FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS

Tudor Room Mother's Day Brunch

Date: Sunday, May 12
Time: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Location: Tudor Room
Admission: Adults $49.00, Kids 12 & under $25.00

Take Mom out to brunch and make her day with a special meal at the Tudor Room! Six seating times are available. Make your reservation on the Tudor Room website.

Cosmic Songwriter Festival

Date: Wednesday, May 15 through Saturday, May 18
Time: Times vary
Location: Various Locations Downtown
Admission: See website for ticket details

The Cosmic Songwriter Festival, in its second year, is a live music festival starting Wednesday, May 15 and continuing through Saturday, 18, 2024. The multi-venue music festival is born from the popular monthly Cosmic Songwriters Club and will also feature musical artists sharing the stage to perform original songs. Venues include: The Orbit Room, The Bluebird, The Blockhouse, & the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. For tickets and other information, visit their website.

Bloomington Music Expo

Date: Saturday, May 18
Time: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Location: Switchyard Park
Admission: Free

Join us to shop for new and pre-loved vinyl, CDs, tapes, posters, music memorabilia, and more! We will have food trucks and DJs. Stay tuned for vendor registration. Questions can be sent to Jeremy Bonfiglio.

Monroe County Fairgrounds Vendor Market

Date: Saturday, May 18 through Sunday, May 19
Time: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Location: Monroe County Fairgrounds
Admission: $5.00 per car

Antiques - Primitives - Vintage - Handmade Items - Home Decor - Collectibles & More! Antique Machinery Exhibit. Classic Car Cruise-in. Food & Drinks Vendors On Site.

Bloomington Early Music Festival

Date: Sunday, May 19 through Saturday, May 25
Time: Times vary
Location: Switchyard Park
Admission: Free

The Bloomington Early Music Festival is a week long festival featuring in-person and virtual concerts and workshops - all of which are free! Our 2024 festival programming will explore music of communities and individuals in exile, from forced migration, expulsion, and diaspora to the paradox of exile “in place” that plays out as extreme political repression and forced religious conversion. BLEM aims to highlight the many ways that the conditions of exile—found in seemingly countless histories across regions and religions, throughout medieval times to the end of the early modern era—have been expressed through music that displays resistance, defines identity, expresses fear, loss, hope, and joy, and communicates faith and convictions.

Limestone Comedy Festival

Date: Friday, May 31
Time: Various times 
Location: Various venues 
Admission: Prices vary

The Limestone Comedy Festival is an annual three day comedy festival in beautiful Bloomington, IN. LCF was founded in 2013 by Mat Alano-Martin and Jared Thompson and they were joined in Co-Directorship by Dwight Simmons in 2020. Limestone is only made possible through the support of their friends and family, sponsors, partner venues, and the best comedy fans in the world. Roy Wood, Jr. is headlining. Visit their website for more details.

LIVE MUSIC & PERFORMANCES

The Bishop

Location: The Bishop

Enjoy live performances by the following artists:

• Horse Jumper of Love
  • Date: Tuesday, May 14
  • Time: 9:00 PM
  • Admission: $15.00 per ticket
     
• Geese 
  • Date: Friday, May 24
  • Time: 9:00 PM
  • Admission: $18.00 per ticket in advance, $23.00 per ticket at the door

The Bluebird

Location: The Bluebird

Enjoy live performances by the following artists:

• Hank Ruff
  • Date: Saturday, May 4
  • Time: 9:00 PM
  • Admission: $10.00 per ticket
     
• The Emo Night 
  • Date: Saturday, May 25
  • Time: 8:00 PM
  • Admission: $17.00 per ticket

Buskirk-Chumley Theater

Location: Buskirk-Chumley Theater

Enjoy live performances by the following artists:

• Beat Spring Show 
  • Date: Thursday, May 2
  • Time: 7:00 PM - 9:15 PM
  • Admission: $16.00-$29.00 per ticket
     
• Hairspray (2007)
  • Date: Tuesday, May 7
  • Time: 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
  • Admission: Student $6.00 per ticket, Adults $8.00 per ticket

IU Auditorium Shows

Location: IU Auditorium

Enjoy these live performances:

• Matt Rife: Problemattic World Tour
  • Date: Wednesday, May 29
  • Time: 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM
  • Admission: $53.00-$113.00 per ticket

The Orbit Room Shows

Location: The Orbit Room

Enjoy these live performances:

• Orbit Jazz Night with Jonyp Trio
  • Date: Saturday, May 4
  • Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Admission: $5.00 per ticket, $20.00 front table reservation (up to four people)

Waldron Arts Center

Location: Waldron Arts Center

Enjoy these live performances:

• Alex Gold: Stuck on Repeat
  • Date: Friday, May 3 through Sunday, May 5 and Friday, May 10 through Sunday, May 12
  • Time: Times vary
  • Admission: Prices vary — see website for more details

SPORTING EVENTS

Photo Courtesy of IU Athletics
 

IU Baseball

• vs. Cincinnati 
  • Date: Tuesday, May 7
  • Time: 6:00 PM
  • Location: Bart Kaufman Field
• vs. Michigan
  • Date: Thursday, May 16 through Saturday, May 18
  • Time: Thursday & Friday 6:00 PM and Saturday 2:00 PM
  • Location: Bart Kaufman Field

Recurring Events

Fountain Square Bloomington Local Art Exhibition

Date: Recurring daily
Time: Times vary
Location: Fountain Square
Admission: Free

Fountain Square Bloomington galleries is exhibiting new works by local artist Huner Emin, Nora McGinnis, and Emily Zarse. All exhibit spaces are free and accessible during Fountain Square Bloomington’s building hours: Monday – Friday 8am – 8pm, Saturday 9am – 8pm, and Sunday 12pm – 7pm.

Bloomington Food Truck Friday

Date: Every Friday
Time: 11:00 AM-9:00 PM
Location: Switchyard Park
Admission: Cost of meal

Grab some delicious, locally-made food, enjoy the amenities at Switchyard Park, and experience live music & performances from local artists.

Gallery Walk

Date: Friday, May 3
Time: 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: Various galleries downtown
Admission: Free

Experience an exciting night of the arts as fourteen distinct galleries stay open late to host special exhibits and serve refreshments. Experience the art mile and its amazing art by renowned local, regional, and international artists

Bloomington Community Farmers Market

Date: Recurring weekly on Saturday
Time: 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Location: Showers Common
Admission: Free

Get your locally-grown produce, annual and perennial plants, and a variety of prepared foods at the Community Farmers Market. Purchase your food directly from farmers and ask them questions about their products. 

Woolery Farmers' Market

Date: Recurring weekly on Saturday
Time: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: Woolery Mill
Admission: Free

Enjoy fresh local produce, local meat and poultry, wild Alaskan salmon, dairy products including a wonderful selection of cheese, eggs, honey products, breads, baked goods, locally roasted coffee and specialty teas, beautiful flower bouquets, along with artisanal food and beverages from those small family businesses that you have grown to love.

Looking for more events? Visit our events calendar.