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Top 8 things to do in Indy this weekend: Aug. 3-5

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Here are a few things going on around town this weekend.

1. 161st Indiana State Fair

The greatest 17 days of summer starts this Friday at the Indiana State Fairgrounds! Combining the best of agriculture, entertainment and food, the Indiana State Fair is a must for families this season. The Free Stage this year will showcase Rick Springfield, Natalie Stovall, Kool & The Gang, Grand Funk Railroad and more.

– By the numbers –

75,000 – People rode the Skyride in 2017

100,000 – Ears of corn sold at the 160th State Fair

1,300 – Fair staff employees and volunteers

10,000 – Lights on the giant ferris wheel

64,172 – Milkshakes sold at the Dairy Barn last year

For a full schedule of promotional days, performances and events for this year’s fair, click here.

2. Gen Con

The best four days in gaming returns to the Indiana Convention Center this weekend! Gen Con is the original, longest-running gaming convention in the world! Founded in 1968, Gen Con hosts the largest consumer hobby, fantasy, science fiction, and adventure game convention in North America. With 500 exhibiting game companies, award-winning authors and artists, vibrant costumes, thousands of events, family entertainment, food trucks, a beer garden and the debut of hundreds of exciting new games, Gen Con truly is the best four days in gaming. While the 4-Day passes are sold-out, single day badges are still available.

3. Charity Walk and Run

The Indy Walk For Water is this Saturday, Aug. 4, from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon. Starting at the north end of the Indy Canal Walk at the Admiral Spruance Memorial Basin, walkers take their empty fiv-gallon buckets on a 1.5 mile route to the south end of the Canal Walk in White River State Park. At this halfway turnaround point, walkers fill their buckets and make the 1.5-mile return trip with their full (or partially full) bucket of water. This three-mile walk is symbolic of the typical daily walk made by millions of Africans every day to fetch water for their families. The Walk takes between 60 to 90 minutes to complete. Registration is $40 for adults and $25 for students.

What better way to celebrate summer than a 5K dash to a Bell’s Beer Garden serving up cold Oberon! Pair this summer favorite with a bottle opener finisher’s medal, a finisher’s pint glass, a sweet shirt in this year’s Oberun 5k! This fun course will take you along the river for an incredible Indianapolis skyline view, then bring you back to Historic Military Park at White River State Park where they will have live music, corn hole and of course… BEER! Food trucks will be on site so you’ll have some great grub to pair with your Bell’s Oberon. Proceeds from this event will be donated to Gleaners Food Bank. The race is this Saturday at 4 p.m.

4. Weekly Music Round-Up

With the Indiana State Fair ramping up this weekend, we’ve got another venue to add to the weekly music-round up in addition to an already jam-packed summer schedule. The Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center will host three shows in a row, The Zac Brown Band on Friday, Lynyrd Skynyrd on Saturday and Charlie Puth on Sunday.

The FREE Stage at the Indiana State Fair is opening up with three big acts in a row, featuring Rick Springfield on Friday, Natalie Stovall on Saturday and Why Don’t We on Sunday.

All Time Low and Dashboard Confessional are the featured acts in The Summer Ever After Tour which will swing by the Old National Centre this Sunday at 7 p.m. Tickets for the show start at $38.50.

The Vogue also has a huge weekend of shows set for the first weekend of August with Franz Ferdinand taking the stage Friday evening and Melvins this Sunday. Tickets are still available for both shows.

5. FoodCon No.8

FoodCon has sought to shine a light on the art and culture of food in Indiana by gathering enthusiasts and experts in everything from aquaponics to urban homesteading. This year’s event will feature 20 booths in the Harrison Center gym and courtyard, covering a broad range of interests including beekeeping, foraging, making kombucha, oil pulling and more. A variety of food trucks will be on site as well providing many dining options for event-goers. This free event is Friday from 6-9 p.m.

6. Happy Hour on Monument Circle

International Beer Day is this Friday! If you’re looking for a place to get the celebration started, head over to Monument Circle between 4-6 p.m. for Happy Hour, sponsored by Yuengling. Beer will run you only $2 for 16 oz., a DJ will set the mood and food trucks will also be present. All proceeds will go to Caroline Symmes Cancer Endowment at Riley Hospital for Children!

7. Bates-Hendricks Street Fest

The 2nd Annual Bates-Hendricks Street Fest will take place this Saturday from 6-10 p.m. This free, family-friendly event is located at the corner of Lincoln and New Jersey Street. Entertainment will include live music, a children’s area and various vendors. Free food will also be available in addition to multiple food trucks on-site. Beer and wine will be available for purchase. The event is free, with a suggestion donation of hygiene items or school supplies for IPS School 31 and SENSE Charter School.

8. Circle City Bellini Fest

Originating in Venice, a Bellini is a mixture of Prosecco sparkling wine and peach purée or nectar. Here in Indianapolis, we have our own Bellini Fest this weekend, hosted by Hotel Tango. For $45, you can snag bottomless cocktails and snacks from a full spread of goodies from Circle City Soups and Circle City Sweets. Circle City Kombucha will also be in-house to try. The event is this Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.