Happy 200th Birthday, Indiana! From a state-wide torch relay to exhibits, here’s our guide to celebrating 200 years of Indiana statehood.
Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay
The Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay is one of the major commemorative events of the Bicentennial celebration. Modeled after the Olympic Torch Relay, Indiana’s version will pass through all 92 of the state’s counties, cover 3200 miles over a five week period, averaging 97 miles per day. Festivities will vary from town to town, as communities celebrate the torch in their own way. The relay starts on Sept. 9 and will culminate on Oct. 15 on the Statehouse Grounds, with a special welcome ceremony and celebration. Follow @INTorchRelay for updates.
The Indiana Torch Relay will begin Sept. 9 at Indiana’s old state capitol in Corydon. The torch will travel through all 92 Indiana counties.
Indiana in 200 Objects Bicentennial Exhibition
Head to the Indiana State Museum for their Indiana in 200 Objects exhibit. See 200 unique and important objects that shaped Indiana (think: a pair of Chuck Taylor’s Chuck Taylors and Amelia Earhart’s flight jacket). Seeing this exhibition is a fantastic way to celebrate 200 years of statehood. This exhibit runs through Jan. 29, 2017.
Mario Andretti’s fire suit in the 1989 Indianapolis 500 running can be viewed at the Indiana State Museum.
Indiana Spirits
Attend Indiana State Museum’s event Indiana Spirits on Saturday, October 1. Indiana Spirits is a birthday bash to support the preservation of Indiana’s history. Celebrate in style with beer, wine and spirits tastings from Hoosier artisans and music by local favorite The Doo! Make your own party hat, play party scrabble, mingle with Hoosier characters and take pictures in a festive photo booth experience. Purchase early bird general admission tickets (through Aug. 28) for $85.
Attend Indiana Spirits and enjoy food, craft beer, wine and spirits samples from artisans across the state.
You Are There 1816 – Indiana Joins the Nation
The Indiana Historical Society’s exhibit You Are There 1816: Indiana Joins the Nation recreates the Corydon meeting house where delegates met to draft Indiana’s first state constitution. Learn more about Indiana at the time – who lived where and the ways the area was changing, the act of drafting a constitution and the process of statehood. On a touchscreen, participate in live-tally voting on issues such as education and the balance of power – issues present both for delegates in 1816 and voters 200 years later. This exhibit is open through Jan. 21, 2017.
Visit You Are There 1816: Indiana Joins the Nation at the Indiana Historical Society to experience the happenings in Indiana 200 years ago.
19 Stars in Indiana: A Bicentennial Celebration
The Indianapolis Museum of Art’s exhibit 19 Stars in Indiana is a celebration of men and women born and raised in Indiana who created art and fashion. To honor the 19 stars on Indiana’s flag, the exhibit features 19 “star” artists who have connections to the state, including well known icons such as Robert Indiana, Bill Blass and Michael Graves. This exhibit spans 200 years of the IMA’s collection, including painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking and fashion. 19 Stars runs through Jan. 8, 2017.
American designer Bill Blass’s 1980s silk chiffon evening dress is on display at the IMA.
Finding Home: Indiana at 200
The Indiana Repertory Theatre explores the state’s fascinating past, our complex present and our potential futures in Finding Home: Indiana at 200. This production is a collaboration from writers across the state and features songs by Hoosier singer-songwriter Tim Grimm. Save the date for a special opening night event with apetizers and a champagne toast on Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m. and Happy Hour with Sun King and New Day Craft on Nov. 8 at 6:30 p.m. This play runs from Oct. 18 – Nov. 13.
IRT’s Finding Home: Indiana at 200 is a collaboration between writers across Indiana for a celebration of the state’s bicentennial.
Shop the Bicentennial Marketplace
Perfect for showing off your Indiana roots, the Bicentennial Marketplace includes t-shirts, totes, jewelry, books, mugs, baseball caps and even an Indiana Statehood stamp issued as a Forever® stamp. The official Indiana Bicentennial Book, Indiana at 200: A Celebration of the Hoosier State, is a 248-page coffee table book. Each chapter opens with a short essay by a notable Hoosier, followed by photos, quotes and anecdotes from Hoosiers of diverse ages, backgrounds and experiences. The hardest part will be deciding: buy for yourself or buy for a gift? I say both!
Travel all over the state with this tote bag, one of the many locally designed items in the Bicentennial Marketplace.
