• Eagle Creek will host its 6th Annual Birding Festival May 4-7 with activities for kids and adults. Hours are 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Friday, 8:00 a.m.-8 p.m. on Saturday, and 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Sunday. Highlights include Thursday’s “May the 4th Be With You” introduction to resident Obi the Owl, Friday’s 7:30 p.m. Campfire and Owl Prowl with Wes Homoya, and Saturday morning’s Warbler Watch at the Marina. Most activities are free with park admission ($5 per vehicle). Preregistration will be necessary for some activities; visit indyparks.org for details. The Ornithology Center is located at 6515 Delong Rd.
• DivaFest begins April 28 and runs through May 6. IndyFringe’s celebration of female playwrights will highlight Ballad of the Book Women by J.E. Hibbard, and The Divine Alchemists by Lucy Fields. Shows will be at various times, including matinees, at the IndyFringe theatre complex, 719 E. St. Clair. There will also be audience conversations, activities, and much more. Visit indyfringe.org for the full schedule of events, tickets, and pricing.
• The Science Olympiad team from Raymond Park Intermediate and Middle School is going to the National Science Olympiad Competition in Wichita, Kansas. The team has been preparing for months, putting in countless hours of studying, practicing, and perfecting their skills to qualify for this prestigious event. However, they are short on funds to get the kids there, hotel rooms, and meals. If you would like to help out, they have set up a GoFundMe at www.gofundme.com/f/science-olympiad-teams-national-trip. You can contribute directly as well. Checks can be written to “Raymond Park Intermediate and Middle School” with Science Olympiad in the memo. Checks can be mailed to Raymond Park Intermediate and Middle School in c/o Luke Gobel. 8575 E. Raymond St. Indianapolis, IN 46239.
• Sign up now to help clean up the Irving Circle Park on Saturday, May 13 at 9 a.m. All ages are welcome to come out and pick up sticks, trash, and tidy up the park in preparation for the summer season. A small group of dedicated volunteers has worked for many years to keep the little park at Audubon and University going, despite neglect from officials at Indy Parks. Irving Circle Park is home to a popular concert series in summer, and the Night Out in Sleepy Hollow storytelling event at the Halloween Festival (last year it attracted hundreds of children and adults). A free breakfast from Landlocked will be offered to volunteers.
• If your neighborhood would like to be part of the National Night Out in August, please contact Steve Talley at IMPD East District via e-mail at Steve.talley@indy.gov or call 317-327-6225 for registration forms and further information.
• The Indiana Historical Society will kick off May with an event on Saturday, April 29 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. focusing on the history of the Indianapolis 500. Check out artifacts from the IMS Museum and much more at the History Center, 450 W. Ohio St. Advance Admission tickets to the event are $15 for adults, $14 for seniors, or free for IHS members. Visit indianahistory.org for advance sale tickets and more information.