IPL 500 Festival Parade

Everyone loves a Parade!

One of the original events produced by the 500 Festival, the IPL 500 Festival Parade, has grown to be one of the signature events held in the United States each year. The 500 Festival Parade is the only 500 Festival event that has taken place every year, beginning in 1957.  Held on May 26, the eve of the Indianapolis 500, 300,000 spectators from around the country will line the streets of Indianapolis for one of the nation’s premier parades, alongside the Pasadena Tournament of Roses and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The IPL 500 Festival Parade allows all spectators to witness the pageantry and larger-than-life floats light up the streets of downtown Indianapolis. Well-known celebrities, costumed characters, marching bands, patriotic units, specialty units, spectacular floats and giant helium balloons will fill the streets to celebrate the world's largest single-day sporting event, the Indianapolis 500^®.

The tradition continues with the 33 starting drivers of the Indianapolis 500 serving as honorary grand marshals the day before the race, riding in the traditional rows of three, with the winner of the pole position bringing up the rear.

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The Parade will be telecast locally on WISH-TV and nationally on NBC Sports Network.

Click here to watch what celebrities have to say about spending Memorial Day weekend in Indianapolis.