Spirit & Place, IU Indianapolis

In Gratitude: An Opening Celebration
2024-11-01 07:00 - 09:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis) | Garfield Park Arts Center – Main Gallery, 2432 Conservatory Dr., Indianapolis, IN, United States
Storytelling portion will have ASL Interpretation.
Celebrate the opening of the Spirit & Place Festival by letting us show you our gratitude with live music by Alexo Cazares and Eric Salazar, a storytelling performance by Sally Perkins, and artmaking activities led by the Ivy Tech Fine Arts Department! Art supplies and food are available while supplies last.
**Why a daytime opening event? Many of our longtime festival supporters have told us that going out in the evening is a challenge. We hope a daytime event filled with great music, food, stories, and artmaking will allow as many people as possible to enjoy the Spirit & Place Festival!**
Questions? Contact 317-274-2462 or festival@iu.edu.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Spirit & Place, Garfield Park Arts Center, and Ivy Tech Fine Arts Department.
Registration: Registration using the blue button below.

Ivy Tech Fine Arts Dept.

Sally Perkins

Growing Gratitude: Celebrate, Connect, and Care for Creation
2024-11-02 09:00 - 10:30 | Friedens United Church of Christ, 8300 S. Meridian St., Indianapolis, 46217, United States
ASL & Spanish Language Interpreted.
ASL assistance provided by IUI’s Program in American Sign Language (ASL) and English Interpreting

Join in a joyful celebration to show our deep appreciation and connection with each other and Mother Earth. Listen and share stories and songs. Dance, breathe, move, create, and even cook in an expression of gratitude for the earth, skies, seas, and all living creatures.
Children, teens, and their families will enjoy a story with IndyPL library staff and also have an opportunity for creative expression and acts of service or advocacy with our event partners. Activities might include listening to and/or participating in songs, dance, artwork, planting seeds or harvesting from the gardens outside of the church. Attendees might make a refrigerator sign or discover cooking ideas to help prevent food waste. Families might even make treats for animals, engage in yoga, make a craft out of recyclable materials, write a thank you letter to the earth or an advocacy letter to an elected official.
Questions?: Contact 317-709-5857 or pastorsarah.friedensucc@outlook.com.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Friedens United Church of Christ with Conscious Caring Community and Metamorphosis Friends, Perry Meridian Middle School Choir, Persimmon Herb School, Earth Charter Indiana, West Perry Library, Audubon Society, Community Food Box Project, Leo’s Plants and Love, and Soul Food Project’s Youth Grow Indy Team.
Registration: Walk-in guests are welcome, but registration is appreciated at https://forms.gle/TcXEy2QkPDjivzJq6.
Growing Gratitude

Adventures in Gratitude
2024-11-02 11:00 - 13:00 | Irvington Presbyterian Church, 55 Johnson Ave., Indianapolis, 46219, United States
Discovering new ways to express “thanks” can be an exciting adventure! This self-directed open-house event for all ages invites us to experience gratitude for small things and the big things using our bodies, minds, voices, and spirits.
This event recognizes gratitude is not just something we feel, but something we do—and it is something that multiplies when we share it with others. Join us and expand your toolbox for “doing” gratitude!
Upon arrival guests will receive a map containing descriptions of the event spaces open for exploration. Singing, moving, writing, visual art, and meditation—explore it all for as long (or little) as you wish! Each person or family group is invited to choose what calls to them. For example, creating gratitude-focused lyrics for simple call and response songs, writing or drawing a thank-you note, expressing thanks in movement, or sitting in peaceful quiet.
Questions?: Contact 317-682-4946 or info@indianapoliswomenschorus.org.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Indianapolis Women’s Chorus, Irvington Arts Collective, and Irvington Presbyterian Church.
Registration: Walk-in guests are welcome, but registration greatly appreciated. Use the blue button below to register.

Balsa Wood, a play by Lou Harry
2024-11-02 11:00 - 13:00, 2024-11-02 15:00 - 17:00 | Super Tortas, 2641 W. Michigan St., Indianapolis, 46222, United States
On the road away from rather than toward anything, Robin finds refuge in the home of Carrie, an iconoclast with an open heart and an open door, who provides a place—without judgment—for human strays. An audience-inclusive discussion about unspoken gratitude will follow the performance.
Intimately staged for a limited number of audience members at each performance, Balsa Wood centers on characters struggling with their pasts and finding connection with those who, on the surface, are different from themselves. Yes, it has intense moments, but it also has humor and provides a chance to see through the surfaces of those who seem unfamiliar.
In a post-performance discussion, audience members are invited to become part of an open discussion about unspoken gratitude and people they’ve known or witnessed who have done something for others without expectation or acknowledgement.
Dates & Times: Saturday, Nov. 2 at 3PM & 7PM and Sunday, Nov. 3 at 3PM.
Questions?: Contact 317-990-1698 or caitlin@indyconvergence.org.
Event Organizers: A play by Lou Harry produced by Indy Convergence.
Registration: Limited seating. Tickets $15 in advance/$20 at the door. Use the blue button below to register.

