-mile race took runners by Lucas Oil Stadium, down Georgia Street, past Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and then back down Maryland through the middle of downtown for the final mile.
The Fan Central was booming all day on Sunday again and the night wrapped up with another free show on Monument Circle. This time fans packed in to see 21 Pilots and Ava Max.
Monday felt like a party all day. Restaurants downtown and the Fan Central were buzzing all day. DJs were playing music on street corners as you approached the beautifully lit stadium. The game was close, the crowd was loud, and Georgia beat Alabama to win the CFP National Championship.
Another huge success for the city hosting a major sporting event. There are more to come for Indy, like the NBA All-Star game coming to town in 2024.
