Thursday, July 22, 2021
Top August Events
Categories: Festivals, Live Music, Family Fun
Events are slowly but surely returning to Bloomington. Check out the top events happening in August 2021, and make a three-day getaway out of your trip!
Use this list to easily navigate from section-to-section:
FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS
Bloomington Comedy Festival
Date: Every Wednesday & Thursday throughout the month — August 4 & 5, 11 & 12, 18 & 19, and 26 & 26
Time: 8:00 pm
Location: The Comedy Attic
Admission: $10.00 per single ticket, $40.00 per summer pass
Join The Comedy Attic for 11 weeks of laughs with 40 local comedians as they crown The Funniest Person in Bloomington during the Comedy Festival.
A Fair of the Arts
Date: Tuesday, August 10 & Tuesday, August 24
Time: 4:00-7:00 pm
Location: Switchyard Park
Admission: Free
Shop for handmade art & fine crafts by local & regional artists at A Fair of the Arts! Artwork categories include clay, drawing, painting, photography, fiber arts, jewelry, metalwork, woodwork, and more.
PrideFest
Date: Saturday, August 28
Time: 2:30-11:00 pm
Location: Kirkwood Avenue
Admission: Free
Celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community and queer allies at the seventh annual Bloomington Pridefest! The festival will feature a vendor expo, musical performances, educational workshops, wellness activities, and other entertainment.
Makevention
Date: Saturday, August 28
Time: 10:00 am-4:00 pm
Location: Monroe County Convention Center
Admission: Free
Join the local community of makers as they showcase and celebrate their various works, including digital fabrication, screen printing, upcycling, and more, at Makevention.
LIVE MUSIC & PERFORMANCES
Peoples Park Concert Series
Date: Every Thursday in August
Time: 4:30-6:00 pm
Location: People's Park on Kirkwood Avenue
Admission: Free
Enjoy live musical performances by the following artists:
- August 5: The Dan Kirk Band
- August 12: Sofia Crespo
- August 19: John Kogge
- August 26: Russian Cowboy
Performing Arts Concert Series
Enjoy live musical performances by the following artists:
- Russian Cowboy / Moxxie
- Location: Bryan Park
- Date: Sunday, August 8
- Time: 5:30 pm
- Admission: Free
- Zion Crossroads / Huckleberry Funk
- Location: Switchyard Park
- Date: Friday, August 13
- Time: 6:00 pm
- Admission: Free
- Postmodern Jazz Quartet / Monika Herzig Acoustic Project
- Location: Bryan Park
- Date: Sunday, August 22
- Time: 5:30 pm
- Admission: Free
- Janiece Jaffe / Krista Detor
- Location: Switchyard Park
- Date: Friday, August 27
- Time: 6:00 pm
- Admission: Free
- An Evening with the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra
- Location: Switchyard Park
- Date: Sunday, August 29
- Time: 7:00 pm
- Admission: Free
The Bishop Bar Shows
Location: The Bishop Bar
Enjoy the following live musical performances:
- Mike Adams at His Honest Weight / Lightshore
- Date: Thursday, August 19
- Time: 9:00 pm
- Admission: $8.00 per ticket
- Ohmme
- Date: Friday, August 27
- Time: 10:00 pm
- Admission: $12.00-$14.00 per ticket
- Valley Maker / The Ophelias
- Date: Sunday, August 29
- Time: 8:00 pm
- Admission: $12.00-$14.00 per ticket
The Blockhouse Bar Shows
Location: The Blockhouse Bar
Enjoy the following live musical performances:
- Honky Tonk Tuesday
- Date: Every Tuesday in August
- Time: 8:30 pm
- Admission: $5.00 cover
- C & R Jazz Night
- Date: Every Wednesday in August
- Time: 6:30 pm
- Admission: $5.00 cover
- S.G. Goodman / Crescent Ulmer / Basher / Civilized Worm / Potty Mouth
- Date: Thursday, August 12
- Time: 7:00 pm
- Admission: $5.00-$13.00 per ticket
- Heavy Mother / Ghetto Blasters / Anderson Ferry
- Date: Friday, August 13
- Time: 9:00 pm
- Admission: $7.00-$10.00 per ticket
- Mr. Goblin / Grocer with Lightshore
- Date: Sunday, August 22
- Time: 8:00 pm
- Admission: $5.00 cover
The Bluebird Shows
Location: The Bluebird
Enjoy live musical performances by the following artists:
- Hank Ruff
- Date: Friday, August 6
- Time: Doors open at 8:00 pm, show begins at 9:00 pm
