Massive Crowd Gathers for Downtown Indy's Third Annual Fourth Fest Celebration

Downtown Indianapolis was packed on Friday night as over 20,000 people gathered for the third annual Fourth Fest celebration. The free, family-friendly event at American Legion Mall featured food trucks, live music, kids' activities, and a 20-minute fireworks display.

“Nothing better than coming down here and enjoying a nice show,” said a longtime attendee.

The festival began at 6 p.m. with a street party hosted by Donate Life Indiana and Indiana Donor Network, which stretched across St. Clair Street and North Street with vendors, beverages, and a Kids Zone with inflatables and rock climbing.

Musical performances from local pop and Latin jazz bands Living Proof and Pavel & Direct Contact were a major draw.

“It’s really awesome to see everyone come out and get together,” one attendee said.

According to organizers from Downtown Indy Inc., Fourth Fest has quickly become the city's central Independence Day event, with steady growth in attendance over the past three years. President and CEO Taylor Schaffer called it “a family-friendly celebration of our country and community.”

Thirteen food and drink vendors participated in the event, including tacos from Las Tortugas, milkshakes from Gordon's, beer from Upland Brewing, and cocktails from Shake Up.