• The Friends of Irving Circle Park are holding their monthly summer concert on Saturday, July 22 from 7-9 p.m. at the park, located at 236 S. Audubon Rd. This month’s performers are Blue Alchemy featuring Donn Smith. Admission is free — bring your own lawn chair and bring the kids. The circle is blocked off from traffic before and after the show. There will be refreshments available for purchase, with proceeds going to support the upkeep of the park.
• The Indiana Arts Commission recently awarded grants to several arts organization throughout the area. Among the recipients were Buck Creek Players, Indianapolis Shakespeare Co., Circle City Sound, Indianapolis Children’s Choir, Storefront Theatre of Indianapolis, and the Phoenix Theatre, among many others. The Commission also announced grants to arts organizations for specific projects, including Indy Dance Council, Brick Street Poetry, Big Car Collaborative, District Theatre, Indiana Plein Air Painters Association, Indianapolis Art Center, Indiana Writers Center, and Arts for Lawrence, among many others.
• Indiana Veteran families experiencing financial hardship are encouraged to apply for $500 per dependent child for back to school expenses. Students must live in the veteran’s home, and can be K-12 and college students up to 23. Deadline for applications is Aug. 31. Apply online at in.gov/dva or call the main line at 317-232-3910 for more information.
• The Heartland Film Festival and International Indy Shorts Film Festival were listed by MovieMaker Magazine in the top 25 film festivals in the world. Indy Shorts continues through July 23, and the Heartland Film Festival takes place in October.
• Indiana Landmarks is leading two different walking tours of downtown Indianapolis on Saturday, July 22. The Decoding Downtown tour takes walkers past downtown landmarks to discover hidden stories and architectural details starting at 9:30 a.m. The Downtown Safari tour takes walkers past animals in the architecture and sculptures downtown at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $15 and must be ordered in advance on Eventbrite.com (search for Downtown Indianapolis Tours) to reserve tickets for these or other historic walking tours.
• There will be a free microchipping event for dogs only on Sunday, July 23 from 9 a.m.-noon at the Indianapolis Speedrome at 802 S. Kitley Ave. Thanks go out to Peaceful Souls Animal Rescue and Recovery for hosting the event. This is a first come, first served and drive-through only event. Please keep your dog on a leash at all times. Everyone is welcome.
• The Third Floor Gallery at the Lodge in Irvington will close its summer show on Friday, July 28 from 6-9 p.m. This is your last chance to buy art you’ve admired for a month or two! The Lodge is located at 5515 E. Washington St. in the Historic Lodge.