- Admission: $10.00 per ticket
- The Prince Experience
- Date: Saturday, August 7
- Time: Doors open at 8:00 pm, show begins at 9:00 pm
- Admission: $15.00 per single ticket or $12.00 per ticket purchased as a four-pack
- Dizgo
- Date: Saturday, August 14
- Time: Doors open at 8:00 pm, show begins at 9:00 pm
- Admission: $10.00 per ticket
- Manic Focus
- Date: Friday, August 27
- Time: Doors open at 8:00 pm, show begins at 9:00 pm
- Admission: $20.00 per ticket
Buskirk-Chumley Theater Shows
Location: Buskirk-Chumley Theater
Enjoy live musical performances by the following artists:
- Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band
- Date: Monday, August 30
- Time: Doors open at 7:30 pm, show begins at 8:00 pm
- Admission: $80.00 for the orchestra pit; $75.00 for the lower balcony; $70.00 for the upper balcony
Orbit Room Shows
Location: Orbit Room
Enjoy the following live musical performances:
- Blues Night with Chris Dollar and Pat Otto
- Date: Wednesday, August 18
- Time: 6:00 pm
- Admission: $10.00 per person
Over Easy Sundays with Charlie Jesseph
Date: Sunday, August 8 & Sunday, August 22
Time: 4:00-7:00 pm
Location: Switchyard Brewing Company
Admission: Free
Enjoy an acoustic set by Charlie Jesseph in a laid-back atmosphere.
The Comedy Attic Shows
Location: The Comedy Attic
Enjoy live comedy performances by the following comedians:
- DeAnne Smith
- Date: Friday, August 13 & Saturday, August 14
- Time: 7:00 pm & 9:15 pm both days
- Admission: General admission is $15.00 per ticket; student admission is $12.00 per ticket.
EXHIBITS & OTHER AREA HAPPENINGS
Gallery Walk
Date: Friday, August 6
Time: 5:00-8:00 pm
Location: Various downtown art galleries
Admission: Free
Enjoy local & regional art and Bloomington's vibrant downtown scene during Gallery Walk. Ten downtown art galleries participate in the event — stroll through the heart of Bloomington as you admire various works at each location.
Movies in the Park Series
Enjoy movies at various parks in Bloomington through the month! Bring blankets and snacks for the ultimate experience.
- Rear Window
- Location: Bryan Park
- Date: Friday, August 20
- Time: Dusk
- Admission: Free
The Art of the Character: Highlights from the Glenn Close Costume Collection
Date: Every Thursday-Sunday through Monday, November 15
Time: 12:00-5:00 pm on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday; 12:00-7:00 pm on Saturday
Location: Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University
Admission: Free
Eight-time Academy Award-nominated and three-time Emmy- & Tony-winning actress, Glenn Close, has donated her collection of 800+ costume pieces from various roles she's played during her career, including Cruella de Vil in 101 and 102 Dalmatians, to the Eskenazi Museum of Art at IU. "The Art of the Character" exhibition explores the art of developing a character with a focus on the creativity and skills of the designers & makers, as well as the collaborative process between Close and the artists who help bring her characters to life.
See Her Run: Monroe County Women in Politics
Date: Every day through Thursday, September 30
Time: 10:00 am-4:00 pm
Location: Monroe County History Center
Admission: Free
The Monroe County History Center commemorated the Women’s Suffrage Centennial in 2020 with a year-long exhibit highlighting the activities and contributions of local Monroe County women for local, state, and federal suffrage. In 2021, they continue to focus on the contributions of Monroe County women in local and state politics with the See Her Run exhibit, which features artifacts, documents, and photographs from the museum collection that trace the difficult defeats and historic victories of women in local politics.
LOOKING FOR MORE EVENTS IN AUGUST AND BEYOND? CHECK OUT THESE PAGES:
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Alyssa Davis
Alyssa is the Digital Content Coordinator at Visit Bloomington. She's also a proud Indiana University alumna, Millennial cat lady, and Formula 1 enthusiast.
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