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Barry, Train, Journey, and Blake Headline 2012 Indiana State Fair Concert Series

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The Indiana State Fair will host four incredible concerts during this year’s fair festivities.  All shows will take place at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, but each concert ticket provides State Fair admission good for any of the fair’s 17 day run.  Barry Manilow, Train, Journey with Pat Benatar and Loverboy, and Blake Shelton will all grace the stage.

Tickets are on sale now.  Prices for the shows are as follows:

  • Barry Manilow, Aug. 3, 7:30pm – $129.99, $89.99, $69.99, $39.99, $19.99 and $9.99
  • Train, Aug. 4, 7:00pm – $61, $50 and $40
  • Journey/Pat Benatar/Loverboy, Aug.8, 7:00pm – $90, $70 and $45
  • Blake Shelton, Aug. 17, 7pm – $75, $55 and $40

Tickets can be purchased at the State Fairgrounds Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000, or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

In addition, the fair will present the Indiana Fever vs. Atlanta Dream game on Aug. 18.  Any group that purchases 15 or more tickets to the game will receive the same number of tickets to the fair, also good on any day of the fair.  These tickets can be purchased at the State Fairgrounds Box Office, through Ticketmaster or at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

For more information, contact the Indiana State Fairgrounds Box Office at (317) 927-7601 or visit www.indianastatefair.com.

Indianapolis Chinese Festival Offers Free Family Fun

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The City of Indianapolis is hosting the 2011 Indianapolis Chinese Festival on September 10 from noon to 7 p.m. in Military Park, located in downtown Indianapolis. Now in its fourth year, the Indianapolis Chinese Festival continues to grow in size and experience to provide visitors with hands-on opportunities to explore Chinese culture. In addition to the dazzling lion and dragon dancers, which open and close the festival, visitors to the event can experience Chinese food, games, music, costumes and arts.

Visitors can try their hand at Chinese paper folding and cutting, write calligraphy using an ink and brush, play Chinese instruments, dress up in traditional Chinese clothing, or learn Mahjong or ping pong. Children will enjoy exploring China in the kids’s area, where they can learn how to play many different Chinese games including Chinese jump rope, jiangxi, yoyo, tangrams and Chinese checkers. There will also be a face painter and tattoo artists on hand providing Chinese-themed temporary body art.

The festival opens at noon with a lively performance by local lion and dragon dancers followed by a taichi demonstration. Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard will welcome the crowd and provide opening remarks at 1 p.m. at the park pagoda. Following Mayor Ballard’s remarks, the pagoda will host a variety of performances by local Chinese performers. The performances include dancers, singers, musicians and martial artists of all ages.

In addition to many new hands-on exhibits, the 2011 festival has also added traditional Chinese food prepared by the local Chinese community including IUPUI Chinese School participants and Sunny and Sons.

For more information, visit the Indianapolis Chinese Festival website (www.indychinesefest.com) or follow updates on Twitter (@indychinesefest) or Facebook (indychinesefest).

CANCELED: Stevie Nicks, Janet Jackson & Lady Antebellum Concerts

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The following concerts scheduled this week in the Indianapolis area have been canceled.

Stevie Nicks
Wednesday, August 17
Verizon Wireless Music Center – Noblesville, IN

Janet Jackson
Wednesday, August 17
Hoosier Lottery Grandstand at The Indiana State Fair – Indianapolis, IN

Lady Antebellum
Friday, August 19
Hoosier Lottery Grandstand at The Indiana State Fair – Indianapolis, IN

REFUNDS ARE AVAILABLE AT POINT OF PURCHASE

The Train and Maroon 5 concert will occur on Thursday, August 18 with final location and details being announced on Tuesday August 16th.

Also, Sugarland concert tickets from last Saturday night are refundable at the point of purchase.

Grand Stand Stage Collapses at Indiana State Fair

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“Chairs and sand were blowing everywhere, then when I looked up, the stage just kind of swayed back and forth, then came crashing down in to the crowd.”   Indiana State Fair attendee

Around 8:55pm Saturday, at least 43 people were injured and four people died as a result of the Grand Stand Stage collapsing at the Indiana State Fair.  A wind gust estimated between 60 and 70 miles per hour blew through the infield of the Indiana State Fairgrounds just minutes before Sugarland was scheduled to take the stage.  Everyone at Naptown Buzz is praying for those in attendance at the fair and their families and is very thankful for the Hoosiers that helped other Hoosiers.

From Twitter.com–

IndyStateFair Indiana State Fair: Please stand by for more info on this tragedy. There have been four confirmed deaths. Our prayers are with the families of all affected.

Sugarlandmusic Sugarland: We are all right. We are praying for our fans, and the people of Indianapolis. We hope you’ll join us. They need your strength.

MayorBallard Mayor Greg Ballard: Thoughts and prayers are with those injured at the Indiana State Fair tonight. We are monitoring the situation and will provide updates

HankFM Country 97.1 HANK FM: Praying everyone is safe at the @IndyStateFair.

VH1 VH1: BREAKING: At least three dead and dozens injured after stage collapses at Sugarland concert http://t.co/6LB4bXc

FollowCMT CMT : Thoughts and prayers go out to those who passed away and were injured after the stage collapses prior to Sugarland show: http://ow.ly/62C2u

blakeshelton Blake Shelton: My prayers to the people at the Sugarland concert in Indianapolis…. Absolutely shocking and hard to comprehend… Beyond belief…

UPDATE: Sunday, August 14, 2011 @ 1:50am

  • The Indiana State Fair will be closed on Sunday, August 14, 2011.
  • The Indiana State Fair is expected to resume on Monday, August 15, 2011.
  • When the Indiana State Fair is reopened, there will be a memorial service for the victims.
  • Four people are confirmed dead with the possibility of an increase in fatalities.
  • The next public update will take place between 9an & noon on Sunday, August 14, 2011.

UPDATE: Sunday, August 14, 2011 @ 10:40am

  • Death total increased to five:
    • Tammy Vandam, 42, Wanatah, Indiana
    • Glenn Goodrich, 49, Indianapolis, Indiana
    • Alina Bigjohnny, 23, Ft. Wayne, Indiana
    • Christina Santiago, 29, Chicago, Illinois
    • Nathan Byrd, 51,  Indianapolis, Indiana
  • More than 40 injured and taken to local hospitals.
  • The Indiana State Police say that there is still the possibility of further fatalities.
  • The Indiana State Fair will reopen at 8am on Monday, August 15, 2011, with a public remembrance at the Free Stage at 9am.
  • Upcoming fair concerts are still being worked out.