How to experience the sights and sounds of Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, regardless of whether you possess a ticket to Illinois’ men’s basketball game on Saturday
There’s a lot of (free!) fun happening in Indianapolis all weekend; here’s what to do if you’re planning to go
The Fighting Illini are on their way to Indianapolis this weekend to compete in the Final Four for the first time since 2005! While tickets are tough to come by, there is a great deal on the schedule that anyone can enjoy — and the great news is that most of it is FREE. Kids are out of school on Friday and a trip to Indy could be a great way to slide into the weekend.
We expect a lot of pop-up events and watch parties to happen throughout Indianapolis all weekend, so keep your eye out for all of that fun. We also plan to keep an eye on the Marching Illini basketball band and cheerleaders to see where they might pop up.
What follows is an overview of Illini- and Final Four-themed fun you can find in Indianapolis this weekend. Make sure to reach out to us if you know of something you think Chambanamoms readers would enjoy so we can add it to this list.
Note that Indianapolis is on Eastern Time, which is one hour ahead of Central Time. We will post event times in ET/CT in an effort to minimize confusion.
Final Four Events in Indianapolis
Reese’s® Men’s Final Four Friday® – Friday, April 3, all day – 10 a.m. ET/9 a.m. CT
Visit Lucas Oil Stadium for this all-day event. Final Four teams will have open practice throughout the day, and there will also be autograph sessions and all-star games. The Illini will take the court at 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. CT and we recommend getting there early so you have time to park before they come out. More info here.
HBCU All-Stars Friday Fun Day – Friday, April 3, 4 p.m. ET/3 p.m. CT to 6 p.m. ET/5 p.m. CT
This community outreach and engagement event is full of FREE fun. Enjoy food, games, bounce houses, an egg hunt, a youth basketball clinic and so much more. Held at the Sankofa School of Success.
Men’s Final Four Pep Rally – Friday, April 3; 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT
Held at Lilly Arena, this high-energy pep rally for all four teams is sure to be a good time. We are waiting to hear who might be in attendance — the cheerleaders and Marching Illini basketball band are a good bet — but we know we don’t want to miss the chance to cheer on the Fighting Illini one more time before Saturday’s game.
College Slam Dunk and Three-Point Championships – Friday, April 3; 7 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. CT – tickets required
If you have huge basketball fans in your house, a ticket to this event might be a good idea. This event at Hinkle Fieldhouse on the campus of Butler University will tip-off an exciting weekend of basketball. Both men’s and women’s players will compete.
2026 NCAA March Madness Music Festival – Friday, Saturday and Sunday, various locations and times
There’s free music all weekend in Indianapolis. A couple of the concerts that jumped out to us were 1) Zac Brown Band on Saturday sometime between 3:30 and 10 p.m. ET (we will update if we can find the exact time) and 2) Post Malone and Megan Moroney on Sunday between 2 and 10 p.m ET.
Tip-Off Tailgate – All weekend
More FREE fun at this tailgate along Georgia Street, where many corporate sponsors, CBS Sports and more will be here with giveaways and fun events. Baskee-ball (a supersized arcade game) sounds like a lot of fun, as do mini basketball courts and free food and drink samples.
SWISH, an immersive arts and culture experience – All weekend
Add this to the list of things we didn’t know happened during the Final Four. The Indy Arts Council and Indiana Sports Corp present SWISH all weekend. All activities are free, family-friendly and open to the public. More than 175 Central Indiana-based musicians, spoken word poets and other performers will perform throughout the weekend, and you can see brand-new Sidewalk Galleries murals throughout the weekend. Don’t miss the Epicurean Market happening on Saturday from 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. CT to 4 p.m. ET/3 p.m. CT at the Stutz. Admission to the Epicurean Market is free; and food, beverages, and art are available for purchase.
More things you might incorporate into your weekend
NCAA Hall of Champions – Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, extended hours this weekend, open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET
If you’ve never been, this might be a fun stop to add to your Final Four visit. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for kids (ages 5 and under free), and you’ll brush up on NCAA history across all of your favorite sports. Two floors full of interactive exhibits and, yes, there’s basketball!
Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience ® at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
Last on our list, and not exactly budget-friendly, you could visit The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis to enjoy the outdoor sports experience. You’ll need to purchase admission to the museum, but it will get you access to everything and anything on site. The outdoor experience is 7.5 acres of fun, where kids can sample different sports equipment, learn from coaches and more. We expect this to be a busy place this weekend.
