IPL 500 Festival Parade

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Web: 500festival.com

Email: Laura Bliss, 500 Festival Program & Event Manager
Phone: 317-614-6126

If you're interested in entering your band in the IPL 500 Festival Parade, please request an application from Laura Bliss at the contact info above or complete the 2018 Band Application online.

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Held on the day prior to the world's largest single-day sporting event, the IPL 500 Festival Parade has grown to be one of the signature parades held in the United States each year. The 33 starting drivers of the Indianapolis 500 serve as honorary grand marshals, riding in the traditional rows of three, with the winner of the pole position bringing up the rear. Marching bands, celebrities, costumed characters, patriotic units, spectacular floats and giant helium balloons fill the streets to celebrate the legendary Indianapolis 500 race.

As one of the few parades boasting live national television coverage, the IPL 500 Festival Parade is an exciting experience for marching bands. More than 300,000 spectators line the streets of downtown Indianapolis, joined by more than one million television viewers from around the country. The IPL 500 Festival Parade is broadcast nationally on NBC Sports Network and locally to the Indianapolis market on NBC affiliate WTHR Channel 13.

The 2-mile parade route travels through downtown Indianapolis, taking a U-shaped path down Pennsylvania Street, across Washington Street and up Meridian Street through Monument Circle.

• 38th Infantry Division Band, Indiana Army National Guard, Indianapolis, IN
• All Madison County Marching Band, Madison County, IN
• Avon Marching Black and Gold, Avon, IN
• Ben Davis High School Marching Giants, Indianapolis, IN
• Concord High School Marching Minutemen, Elkhart, IN
• Indiana All-Star Marching Band, National Band Association, La Porte, IN
• Indianapolis 500 Gordon Pipers, Indianapolis, IN
• Indianapolis Public Schools All City Marching Band, Indianapolis, IN
• Jay County High School Marching Patriots, Portland, IN
• Northwood High School Red Regiment, Nappanee, IN
• Pride of Paoli Marching Band, Paoli, IN
• Purdue University "All-American" Marching Band, West Lafayette, IN
• Speedway 500 Regiment, Speedway High School, Speedway, IN

Bands traveling to Indianapolis for the IPL 500 Festival Parade can take advantage of numerous attractions and additional performance opportunities in the area, including:

• The Indianapolis 500 race, and possible participation in the pre-race parade of bands on the track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
• The 500 Festival Memorial Service, presented by Rolls-Royce
• Events and activities taking place in Indianapolis on race weekend

• Tickets for the 2018 IPL 500 Festival Parade will go on sale in March 2018.

Saturday, May 26, 2018
Saturday, May 25, 2019
(Always held the day before the Indianapolis 500)

Web: 500festival.com

Email: Laura Bliss, 500 Festival Program & Event Manager
Phone: 317-614-6126

If you're interested in entering your band in the IPL 500 Festival Parade, please request an application from Laura Bliss at the contact info above or complete the 2018 Band Application online.

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