Awe: A Spirit & Place Festival Book Discussion
2024-11-03 07:00 - 08:15 | MTI School of Knowledge, 4950 W. 34th Street, Indianapolis, 46205, United States
Ahead of this year’s Public Conversation, take a deep dive into Dacher Keltner’s book Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life. Join us for a cross-cultural, multi-generational dialogue as we explore how we might tap into the power of everyday awe. Book club-style conversation led by Dr. David Craig and artist Rachel Hellmann.
Dacher Keltner has spent his career studying emotions such happiness, gratitude, and awe. His research, and the research of others, shows how messy human emotions are, in fact, messy for a reason. Humans evolved a complex range of emotions — including gratitude and awe — to help us find connections that exist between our individual selves and our communities. As Keltner writes in The Gratitude Project, “Gratitude depends on the humble dependence on others.” And, in Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life, he writes, “Awe enables us to see the systems underlying the wonders of life and locate ourselves in relation to them.” This discussion invites attendees to explore these connections.
Questions?: Contact 317-274-2426 or festival@iu.edu.
Event Organizers: A partnership between IU Indianapolis Department of Religious Studies, Senior Academy of IU Indianapolis, and Indianapolis Muslim Community Association.
Registration: Register by using the blue button below.

The Cultural Construction of Gratitude
2024-11-03 08:30 - 10:00 | Congregation Beth-El Zedeck, 600 W. 70th Street, Indianapolis, 46260, United States
While the act of gratitude is universal, its expression is based on cultural norms. Our event invites you to learn about and explore how different cultures express gratitude through interactive vignettes and meaningful conversation.
“Gratitude” seems simple enough, but when you layer in different cultural interpretations, it becomes far more nuanced than one might expect. A politeness learned from an early age in one cultural setting may be seen as rudeness in another. In three short vignettes, audience members will experience scenes from different cultures illustrating various ways gratitude may be expressed. At one point the scene will freeze and a narrator will invite the audience into the scene, first by asking what they saw then by engaging the various actors (who will remain in character) in dialogue. The audience will have an opportunity to experience how different communities view gratitude and its expression while building their own cultural competencies.
Questions?: Contact 317-531-6299 or gkelley@bez613.org.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Congregation Beth-El Zedeck, IU Indianapolis Department of World Languages and Cultures, and Alley Theatre Company.
Registration: Walk-in guests are welcome, but registration is encouraged. Use the blue button below.

Balsa Wood, a play by Lou Harry
2024-11-03 10:00 - 12:00 | Super Tortas, 2641 W. Michigan St., Indianapolis, 46222, United States
On the road away from rather than toward anything, Robin finds refuge in the home of Carrie, an iconoclast with an open heart and an open door, who provides a place—without judgment—for human strays. An audience-inclusive discussion about unspoken gratitude will follow the performance.
Intimately staged for a limited number of audience members at each performance, Balsa Wood centers on characters struggling with their pasts and finding connection with those who, on the surface, are different from themselves. Yes, it has intense moments, but it also has humor and provides a chance to see through the surfaces of those who seem unfamiliar.
In a post-performance discussion, audience members are invited to become part of an open discussion about unspoken gratitude and people they’ve known or witnessed who have done something for others without expectation or acknowledgement.
Dates & Times: Saturday, Nov. 2 at 3PM & 7PM and Sunday, Nov. 3 at 3PM.
Questions?: Contact 317-990-1698 or caitlin@indyconvergence.org.
Event Organizers: A play by Lou Harry produced by Indy Convergence.
Tickets/Registration: Limited seating. Tickets $15 in advance & $20 at the door. Use the blue button below to register.

Serene -- NOW!!
2024-11-04 07:00 - 10:30 | St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 100 W. 86th St., Indianapolis, IN, 46260, United States
Step away from fuzzy brains and knotted shoulders and join us to experience an afternoon of centering a sense of gratitude and calm. Engage all your senses and look inward to look outward. Come-and-go style event!
Guests will be welcomed into a largely silent space – at least very quiet! They will be greeted, offered an event map, learn to say please, thank you, hello, and other words via ASL interpreters, and be encouraged to explore ways of finding calm and deep gratitude in a hectic and stress-filled world. As they visit different stations, they will be able to create/color mandalas, read and reflect on passages from sacred texts and literature, be invited to respond to writing prompts for a group poetry creation or personal journaling, and create a gratitude/neighborly chain with Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood tools. Guests may also listen to a curated contemplative playlist, walk a labyrinth, read articles on mental health wellness and gratitude practices, engage in meditation and sun salutations, and learn about ways they can give back to the community. There will be guides at each station, and guests can visit all or one. Each station will be appropriate for children and adults, and many will include take-home tools, too.
Questions?: Contact 317-614-0451 or gstrong@wfyi.org.
Event Organizers: A partnership between WFYI Public Media and St. Luke’s United Methodist Church.
Registration: Walk-in guests are welcome, but registration is appreciated and will open in early October.

