Seasons Of Festive Events In Indianapolis, Indiana

Indianapolis is ready for a season of festive events, and it includes the Indianapolis Colts playing the San Francisco 49ers on the 1st of Nov. 1 at 1 p.m. at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Among the upcoming performances by the The Indiana Ballet Company will be the Phantom of the Opera this Halloween weekend at the Madame Walker Theatre. While this is the last weekend for this performances, the Indiana Ballet Company has many more beautiful ballets scheduled to enjoy this year in Downtown Indy. For ticket prices and additional information, visit www.indianaballetcompany.com/Tickets.html or call 317.228.1917.

Haunted Houses in Indianapolis are a frightfully fun event and there are several filled with spooks, ready and waiting for you to visit them. Among the favorites is the Annual Haunted House – Tomb of Doom: Quest for the Lost Mummy at The Children´s Museum of Indianapolis. For the less scary version, bring the little ghouls during the Friendly Hours, or visit during Frightening Hours for a real spooky delight. Scary snacks and creepy goodies will be available for purchase at the concession stand and the Boo-tique during Haunted House hours. For many more Halloween activities at The Children´s Museum, visit www.childrensmuseum.org or call 317.334.3322.

Join the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians & Western Art on Halloween to celebrate Días de los Muertos. The Day of the Dead celebration is a Hispanic memorial holiday that originated hundreds of years ago in Mexico with combined indigenous and European cultural practices. Today, the holiday is celebrated in Mexican and Mexican-American communities, including Indianapolis! The family-oriented Day of the Dead festivities include a public ofrenda (altar) and festive arts and crafts opportunities. Log on to www.eiteljorg.org or call 317.636.WEST for more information.

Just outside of Downtown in Broad Ripple Village they will also celebrate El Dia de Los Muertos/Day of the Dead Fiesta at the Indianapolis Art Center (820 E. 67th St.) Oct. 28 – 30 and Nov. 4 – 6. This event will feature national and local entertainment, an exhibition of altars and outdoor shrines featuring a blend of traditional and contemporary personal reflections by artists and community members, hands-on cultural activities for all ages, works for sale and traditional foods. Reservations are required. Visit www.dayofthedeadindy.org/dayofthedead2009/tours.shtml for more information.

Start the Halloween weekend at the IndyFringe Halloween Spooktacular held at the new IndyFringe Theatre in Downtown Indy. Featuring live music by Tonas Triad and Mumbai Taxi, a performance from Fringe hit show New Vaudeville, fire spinning and a costume contest, this event is sure to raise the dead. Enjoy free appetizers, Halloween treats and cheap drinks. Stick around for a FREE midnight showing of Buffy The Vampire Slayer- The Musical at 11 p.m. at the IndyFringe Theatre, Oct. 30. Don´t miss this one-night only showing of the Rocky Horror Picture style sing-along. All proceeds from the event benefit the further programming at the IndyFringe Theatre. Check out www.indyfringe.org or call 317.5228099 for further details.

Take out the spook and add laughter this Halloween at A Headless Horseman Unscripted: an Adult Ghost Story at ComedySportz in the Mass Ave Cultural District. The fun for the audience is the ability to participate and write down quotes, expressions, song lyrics, movies, TV dialogue and more onto small pieces of paper. THen the fun begins as the ComedySportz performers to recreate a childhood favorite "Mad Libs" inspired act! Since every performance is guaranteed to be a little different. Tickets are $12 and recommended for those over the age of 17. Call 317.951.8499 or check out www.indycomedysportz.com for details and upcoming acts and events.

While in Indy drop in at the city's beautiful Indianapolis Zoo for a frightfully fun evening at the Halloween ZooBoo, presented by AT&T Real Yellow Pages. Enjoy scary animal shows including the Halloween Dolphin Show, watch an elephant paint, take a ride on a roller ghoster or round-go-merry backwards and much more, trick-or-treating all the while! Bring the kids out in their Halloween costumes from 2 – 7 p.m. ZooBoo is free with Zoo admission. Members are admitted free of charge. For more details on events and programs, call 317.630.2001 or log on to www.indianapoliszoo.com.

The President Benjamin Harrison's Home is host to many exciting events, including the Victorian Theatre by Candlelight, and special holiday festivities. Events are ideal for families and reveals the history of President Benjamin Harrison's life. The President Benjamin Harrison Home is filled with historic treasures and a great place to step back in time to experience a simpler life. For details on upcoming events and tours call 317.631.1888 or log on to www.presidentbenjaminharrison.org.

Nearby at the Morris-Butler House Museum you can experience From Dark Pages: A Progressive Mystery Play Oct. 29 – 31 at 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. As far as we know, Edgar Allan Poe, H.G. Wells, Jack the Ripper, Lizzie Borden, Queen Victoria and Arthur Conan Doyle never encountered one another at the Morris-Butler House.

Halloween would not be the same without the Time Warp! Come join the fun at the Rocky Horror Halloween at Fountain Square Theatre to experience this festive cult classic, Downtown style. The doors open at 7:30 p.m., with two showings at 8 p.m. and 12 a.m. DJ Brian Jones will be mixing up the tunes all night while attendees enjoy the cash-only bar. The cost is $10 for the 8 p.m. showing, $15 at midnight or $20 for both. Don´t miss this Halloween event unlike any other and costumes are strongly encouraged! For more information visit www.DiscoverFountainSquare.com!

These are just a handful of the festive fall events to join in Downtown Indianapolis and surrounding areas. For a complete calendar of events for surrent and upcoming events, call Indianapolis Downtown, Inc. at 317.237.2222 or search online at www.indydt.com.

For more Indy events and attractions visit "Diverse Attractions & Events Make Indianapolis #1 For Family Fun" - (http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/126461).