A free festival comes with a pretty good bonus this Saturday: free admission to the entire Indiana State Museum.
Polkas Norteñas Fest, or Northern Polka Festival, takes over the museum from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, with live music, traditional dance, Mexican street food and about 30 local vendor and community booths. No tickets or advance registration are required.
It’s one of the free museum days in Indianapolis, so families can make a full museum visit out of the trip without paying regular admission.
Polkas Norteñas Fest at the Indiana State Museum
The one-day festival explores the connection between polka culture and Mexican music, including corridos, Tejano, Norteño and redova. Dance groups and musicians will perform throughout the day, with a lineup that includes Polka Bob, La Extravagancia Norteña, Indy Folklore Academy, Grupo Folklorico Macehuani, Indy Polkamotion and Ballet Folklorico Mosaicos.
Between performances, families can browse about 30 booths featuring handmade items, local businesses and community organizations, and Garnacha Spot will serve Mexican street food during the festival.
The event is open to all ages, and the museum’s regular exhibits are open during the festival, so build in time to wander. If you’re keeping the whole day free, our list of free things to do in Indianapolis has more ideas.
Plan Your Visit
What: Polkas Norteñas Fest (Northern Polka Festival)
When: Saturday, Aug. 22, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Where: Indiana State Museum, 650 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46204
Ages: All ages
Admission: Free, including Indiana State Museum admission
Registration: Not required
More information: Indiana State Museum
Polkas Norteñas Fest is presented by Ballet Folklorico Mosaicos and Arte Mexicano en Indiana in collaboration with the Indiana State Museum.