The Legacies We Hold: A Celebration of Our Ancestral Communities
2024-11-05 13:30 - 15:30 | Madam Walker Legacy Center, 617 Indiana Ave., Indianapolis, IN, 46202, United States
Sharing one’s legacy is one of the biggest forms of gratitude we can display. Explore this act by voicing your appreciation for a loved one, adding to the gratitude garden, or experiencing “Unveiling a Forgotten Legacy” an homage to the Black communities that brought Indiana Avenue to life.
The foundation of this event is the photography exhibition, “Unveiling a Forgotten Legacy” which aims to bring awareness to the Black neighborhoods displaced by IUPUI’s expansion. Not only does the exhibit explore themes of gentrification, redlining, and the value or marginalized voices, it embodies the practice of Ubuntu: “I am because we are.” This event invites all of us to honor our family legacies and stories and welcomes all ages to share gratitude for their ancestors through interactive elements, conversation prompts, and more.
NOTE: Attendees are invited to bring an item representing an ancestor they’d like to share their gratitude for. All ages are welcome to participate in interactive activities, thought-provoking conversation prompts and more.
Questions?: Please contact 317-274-2462 or info@madamwalkerlegacycenter.com.
Event Organizers: A partnership between art activist Zola Lamothe, Madam Walker Legacy Center, and Frida’s Flowers.
Registration: Walk-in guests are welcome, but registration is appreciated. Use the blue button below.
Photo Credit: Zola Lamothe

Exploring Wellness through Card Making
2024-11-06 12:30 - 14:00 | Phoenix Theater Cultural Center, 705 N. Illinois Street, Indianapolis, IN, United States
ASL Interpreted
Create a thank-you card with the assistance of the Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center team. We’ll explore how our design choices echo the reflections we undergo in determining how best to express gratitude toward one another. Open to all ages!
Concrete—and fun — steps we can take to express appreciation can be difficult. Building off the Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center’s card-making workshop for patients, guests of all ages, from children to elders, are invited to artistically express their gratitude while reflecting on their design and word choices; colors, styles, and fonts; and how past expressions of gratitude have made them feel.
Questions?: Contact 317-880-4785 or todd.harper@eskenazihealth.edu.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Eskenazi Health and Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre.
Registration: Registration is encourage. Use the blue button below to register.

The Testimony Service: Gratitude Tea
2024-11-06 13:00 - 15:00 | Broadway United Methodist Church, 609 E. 29th St., Indianapolis, IN, 46205, United States
Featuring a DIY tea-bar, a sound bath meditation, and curated testimonies from local voices, this event centers on the importance of practicing gratitude and love towards ourselves and the collective.
Whether you are new to the practice of gratitude or looking to deepen your understanding, our Gratitude Tea offers a welcoming space for personal growth and exploration. Indulge your senses at a DIY (herbal) tea bar before a lineup of local speakers share their inspiring stories and insights on the importance of gratitude in cultivating resilience, fostering positive relationships, and enhancing overall well-being. Our gathering will conclude with a rejuvenating sound bath meditation led by experienced practitioners.
Questions?: Contact 317-413-1239 or TheTestimonyServiceOnline@gmail.com.
Event Organizers: A partnership between The Testimony Service and Center for Religion, Arts, and Culture at Broadway United Methodist Church.
Registration: Limited seating. Registration is strongly encouraged by using the blue button below.
Image Credit: Martina Jackson for Drea & Co.

Coloring and Conversations
2024-11-08 13:00 - 15:00 | Indiana Interchurch Center – Room 226, 1100 W. 42nd St., Indianapolis, 46208, United States
Cultivate a richer sense of gratitude—whether experiencing happiness or grief—through the mindfulness and creative expression generated through the simple act of coloring.
This 90-minute self-care workshop will introduce participants to practical tools for cultivating gratitude no matter the situation through guided conversation and the creative expression of coloring. Yes, coloring! Join us in this welcoming and accessible gathering that promotes social wellness and connection, grounding, and self-compassion.
Questions?: Contact 317-597-0149 or larona@cwuwonline.org.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Center of Wellness for Urban Women (CWUW), CWUW Sisters Together Walking Club, and CWUW Power of Retreat Program.
Registration: Please register using the blue button below. Limited seating.

Ordinary Joy
2024-11-09 07:00 - 10:00 | Ivy Tech Community College – Lawrence Fairbanks Campus, 9301 E. 59th St., Indianapolis, 46216, United States
This family-friendly event will feature a variety of activities allowing participants to reflect on and explore the joy that can be found in ordinary routines of daily life.
During this come-and-go style/self-directed gathering, families will be engaged with activities ranging from printmaking to collaging, visual poetry, and more! In addition to hands-on art activities, assorted stations exploring “ordinary joys” such as gardening and auto maintenance will be available.
Questions?: Contact 317-916-7853 or bpike4@ivytech.edu.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Ivy Tech Community College Central Indiana, Teachers’ Treasures, and Indy Parks and Recreation.
Registration: Registration is encouraged, but walk-in guests are welcome. Use the blue button below to register.

