• Scecina Memorial High School junior Elijah Clegg has organized the first Cookout For Life fundraiser for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Indianapolis Firefighters Local 416 peer support organization. The event takes place from 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1, at IAFF Local 418, 748 Massachusetts Ave. Firefighters will be grilling hamburgers and hot dogs, with meals available for $7. Hear live music from the Scecina Rock Band and The Roosters. There also will be 50/50 and other raffles, and a bake sale.
• There will be a fundraiser for the Indianapolis Animal Care Service by Sudsy Pups at Indianapolis City Market, West Plaza on Saturday, August 24 from 3-6 p.m. Get your pups washed, nails trimmed, and microchipping (each service is $10). A great cause!
• As part of the Lawrence Branch’s 2019 Travel History and Popular Culture Series, there will be a presentation on the neighborhoods that existed where IUPUI is currently located. The program will be held on Tuesday, August 27 at 10:15 a.m. at the Lawrence Branch, 7898 Hague Rd.
• The eastside tradition continues! The Annual Feast of Lanterns will be held Saturday, August 24 from 4-11 p.m. at Spades Park, 1800 Nowland Ave. Music, food, drinks, vendors, and lots of activities will take place under the beautiful lanterns. Everyone is welcome to come out and enjoy the festivities.
• Southeastway Park’s 27th Annual Bug Fest will be held Sunday, August 25 from 1-5 p.m. at the park, 5624 S. Carroll Rd. Admission is $5 per car, cash only. There will be several stations, including a butterfly tent, a cricket cafe, crafts, monarch tagging,and other buggy activities. There will also be food trucks, concessions, and lots more.
• Buck Creek Players is now in it’s 46th season of theatre. Flex Passes are available for the season, and the pre-purchase price is only $14 per show until Sept. 1. Call 317-862-2270 to reserve your passes. Each pass is good for one seat for any eligible productions for the 2019-2020 season. Visit www.buckcreekplayers.com for more information about upcoming shows.
• The Indianapolis Star’s recent poll asking readers for the “Best Things” brought up a bunch of winners from the east side. Irvington was named best neighborhood, Jamie Locke named best visual artist, and the Irvington Halloween Festival as best neighborhood festival. Funny thing, we don’t need a poll to know that eastside is BEST side!
• The Indiana State Fair closed August 18, but attracted 878,857 people over the 17 days of the event. Great weather (except for a couple of days of rain) contributed to the turnout. Mark your calendars for the 2020 State Fair, which will run from August 7-23.
• IndyFringe will be winding down this weekend, but there are still lots of shows to see. The first Indy Fringe Chalk Festival will be held Saturday, August 24 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. by Indy Fringe HQ at 719 E. St. Clair and surrounding Mass Ave. sidewalks. There is an entry fee for chalk artists; register on Eventbrite (Children 12-17 are free; adults are $15).