INDIANAPOLIS — Mayor Joe Hogsett recently announced that Irvington will be the city’s ‘Neighborhood of the Month’ for October, 2017. The Neighborhood of the Month initiative highlights a unique Indianapolis community each month, working to engage local groups, highlight the community’s rich history and promote projects by various City departments.
Irvington, located about five miles east of downtown Indianapolis, was originally founded as a suburban town in 1870 before being annexed by the city in 1902. The spirit and traditions of this historic neighborhood are still alive today, due in large part to the multiple generations of families that have called the area home. In 2006, Irvington became the largest protected historic district in Indianapolis.
“Irvington residents hold a strong sense of neighborhood pride, and October is a great month for residents from across Indianapolis to experience all that this community has to offer,” said Mayor Hogsett. “For nearly as long as Indianapolis has been a city, Irvington has etched its unique identity on the east side – and residents have remained dedicated to ensuring this historic neighborhood is a welcoming place to call home for generations to come.”
October is an especially festive month for the Irvington neighborhood, as the Historic Irvington Halloween Festival draws thousands of visitors to the area. This year, the festival runs from October 21st–28th and features a variety of events throughout the week, including a Masquerade Ball, a Zombie Bike Ride, and community-wide pumpkin carving. City-County Councillor Blake Johnson, who represents Irvington and calls it home, will also help to highlight neighborhood initiatives throughout the month of October.
“While our city is made up of a variety of extraordinary neighborhoods, no one does the month of October like Irvington,” said Councillor Johnson. “The Historic Irvington Halloween Festival will bring together tens of thousands of our city’s residents for a 5-mile run, scholarship pageant, concerts, contests, ghost tours, live theater performances, a masquerade ball, and dozens of other events. Ours is a community unlike any other, and in October, we really get to show it off.”
Residents and visitors are encouraged to use the hashtag #IndyNoM when posting on social media about Irvington during the month of October. To nominate your neighborhood for Neighborhood of the Month visit: http://indy.gov/NoM.