Walks & Arts
2024-11-09 07:00 - 10:00 | Peace Learning Center at Eagle Creek Park, 6040 DeLong Rd., Indianapolis, 46254, United States
Participate in a guided and reflective walk through scenic Eagle Creek Park followed by creative opportunities to honor and express gratitude including a sound bath, visual art, poetry, and movement.
Upon arrival participants will be led on a gratitude walk through scenic Eagle Creek Park. (Gratitude walks will depart at multiple times during the event’s 3-hour window.) Afterwards, attendees will be invited to express their gratitude with a range of options including writing stations, dance and movement instruction, sound/listening areas, and visual arts. A joyous but reflective event, we recognize some participants may find themselves grateful for the memories of a passed loved one. There will also be a listening circle for anyone dealing with grief. Truly, all are welcome!
Participate in a guided and reflective walk through scenic Eagle Creek Park followed by the below creative programs:

“Moving Through Gratitude” sponsored by ARThentic Arts featuring TaKisha Jones of MpoweredtobE
Sound bath & light yoga with The Yoga Lady
A poetry experience led by Brickstreet Poetry
Visual art with ceramics with Sarah Zuniga, the outreach director of Allisonville Christian Church

Questions?: Contact 317-327-7144 or ajackson@peacelearningcenter.org.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Peace Learning Center, Brick Street Poetry, Allisonville Christian Church, Brooke’s Place, The Yoga Lady, and ARThentic Arts.
Registration: Registration required to receive a complimentary pass into Eagle Creek Park. Use the blue button below to register.

Sacred Synergies: Nature, Faith, & Science with Katharine Hayhoe
2025-11-06 18:00 - 20:15 | Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation, 6501 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, 46260, United States
ASL Interpreted
Attendance is virtual or in-person
ZOOM ATTENDEE NOTICE:
Virtual attendees must register via Zoom — not Eventbrite — to receive the Zoom link and passcode. Complete your ZOOM ATTENDANCE registration here:
https://iu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_T_9ygB1BQNK-7NeRfLe1Jw
How do we talk about climate change—across scientific, faith, and cultural divides?
Kick off this year’s Spirit & Place Festival with a virtual keynote and watch party featuring Katharine Hayhoe—Chief Scientist for The Nature Conservancy, evangelical Christian, and author of Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World.
Embrace the spirit of community with food, fellowship, and the chance to connect with event partners at our in-person watch party or bring that spirit to your place by connecting virtually. After Hayhoe’s keynote, join IU experts—online or in person—for interactive workshops exploring how to navigate tough climate conversations through dialogue, science and policy communication, and improv.
Why a virtual keynote & watch party? To reduce her carbon footprint, Hayhoe presents virtually. We’re pleased to offer both a communal in-person experience at Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation and an online Zoom option. All attendees will have a chance to explore what it means to talk—and listen—across divides.
Questions: Contact 317-274-2462 or festival@iu.edu.
Event Organizers: presented by Spirit & Place, IU Environmental Resilience Institute, Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IU Indianapolis, IU Indianapolis Communicating Science Program, The Nature Conservancy in Indiana, Hoosier Environmental Council, Citizens’ Climate Lobby Indiana, and Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation.
Registration: Requested by Oct. 23. Register Here.
(NOTE: In person attendees will register via Eventbrite and virtual guests directly via Zoom.)
What to Know:

For online guests: While cameras won’t be on, you’ll have plenty of ways to join in! Use the Q&A function to engage with Katharine and then stick around afterwards for something special: a short, interactive session with a representative from the IUI O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. You’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at their Constructive Dialogue work—practical, proven strategies for talking through the tough stuff. Curious about how to keep conversations open instead of shutting them down? You’ll walk away with a tool designed exactly for “important, complicated issues that can divide people.”
For in-person guests: Arrive early at 5:30PM for heavy hors d’oeuvres, live viola music by Colette Abel, and a chance to mingle with our event partners before Katharine takes the virtual stage at 6PM. And don’t leave right after the talk—you’ll miss one of the evening’s most engaging experiences! Krista Longtin, IU communication expert and winner of Spirit & Place’s 2019 Award of Awesomeness (“A Faith Leader and a Scientist Walk into a Bar”), will lead a fun improv-based workshop that will get you laughing, connecting, and reflecting on how to ask questions from genuine curiosity. You’ll practice communication skills that help build bridges and common ground, something we all need more of.

The Testimony Service Presents: Sol Sessions
2025-11-07 06:30 - 09:00 | Unitarian Universalist Church Indianapolis, 615 W. 43rd St., Indianapolis, 46208, United States
Greet the sun with joyful movement and meditative stillness. This early-morning dance party and sound bath invites you to honor the nature of your body, connect in community, and celebrate a new day with intention. Sol Sessions is a soulful fusion of music, movement, and mindfulness.
Start your day with intention, movement, and music at Sol Sessions, a morning dance party and sound bath experience inspired by nature. Guided by a hip-hop yoga instructor, participants will move to energizing dance/electronica music before immersing in a restorative sound bath led by a reiki practitioner. With light refreshments, coffee, and cocoa on hand, the event blends fellowship, art, and the healing power of nature. Celebrate community, gratitude, and the joy of greeting the sun through dance, meditation, and mindful connection.
Questions? Contact 317-413-1239 or TheTestimonyServiceOnline@gmail.com.
Event Organizers: A partnership between The Testimony Service and Center for Religion, Arts, and Culture at Broadway United Methodist Church.
Registration: Click here to register.

