Historic Irvington Halloween Festival

The Historic Irvington Halloween Festival is a non-profit event founded in 1947 by the Historic Irvington Community Council in an effort to bring together residents, neighborhood organizations, and businesses in the Irvington Historic District of Indianapolis, Indiana for a celebration of heritage and community. The festival is currently the nation's oldest and largest Halloween

Halloween

Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...

festival.

The festival encompasses the week leading up to October 31st, culminating in a street festival on the final Saturday. East Washington Street

Washington Street (Indianapolis)

Washington Street is the primary east-west street in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The street follows the route of the National Road for almost all of its length in the city of Indianapolis. For a time, its entire length was designated as U.S...

is closed between Ritter Ave. and Arlington Ave. in Irvington to hold the street festival. Events include a 5 mile run, a pageant, musicians, contests, Halloween-themed movies, ghost tours, live theater, a "haunted" puppet show, and many other events.

Pleasant Run Run

The Pleasant Run Run is a 5-k run and 3-k family walk through the streets of Historic Irvington. It is named after the nearby Pleasant Run creek and takes place during the final day of the Halloween Festival. The run helps attract a large amount of people to the Saturday events and is also Indianapolis' oldest 5-Mile Competitive Race. Proceeds from the Pleasant Run Run benefit the programs of the Historic Irvington Community Council. 2011 will mark the 30th year for the Run.

Festival Venues

The Irving Theatre: Built in 1913, the Irving Theatre was originally used for a nickelodeon. In 1926, the theatre went under major renovations; adding six rental units, a second story, and lengthening the theatre. Throughout the decades, the theatre's uses differed until it closed in the mid-1990s. It sat unoccupied until 2005, when it was reopened, and has been looking for funds to be renovated since then. The theatre is a hub for live music, films, and art, community, and private events. The Lazy Daze Coffee House is located on the east end of the structure and three apartment units are on the second floor. The Irving is one of the city's largest all-ages music venues. With a capacity of over 700 people, the theatre hopes to attract bands that would otherwise pass on an Indianapolis visit.

Ellenberger Park: (est. 1903, one time known as Jameson Park) Landscape architect and urban planner George Kessler

George Kessler

George Edward Kessler was a German American pioneer city planner and landscape architect.Over the course of his forty-one year career, George E. Kessler completed over 200 projects and prepared plans for 26 communities, 26 park and boulevard systems, 49 parks, 46 estates & residents, and 26 schools...

developed this park and Pleasant Run Parkway in the early 1900s. In 1930, the park added a pool, and in 1962 an ice rink was installed, which was later closed in 2009. The park also includes two playgrounds, eight tennis courts, a baseball diamond, softball diamond, football field, fitness trail, beach volleyball court, and a hill perfect for winter sports such as sledding and snowboarding. Ellenberger Park hosts outdoor movie screenings in the summer. In recent years, the City of Indianapolis has finished constructing the Pleasant Run Trail

Pleasant Run Trail

The Pleasant Run Trail, also known as the Pleasant Run Greenway, is a pedestrian and bicycle trail in Indianapolis, Indiana. It runs for from Ellenberger Pack, through Christian Park, to Garfield Park. It follows the general course of Pleasant Run Creek as it flows to the south and west...

greenway. The trail currently runs 6.9 miles (11.1 km) and connects Ellenberger Park with Garfield Park

Garfield Park Conservatory and Sunken Gardens

Garfield Park is a regional city park in Indianapolis, Indiana. Established in the late 19th century, it is the oldest city park in Indianapolis and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The park is located at the confluence of Pleasant Run and Bean Creeks on the near Southside of...

, the oldest park in the city (est. 1873, renamed in 1881), on the old Southside of Indianapolis—significant northern and southern expansions are planned for the trail.

Irving Circle: At the center of Irvington is a small circular park surrounded by a round-about street intersection. The park includes a fountain, a bust of Washington Irving

Washington Irving

Washington Irving was an American author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th century. He was best known for his short stories "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle", both of which appear in his book The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. His historical works...

, and personalized brick paths.

Schools and libraries: Irvington is home to local schools and a branch of the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library

Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library

The Indianapolis Public Library is the public library system that serves the citizens of Marion County, Indiana, United States and its largest city, Indianapolis...

. Thomas Carr Howe Community High School

Thomas Carr Howe Community High School

Thomas Carr Howe Community High School is a secondary school in Indianapolis that serves grades 7-12. It is operated by Indianapolis Public Schools.-History:...

and George Washington Julian elementary school #57 are both part of the Indianapolis Public Schools. There are also two Charter schools. Irvington Community School

Irvington Community School

Irvington Community School is a K-10 charter school located in the Irvington Historic District of Indianapolis, Indiana. Ball State University is the charter sponsor for the school....

is for grades K-8,and the other is the Irvington Preparatory Academy, serving grades 9-12. Together, these schools offer public education for grades K-12. Irvington is also home to the Roman Catholic school Our Lady of Lourdes, available for grades K-8. Irvington has a long history of libraries. In 1903 the Bona Thompson Library was open to Butler

Butler University

Butler University is a private university located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university offers 60 degree programs to 4,400 students through six colleges: business, communication, education, liberal Arts and sciences, pharmacy and health...

students and the public. Since then, a local Irvington library has always been open to residents in different locations ranging from homes to particular structures. In 1956, the Hilton U. Brown Library, named in honor of the Irvington resident, opened on East Washington Street. In 2001, a brand new, state-of-the-art Irvington Branch Library of the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library opened at 5625 East Washington Street. The former Brown Library building is now used for early education by Indianapolis Public Schools. Irvington was also home to the Children's Guardian Home on University Avenue, before being converted to a new high school for the Irvington Preparatory Academy.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

Pleasant Run Run

Festival Venues

See also

External links