Festivals & Special Events
Monroe County Fair
Date: Saturday, June 27-Sunday, July 5
Location: Monroe County Fairgrounds
Enjoy a traditional county fair, complete with 4-H projects and competitions, a rodeo, loads of food vendors, a demolition derby, carnival rides, games, and more!
Learning Lab
Date: Various dates throughout July
Time: 10:00 AM-4:00 PM
Location: Indiana Geological and Water Survey
Admission: Free
Part museum, part lab, and part classroom, the Learning Lab is where you can compare thousands of rocks, minerals, and fossils, create art inspired by our collections, explore real-time datasets, and participate in interactive activities. Pull open drawers to discover real specimens and question the world beneath your feet using scientific evidence.
Vinegar Hill Limestone Walking Tour
Date: Friday, July 10
Time: 4:00-4:30 PM
Location: Vinegar Hill National Historic District
Admission: Free
The Vinegar Hill National Historic District is one of the most architecturally significant neighborhoods in Bloomington, and home to famous Bloomigntonians including Alfred Kinsey and Nobel Prize laureate Herman J. Muller. This four block walking tour will explore the work of master stonemasons, diverse architecture, and the contributions of some of Bloomington's most famous residents.
Science of Art: Meet the Instruments
Date: Sunday, July 12
Time: 1:30-3:30 PM
Location: WonderLab Museum
Admission: Free for Members; Free with Super Sunday $10 Reduced Admission
Join us for Science of Art: Meet the Instruments with the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra (BSO), a returning Science of Art favorite that brings music to life through hands-on exploration. This fun, drop-in program is designed for all ages and families, and gives children the chance to explore classical instruments up close with members of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra.
Campus Limestone Walking Tour– East Campus
Date: Tuesday, July 14
Time: 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
Location: Indiana Geological and Water Survey
Admission: Free
Explore the unique limestone architecture of the beautiful Indiana University campus with a guided walking tour. You’ll be amazed at the styles, techniques and artistry represented on the east campus. East campus tours begin at Memorial Hall on E. 3rd Street and cover approximately 1 mile along an accessible route.
WonderLab ScienceFest
Date: Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26
Time: Saturday 10:00 AM-5:00 PM | Sunday 1:30-5:00 PM
Location: WonderLab Museum
Admission: Members FREE, Non-Members $14.50, Access Pass $5
Step into a world of discovery with hands-on laboratory sessions, mind-blowing science demonstrations, and all your favorite WonderLab exhibits. For one weekend only, WonderLab’s most popular labs and live demos take over the entire museum. Our educators have spent years crafting engaging, hands-on science experiences—and during ScienceFest, they’re all in one place.
Live Music & Performances
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings: Granfalloon Concert Series at Switchyard Park
Date: Saturday, July 18
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Switchyard Park
Admission: GA $43, Pit $74, VIP $156
IU Arts and Humanities Presents: Granfalloon Concert Series at Switchyard Park | 1601 S. Rogers St., Bloomington, IN
Gillian Welch and David Rawlings are pillars of the modern acoustic music world and their rich and remarkable careers span over twenty-five years. They have been hailed by Pitchfork as “modern masters of American folk” and “protectors of the American folk song” by Rolling Stone and the New York Times says “their combined voices operate beyond simple sonic harmony. There are emotional inquiries at play.
The Bishop
Location: The Bishop
Enjoy live musical performances by the following artists:
- The Wildwoods
- Date: Thursday, July 2
- Time: 8:00-10:00 PM
- Admission: $18.00-$22.00 per ticket, 18+
The Bluebird Show
Location: The Bluebird
- EDM Night
- Date: Thursday, July 2
- Time: 9:00 PM
- Admission: $6.74 per ticket
- The Main Squeeze
- Date: Friday, July 31
- Time: 9:00 PM
- Admission: $25.39 per ticket
Recurring Events
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.
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
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.
A Fair of the Arts
Date: Saturday, July 11
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.
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.