Earth Pigment: The Alchemy of Soil
2025-11-07 13:30 - 16:30 | Wilson Art Lab/The Rose Building, 642 E. 38th St., Indianapolis, IN, 46205, United States
Limited capacity. Registration required.
This workshop is offered twice: Nov. 7 & Nov. 9.
This hands-on, earth-honoring workshop invites you to gather, process, and transform local soil into natural pigment. Through ritual, slowness, and creativity, you will reconnect with land, craft handmade paint, and explore soil as story, archive, and art.
Join us for Earth Pigment: Alchemy of Soil, a hands-on workshop where art, ecology, and ritual meet. We’ll begin with a grounding practice before stepping into the landscape to gather soil with care and intention. Guided step-by-step, participants will learn traditional methods of sorting, sifting, washing, and grinding earth into vibrant pigment, then transform it into natural paints with simple, organic binders. To close, we’ll honor what the land has offered through a short creative ritual—painting, journaling, or marking with the handmade pigments. Each participant will leave with their own pigments, paint samples, and a soil alchemy guide, as well as a renewed sense of connection to place and the wisdom held within the earth.
Questions? Contact 317-274-2462 or sw@shamirawilson.com.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Wilson Art Lab and Growing Places Indy.
Registration: Click here to register.

The Nature of Us: Weaving Ourselves into the Natural World
2025-11-08 13:00 - 15:00 | Hornet Park, 5245 Hornet Ave., Beech Grove, 46107, United States
ASL Interpreted
Explore your place in and as part of nature through hands-on activities and thoughtful inquiry. Create your own art and contribute to a collaborative weaving project, both utilizing natural materials. Engage with neighbors in prompted conversations that invite curiosity, reflection, and remembering your place in the natural world.
Step into nature and explore your place within it through hands-on creativity and guided inquiry. At this interactive experience, participants will rotate through stations to engage in thinking routines that spark reflection, collaborate on a community weaving project using natural materials, and create take-home art inspired by the surrounding landscape. Through conversation, observation, and artistic expression, guests of all ages will deepen their curiosity, connect with the natural world, and consider how their presence shapes and is shaped by it.
Questions? Contact 463-241-6090 or darren@beechgrovewellness.com.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Beech Grove Wellness, Beech Grove Parks Foundation, Hornet Park Community Center, and local artist and gardener Lorie Ann Dillbeck-Bagby.
Registration: Click here to register.

Nature & Ritual: Celebrating the Natural World while Grieving Ecological Losses
2025-11-08 13:00 - 15:30 | Holliday Park Nature Center, 6363 Spring Mill Rd., Indianapolis, 46260, United States
Limited capacity. Registration required.

Many of us feel alone in our ecological grief. Let’s take a guided, multi-sensory forest therapy walk, culminating in a community art ritual that celebrates the natural world while also acknowledging the ongoing loss of its landscapes and species.
Led by author Dheepa Maturi (108: An Eco-Thriller) and certified forest therapy practitioner Paula Goldberg, this guided walk at Holliday Park incorporates poetry, prose, and multi-sensory observation to culminate in the creation of a collaborative mandala made from natural materials. Participants contribute meaningfully to the mandala, which will later return to the earth, symbolizing the cycle of nature. The event incorporates philosophy, literature, and cross-cultural spiritual practices to reflect on ecological grief, the power of ritual, and our shared responsibility as stewards of the land. Small-group sharing and guided prompts support personal reflection and offer tools for designing individual nature rituals to carry forward beyond the event.
Date & Time Note: Saturday, Nov. 8 is the Monumental Marathon (see route map). Getting west of the river to Holliday Park may take a little extra time. Plan accordingly! (2024 Road Closure Map. We’ll post the 2025 map when it is ready.)
Questions? Contact 317-274-2462 or info@DheepaRMaturi.com.
Event Organizers: A partnership between author Dheepa R. Maturi, forest therapy practitioner Paula Goldberg, artist and ethnobotanist Shamira Wilson, and Holliday Park.
Registration: Click here to register.
Autumn leaves, laid out in the shape of heart, heart symbol

The Greencastle Urban Fossil Tour: Discover Ancient Life Around You!
2025-11-08 13:00 - 16:00 | Putnam County Museum, 1105 Jackson St., Greencastle, 46135, United States
Self-Guided Walks: Nov. 7 – 16
Guided Walks & Activities: Saturday, Nov. 8 & 15
Download a self-guided map and daily schedules by clicking here!
Join an all-ages community-wide fossil adventure blending science, nature, and art! Explore Greencastle’s buildings and the DePauw Nature Park on your own with a custom map or participate in a guided tour. Visit Fern Cliff’s vivid green sandstone, make fossil prints and poems, hear from experts, and trade your Paleo Art for a fossil cookie.
The Greencastle Urban Fossil Tour was designed with flexibility in mind!

