The 33rd annual St. Thomas Festival Weekend comes to Fortville on Friday and Saturday. Admission to Friday’s 7 to 11 p.m. Monte Carlo Night is $15 per person and $25 per couple. You must be 21 or over to attend as the admission fee includes food, soft drinks, beer and wine coolers. Saturday’s festival theme is “Ol’ Time Country Fun,” with activities for the entire family, including games, bingo, a silent auction, ice cream and a homemade chicken noodle dinner. All proceeds to benefit St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 523 S. Merrill in Fortville.
Hoosier rocker John Mellencamp will play at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, 125 N. Pennsylvania St. in Indianapolis. Mellencamp produced albums and hit singles throughout the ’80s and ’90s such as “Jack and Diane,” “Small Town,” “Rain On The Scarecrow,” “Lonely Ol Night,” “Paper and Fire,” “Check It Out,” “Cherry Bomb,” “Pop Singer” and “Jackie Brown.” This tour promotes the release of “Plain Spoken,” his 22nd album. Tickets are available through ticketmaster.com.
Campfire smoke, horses, leather, music and cowboys are the sights and sounds of the West that will surround visitors to the Eiteljorg Museum, 500 W. Washington St. in Indianapolis, during the West Fest family festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Activities and events feature a stick horse rodeo, western swing and folk musical performances, western characters like Hopalong Cassidy, chuckwagon food and more. Admission to the festival is included in museum admission. Visit eiteljorg.org for information about hours and admission fees.
Take in the eighth annual Mass Ave. Criterium & Cycling Festival from noon to 9 p.m. Saturday along Massachusetts Avenue in downtown Indianapolis. The Criterium, a bike race run through city streets, features a variety of races for all ages and abilities from kids to professional cyclists. The proximity of the racers to spectators during the competition is one of the hallmarks of this nationally known urban cycle race. Medals and $7,000 in cash awards will be given out to winners. In addition to vendors, food, and live entertainment, Mass Ave. features shopping and restaurants for an all-day visit to the Arts District. Registration for those who want to race is open through Friday. Visit massavecrit.com for more information.
