The neighborhood of Broad Ripple, Indianapolis is a hip and free-spirited cultural area filled with cafes, breweries, restaurants, and clubs. You can relax as you walk its streets and gaze at the shops, galleries, and boutiques that give this diverse neighborhood its charm. The arts are celebrated in Broad Ripple, with an art center and art festivals as well as a park in which to relax and escape the business of the day. Chill out at a cafe or enjoy one of Broad Ripple's many restaurants. We love relaxing in the neighborhood's favorite greenery, Broad Ripple Park.
Broad Ripple Park
What is the unique history of this park? It has an extensive history, as it was formerly the home of a popular amusement park in the 1920s. Its carousel was originally installed in 1917 and became a beloved destination for children of the Broad Ripple neighborhood. The carousel is now at the Indianapolis Children's Museum, and its steam locomotive has found a home at the Transportation Museum in Noblesville, Indiana. To add to its glory days, Broad Ripple Park was the site of Olympic tryouts in swimming during the years of 1924 and 1952.
Bordering the White River, this park has been the site of fabulous events since its beginnings, more than a century ago. It encompasses more than 62 acres and draws more than 150,000 visitors annually.
Visitors flock to the park to enjoy classes that range from sports, fitness, dance, health, self-defense and more. Included is a Family Center, outdoor swimming pool, baseball diamond, tennis courts, playground, multi-use athletic fields, picnic shelters, and a viewing platform to give panoramic views of the White River below. We like to bring our dog to the Bark Park or walk the paths of the wooded preserve. The trail is where the activity happens; walking, jogging, bicycling, running and strolling lazily all take place here. While the park is where the greenery is, Broad Ripple adds more color with its annual art fair that has been a cultural event for numerous years.
The Broad Ripple Art Fair
This annual art fair at the Indianapolis Art Center has been happening for over 49 years old and is a summer festival that brings over 220 artists and artisans to Broad Ripple. Art, music, and performance are part of the excitement in the nationally ranked 2-day fair. Activities and demonstrations highlight its eclectic mix of art and artisans. This juried fair celebrates the richness of the cultural milieu of Indianapolis and is held at the Indianapolis Art Center in Broad Ripple.
The Indianapolis Art Center
Located in Broad Ripple, the Indianapolis Art Center is situated on the White River across from Broad Ripple Park. Art classes are also given here, as residents enjoy a chance to improve their artistic skills and creativity.
The Art Center reaches out to the community with its ArtReach program, a community-based program to bring art to the under-served children of Indianapolis. Students enjoy such activities as art criticism and aesthetics as well as making art, enhancing their self-confidence as well as creativity.
Exhibits are also part of the art center, which was initially founded in 1934 as a Works Progress Administration program. It was at the height of the Great Depression that the need to serve Indianapolis artists became evident. Within a building that was designed by renowned architect Michael Graves, the Indianapolis Art Center is located along 9.5 acres of land on the banks of the White River in the neighborhood of Broad Ripple.
Finding more time to take art classes at the Indianapolis Art Center, to go hiking, biking and picnicking in Broad Ripple Park or to attend the Broad Ripple Art Fair is made easier with help from Lawn Love as your trusted provider of lawn care. Why spend time doing your lawn chores when someone else can handle it professionally and beautifully? It leaves you more time to enjoy all that the Broad Ripple area offers as well as time to spend with visiting guests who come into this exciting cultural area. You could also enjoy more time with your family, experiencing the natural beauty of Broad Ripple Park and all that is within the neighborhood in the way of culture, dining, and shopping. Why not make your life easier as well as more adventurous and exciting? Your beautiful lawn will add to the greenery that makes the Broad Ripple neighborhood so special.