Self-Guided Walks: Pick up a walking tour “fossil map” of downtown Greencastle and the DePauw Nature Park at the Putnam County Museum (1105 N. Jackson St.) or the Putnam County Convention & Visitors Bureau (aka, “Welcome Center,” 12 W. Washington St.). Hours vary but are open most weekdays until 3PM. After touring the area—and noting what you saw—return to the Welcome Center to collect your fossil-shaped cookie!

Saturday Sessions & Guided Walks: On Saturdays, guests and their families can attend interactive presentations at the Putnam County Museum with paleo-artist Janet Panoch (11/8) and geologist Tim Cope (11/15). Activities include fossil rubbings, art displays, short poetry exercises, and optional guided fossil walks in the DePauw Nature Park (1400 W. CR 125 S.). Saturday sessions are from 1 – 4PM. There is a more detailed agenda posted on the registration page.

Special Instructions: Please verify hours for the DePauw Nature Park, Putnam County Museum, and Putnam County Convention & Visitors Bureau before picking up a self-guided walking tour map.
Most areas on the tour are ADA compliant.
Questions? Contact 317-748-8462 or jpanoch@iu.edu.
Event Organizers: A partnership between paleo-artist Janet Panoch, Putnam County Museum, DePauw University, DePauw Geosciences Club, and The Doc’s Inn.
Registration: Click here to register.

Voices of the Living Earth: Exploring Nature’s Song Resonating within Us
2025-11-08 17:00 - 18:30 | Indianapolis Art Center, 820 E. 67th St., Indianapollis, 46220, United States
From tree roots to rivers to vocal cords, all life vibrates. Explore the elemental aspects of Nature within us through focused listening, voice, and movement. Guided by choral artists and soundscape ecologists, participants will create a living soundscape that echoes the vibrational song of Nature and spirit.
Experience the sounds of nature and the human voice in a participatory choral exploration. Guided by singers, participants will co–create vocal and bodily sounds inspired by earth, air, water, and fire, culminating in a collective chorus. Reflections and insights from soundscape ecology invite attendees to consider the spiritual, cultural, and ecological dimensions of sound. This immersive event encourages deep listening, improvisation, and quiet contemplation, fostering personal and communal connections to nature’s vast symphony. All are welcome, no previous singing experience needed.
*Weather permitting, this event will begin outdoors and then move inside.
Questions? Contact 317-940-9057 and info@indychoir.org.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Indianapolis Symphonic Choir, Indianapolis Women’s Chorus, Center for Global Soundscapes, and Quiet Parks International.
Registration: Click here to register.

Earth Pigment: The Alchemy of Soil
2025-11-09 13:00 - 16:00 | Wilson Art Lab/The Rose Building, 642 E. 38th St., Indianapolis, IN, 46205, United States
Limited capacity. Registration required.
This workshop is offered twice: Nov. 7 & Nov. 9.
This hands-on, earth-honoring workshop invites you to gather, process, and transform local soil into natural pigment. Through ritual, slowness, and creativity, you will reconnect with land, craft handmade paint, and explore soil as story, archive, and art.
Questions? Contact 317-274-2462 or sw@shamirawilson.com.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Wilson Art Lab and Growing Places Indy.
Registration: Click here to register.

Intro to Mindful Birding: Put Down a Field Guide, Pick Up Your Feel Guide
2025-11-09 13:30 - 16:00 | Crown Hill Cemetery – Waiting Station, 3402 Boulevard Pl., Indianapolis, IN, 46208, United States
Limited capacity. Registration required.
Mindful birding is a practice combining mindfulness with the joy of birding. Connect with the natural world and the birds that inhabit it, letting go of the need to identify (field guide), to focus on what we notice, feel, and wonder (feel guide).
Mindful Birding invites participants to slow down and connect with the natural world through attentive observation of birds and their habitats. Guided by experienced forest therapy practitioners, attendees will practice mindfulness techniques to enhance awareness, engage all senses, and cultivate a deeper appreciation for the rhythms, sounds, and beauty of local birdlife. This experience fosters calm, curiosity, and connection to both nature and community.
Questions? Contact 303-408-9158 or michmorton14@gmail.com.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Michelle Morton Forest Therapy, Witness Nature Indy, and Crown Hill Foundation.
Registration: Click here to register.

