FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS
Taste of Bloomington
Date: Saturday, August 1
Time: 3:00-10:00 PM
Location: Kirkwood Avenue
Admission: Free to enter, small serving size costing $5.00 or less
Taste of Bloomington is back in Bloomington, IN! On Kirkwood Avenue between Walnut and Indiana, EVERYTHING will be local from the food to the beer, wine, spirits, and more. Come ready to taste and enjoy live music! Click here for more info.
Bloomington Gem & Mineral Show
Date: Friday, August 7 through Sunday, August 9
Time: Friday 12:00-7:00 PM, Saturday 10:00 AM-5:00 PM, Sunday 10:00 AM-4:00 PM
Location: Bloomington Convention Center
Admission: $5.00, Free for 12 & under. Each ticket gets you in for the whole weekend.
The show is $5 for adults and free for kids under 12 years old. Tickets are good the entire weekend. Food is available at the event. Silent auction to benefit BHSN Girls Soccer will be on Saturday from 11-3 pm.
A Fair of the Arts
Date: Saturday, August 8
Time: 9:00 AM-12:30 PM
Location: Fernandez Plaza
Admission: Free
Shop for handmade art and fine crafts! Bloomington Parks and Recreation hosts a celebration of art and community with the sales, demonstrations, and displays of art and fine crafts by local and regional artists.
Beach Bash
Date: Saturday, August 8
Time: 6:00-9:00 PM
Location: Fourwinds Lakeside Inn & Marina
Admission: $40 per ticket for adults, &35.00 per ticket for kids
The Lake Monroe Water Fund’s annual Beach Bash is an evening of lakeside fun, community connection, and conservation impact. Held at Fourwinds Lakeside Inn on beautiful Lake Monroe, this family-friendly event brings people together to celebrate and support clean water. Enjoy live music, lawn games, a silent auction, giveaways, and two local food trucks, plus a relaxed, beachy atmosphere for all ages.
Sweet Corn Festival
Date: Saturday, August 8
Time: 2:00-9:00 PM
Location: Fowler Pumpkin Patch
Admission: $5.00 per car
Join us for our annual Sweet Corn Festival on Saturday, August 8th from 2 PM to 9 PM at Fowler Pumpkin Patch. We'll have fresh homegrown sweet corn, live music by Dusty Miller from 6 PM to 9 PM, over 20 local vendors, The Huddle Food Truck, Bruster's Ice Cream, and our beer garden will be open all evening.
Bloomington Pridefest
Date: Saturday, August 22
Time: 2:00-11:00 PM
Location: Kirkwood Ave
Admission: Free
The 13th annual Bloomington Pridefest, ranked by Thrillist as the best college town pride in the nation, will take place in August 2026. It is an incredible day with thousands of people celebrating LGBTQ+ lives and the fight for liberation on the iconic Kirkwood Avenue in Bloomington.
Indiana Toy and Comic Expo
Date: Sunday, August 23
Time: 10:00 AM-4:00 PM
Location: Bloomington Convention Center
Admission: $8.00, 12 & under free
Two stories packed full of awesome! Vendors from all over the Midwest. Comic book creators. Indie toy creators. Pop artists. Comic book dealers. Action figure dealers (vintage and modern). Food trucks. Cosplay contest. Family and hardcore collector friendly. $8 at the door. Kids 12 and under free with a paid adult.
Durand Jones & the Indications: Granfalloon Concert Series at Switchyard Park
Date: Saturday, August 29
Time: 6:00-10:00 PM
Location: Switchyard Park
Admission: $43.00 for GA, $74.00 for pit, $145.00 for VIP
The series connects the academic year with the Bloomington summer arts season and highlights the creative spirit of our region by tapping into the enduring ethos of Vonnegut’s life and work: promoting civic engagement, encouraging independent thought, and championing art and creativity as essential to the spiritual life of individuals and the health of our democracy.
LIVE MUSIC & PERFORMANCES
Bloomington Summer Soul Fest
Date: Saturday, August 8
Time: 5:00-11:00 PM
Location: Upland Brewing Company
Admission: $23.00+ per ticket
Come join us at Upland Brewing Co. for a day filled with soul, funk and blues music, and delicious soul food and drinks from Upland. Doors open at 4pm and music starts at 5pm.
Improv Bloomington Comedy Show
Date: Saturday, August 8
Time: 7:30-9:00 PM
Location: Blockhouse Bar
Admission: $5.00 per ticket
Join Improv Bloomington for a night of unscripted comedy on Saturday, August 8 at 7:30 PM at Blockhouse Bar (205 S College Ave). The show is completely made up on the spot using audience suggestions. Tickets are $5.
The Bluebird
Location: The Bluebird
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Ahnay Hering
- Date: Wednesday, August 5
- Time: 10:00 PM
- Admission: $12.43 per ticket
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Magnolia & Johnson Electric Co.
- Date: Thursday, August 27
- Time: 7:30 PM
- Admission: $37.05 per ticket
Buskirk-Chumley Theater
Location: Buskirk-Chumley Theater
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Arthur Murray: Step Into The Spotlight!
- Date: Saturday, August 15
- Time: 2:00 PM
- Admission: $24.00 per ticket, 12 & under $14.00
RECURRING EVENTS
Tuesday Farmers' Market
Date: Every Tuesday
Time: 4:00 PM-7:00 PM
Location: Hopewell Commons
Admission: Free
Visit, shop and support local farmers and growers, and small businesses at Tuesday Market, held every Tuesday June through September from 4-7 p.m. at Hopewell Commons, 332 W. University Street.
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, August 7
Time: 5:00-8:00 PM
Location: Downtown Bloomington Galleries
Admission: Free
EVERY. FIRST. FRIDAY. Experience an exciting night of the arts as fourteen distinct galleries stay open late to host special exhibits and serve refreshments from 5-8pm. Stroll the vibrant arts scene along the sensational art mile and experience amazing art by renowned local, regional, and international artists. Discover delightful surprises, inspiration, festivities, and original works of art for purchase. Explore each distinctive gallery in-person or online all year long at your own pace.
Bloomington Community Farmers' Market
Date: Every Saturday
Time: 8:00 AM-1:00 PM
Location: Showers Common
Admission: Free
Locally-grown produce, annual and perennial plants, and a variety of prepared foods are available.
People's Market
Date: Recurring weekly on Saturday
Time: Saturday's 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Location: First United Church in the Fellowship Hall
Admission: Free
We strive to work towards intersectional anti-racism, create space for food justice in our food system while cultivating liberation and equity, and ensure access to local food, art, and education.
Downtown Shop Night
Date: Wednesday, June 17
Time: 4:00-7:00 PM
Location: Gather :handmade shoppe & co.:
Admission: Free
Every third Wednesday from April through October, our downtown shops are staying open a little later and making the night feel like something more. Expect small surprises, special offerings, and a reason to wander from one door to the next.