Little Seeds: Interfaith Understanding Through the Art of Children’s Literature
2025-11-10 17:00 - 19:00 | Franklin College Student Center, 101 Branigan Blvd., Franklin, 46131, United States
ASL Interpretation provided by IU Indianapolis’s American Sign Language/English Interpreting Program students
Explore nature, spirit, and storytelling at this joyful family-friendly event! Enjoy hands-on activities, kid-friendly snacks, story time with special readers, and a keynote by author Kaitlin Curtice. Designed for families and grownups who still cherish a good picture book.
Explore spirituality and nature through the art of storytelling! Participants will engage with interactive stations hosted by community partners, enjoy story time with special readers, and hear a short keynote from author and storyteller Kaitlin Curtice. Activities include contributing to a collective story, creating artwork, and reflecting on favorite books, all designed to spark curiosity, imagination, and connection across generations. The event concludes with a book signing, ensuring a shared experience for both children and adults.
About Kaitlin Curtice: Kaitlin Curtice is an award-winning author, poet-storyteller, and public speaker. As an enrolled citizen of the Potawatomi nation, Kaitlin writes on the intersections of spirituality and identity and how that shifts throughout our lives. Her children’s books include Spring’s Miracles, Summer’s Magic, and Winter’s Gifts.
Questions? Contact 317-738-8054 or bschmidt@franklincollege.edu.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Franklin College, Johnson County Public Library, and Imagination Library of Johnson County.
Registration: Click here to register.

Nature Journaling
2025-11-11 10:00 - 13:00 | Broad Ripple Park, 1426 Broad Ripple Ave., Indianapolis, 46220, United States
Outdoor Experience – 3 opportunities at 3 unique venues!
Registration required.
Slow down, observe, and reconnect with nature, yourself, and others. In this guided exercise, you’ll explore the outdoors with a journal in hand, using words, pictures, and numbers to capture your experience and reflect on the wonders of the natural world.
Anyone can journal! Nature journaling is a powerful way to deepen your connection with the natural world. It blends art, science, and mindfulness by encouraging you to observe closely and record what you see, hear, and feel using words, pictures, and numbers. Whether you’re an artist, a writer, or simply someone who loves spending time outdoors, this workshop will help you see nature through a more attentive and reflective lens. We’ll begin with a 30-minute indoor* introduction to the practice of nature journaling, including simple drawing techniques and writing prompts designed to spark curiosity and insight. Then, participants will head outside to explore and journal in a nearby natural space for approximately 90 minutes. The workshop will close with time to share reflections and pages from our journals with one another.
Ideal for adults and families with older children and teens. No previous art or writing experience is necessary.
*NOTES:
The Broad Ripple Family Center will be closed in observance of Veteran’s Day. The Nov. 11 journaling session will be entirely outdoors.
There is a $7 vehicle admission fee to Mounds State Park
Questions? Contact 317-372-3936 or jettodd1@me.com.
Event Organizers: A partnership between certified nature journaling instructor James Todd, Broad Ripple Park Family Center, Holliday Park, and Mounds State Park.
Registration: Click here to register.
Event Details:
NOV. 11 — The Family Center (and its restrooms) will be closed in observance of Veterans Day. Meet at the park shelter #1.
NOV. 12 — Meet at the Mounds State Park Nature Center. Park admission is $7/per vehicle.
NOV. 13 — Meet at the Holliday Park Nature Center.

Inner and Outer Space: Celestial Visions and Vibrations - 3 performance times!
2025-11-11 17:30 - 20:30 | The Indianapolis Propylaeum – Carriage House, 1410 N. Delaware St., Indianapolis, 46202, United States
Immersive Art & Sound Installation – multiple sessions!
Timed experience. Registration strongly encouraged.
Enter an immersive installation where art and sound evoke the vastness of the universe. Set to a cosmic backdrop of large-scale oil paintings, experience the sounds of space through live gong and theremin performance. Reflect on your inner cosmos in this meditative journey through silence, vibration, and awe.
An intentionally contemplative event, Inner & Outer Space has been designed to limit distractions. Attendees should observe total silence as they expand beyond the earthly experience into the universe itself.
Questions? Contact 317-274-2462 or HariDattiKaur@gmail.com.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Diane Hancock Gong Meditations, Esther Hale Art, Randy Schwartz, and The Indianapolis Propylaeum.
Registration: Click here to register.
Event Details:
Tuesday, Nov. 11 — 5:30, 7:00, & 8:30PM
Wednesday, Nov. 12 — 3:30 (daylight show), 6:30, & 8PM
Inner & Outer Space is a timed experience offered 3 times daily, with an early show on Wednesday. Walk-ins may be accommodated as space and timing allows. Advance registration is strongly encouraged to ensure the best possible experience as space is limited.
Arrival Window: Please arrive no later than 10 minutes past your registered start time. Early arrivals may wait in an anteroom where they can interact with the artist.
Silent Reflection: Upon entering the gallery/performance space, feel free to wander among the artwork or choose a seat to quietly reflect and take in the recorded cosmic soundscape. Chairs will be provided. No yoga mats, please. Silence cell phones to preserve the contemplative atmosphere.
Live Performance: The gong and theremin experience begins promptly at 15 minutes past the hour. No late entry will be permitted once the performance begins.
Post-Performance: Guests are welcome to remain in the space for an additional 10–15 minutes of silent reflection after the performance concludes.
The event creators would like to thank The Indianapolis Propylaeum, Heartland Mindfulness Collective, Indy Dream Events, and CITYOGA School of Yoga and Health for their support.

The Nature of Belief: How Translation of Sacred Text Decides Meaning
2025-11-11 19:00 - 20:30 | Arthur M Glick JCC – Laikin Auditorium, 6701 Hoover Rd., Indianapolis, IN, United States
Translation is never neutral, and it shapes more than words. In fact, it shapes the very nature of belief. Compare different English translations of sacred texts in small groups and how they have influenced understanding and belief across time, cultures, and communities. Participants will be challenged to rethink the meaning of well-known verses and how different meanings can reconstruct our thoughts.
Through small-group conversations, participants will explore how translations of sacred texts shape meaning and influence cultural understanding. Beginning with a brief introduction and examples of shifting translations over time, the event invites guests to compare different versions of ancient writings used across faith communities. By treating sacred texts as both poetry and philosophy, participants will consider how language, art, and interpretation influence belief, and how translation itself shapes the very nature of religious understanding.
Questions? Contact 317-531-6299 or gkelley@bez613.org.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Congregation Beth-El Zedeck, Northminster Presbyterian Church, and JCC Indianapolis’s Ann Katz Festival of Books.
Registration: Click here to register.

Nature Journaling
2025-11-12 13:00 - 16:00 | Mounds State Park, 4306 Mounds Rd., Anderson, 46017, United States
Outdoor Experience – 3 opportunities at 3 unique venues!
Registration required.
Slow down, observe, and reconnect with nature, yourself, and others. In this guided exercise, you’ll explore the outdoors with a journal in hand, using words, pictures, and numbers to capture your experience and reflect on the wonders of the natural world.
Anyone can journal! Nature journaling is a powerful way to deepen your connection with the natural world. It blends art, science, and mindfulness by encouraging you to observe closely and record what you see, hear, and feel using words, pictures, and numbers. Whether you’re an artist, a writer, or simply someone who loves spending time outdoors, this workshop will help you see nature through a more attentive and reflective lens. We’ll begin with a 30-minute indoor* introduction to the practice of nature journaling, including simple drawing techniques and writing prompts designed to spark curiosity and insight. Then, participants will head outside to explore and journal in a nearby natural space for approximately 90 minutes. The workshop will close with time to share reflections and pages from our journals with one another.
Ideal for adults and families with older children and teens. No previous art or writing experience is necessary.
*NOTES:
The Broad Ripple Family Center and restrooms will be closed in observance of Veteran’s Day. The Nov. 11 journaling session will be entirely outdoors.
There is a $7 vehicle admission fee to Mounds State Park
Questions? Contact 317-372-3936 or jettodd1@me.com.
Event Organizers: A partnership between certified nature journaling instructor James Todd, Broad Ripple Park Family Center, Holliday Park, and Mounds State Park.
Registration: Click here to register.
Event Details:
NOV. 11 — The Family Center and restroom will be closed in observance of Veterans Day. Meet at the park shelter #13.
NOV. 12 — Meet at the Mounds State Park Nature Center. Park admission is $7/per vehicle.
NOV. 13 — Meet at the Holliday Park Nature Center.

Inner and Outer Space: Celestial Visions and Vibrations - 3 performance times!
2025-11-12 15:30 - 20:00 | The Indianapolis Propylaeum – Carriage House, 1410 N. Delaware St., Indianapolis, 46202, United States
Immersive Art & Sound Installation – multiple sessions!
Timed experience. Registration strongly encouraged.
Enter an immersive installation where art and sound evoke the vastness of the universe. Set to a cosmic backdrop of large-scale oil paintings, experience the sounds of space through live gong and theremin performance. Reflect on your inner cosmos in this meditative journey through silence, vibration, and awe.
An intentionally contemplative event, Inner & Outer Space has been designed to limit distractions. Attendees should observe total silence as they expand beyond earthly experience into the universe itself.
Questions? Contact 317-274-2462 or HariDattiKaur@gmail.com.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Diane Hancock Gong Meditations, Esther Hale Art, Randy Schwartz, and The Indianapolis Propylaeum.
Registration: Click here to register.
Event Details:
Tuesday, Nov. 11 — 5:30, 7:00, & 8:30PM
Wednesday, Nov. 12 — 3:30 (daylight show), 6:30, & 8PM
Inner & Outer Space is a timed experience offered 3 times daily, with an early show on Wednesday. Walk-ins may be accommodated as space and timing allows. Advance registration is strongly encouraged to ensure the best possible experience as space is limited.
Arrival Window: Please arrive no later than 10 minutes past your registered start time. Early arrivals may wait in an anteroom where they can interact with the artist.
Silent Reflection: Upon entering the gallery/performance space, feel free to wander among the artwork or choose a seat to quietly reflect and take in the recorded cosmic soundscape. Chairs will be provided. No yoga mats, please. Silence cell phones to preserve the contemplative atmosphere.
Live Performance: The gong and theremin experience begins promptly at 15 minutes past the hour. No late entry will be permitted once the performance begins.
Post-Performance: Guests are welcome to remain in the space for an additional 10–15 minutes of silent reflection after the performance concludes.
The event creators would like to thank The Indianapolis Propylaeum, Heartland Mindfulness Collective, Indy Dream Events, and CITYOGA School of Yoga and Health for their support.
