Photos by Andrew Doench
Meet Your Neighbors
It’s time to stop lurking on the Nextdoor app and make some real-life connections right outside your front door. Local gathering spots are the new town halls, helping neighbors connect and, in some cases, serving as the heart and soul* of their ZIP codes. Residents of the up-and-coming eastside enclaves of Windsor Park and Brookside Park swap contractor recommendations and Top 10 indie movie lists at the gleaming Kan-Kan Cinema and Restaurant, which offers membership packages and a full calendar of events for cinephiles. The people of Irvington have already claimed newish Irish bar Snug as their neighborhood headquarters, whether they drop in on Tuesdays for traditional music nights or Wine & Vinyl Wednesdays—or just stop by for a pint of Guinness, a bag of Tayto crisps, and a discussion about the proper time to put away your 10-foot skeleton Santa Claus for the year. The original Cafe Patachou in Meridian-Kessler earns its tagline “a student union for adults” every time a connection is made at the self-serve coffee bar or among the folks huddled outside waiting for a table. On the Old Northside, Gather 22 names its signature lattes after nearby neighborhoods such as the Cottage Home (honey and rosemary) and the Mapleton Fall Creek (brown sugar and maple), perfect for sipping on the pet-friendly back patio. The karaoke machine never goes silent at Bates-Hendricks hang Bowhaus Tap, and southsiders fill the cozy rooms and courtyard tables at mansion-turned-wine-bar Vino Villa. Meanwhile in Speedway, the citizens of Brickyard City are taking full advantage of the sweet cafe setup, half-price bottles of wine on Thursday, weekend brunch, and Music in the Market live concert series at Josh Kline and Zöe Taylor’s Borage. Conversation starter: “How many cars can you park in your front yard on race day?”
*Neighborhood church festivals, such as Little Flower Catholic School’s Summerfest, the St. Thomas Aquinas Parish SausageFest, and the St. Joan of Arc Parish French Market, are another great resource for local friend-making.
Network
From designers, to accountants, to rideshare drivers, everyone has a creative streak, according to Creative Mornings host Ryan Hunley. Recently marking its 10th year in Indianapolis, this irreverent monthly breakfast speaker series attracts audiences with a common thirst for truth, growth, and learning. “We shine a light on the real people and places that thread Indianapolis into a vibrant tapestry, telling their stories in a way that’s authentic and approachable,” Hunley says. Meetings take place at a variety of venues around town. Tickets are free, but registration is required.
Share the Table
The quarterly Community Dinners at 9th Street Bistro just off Noblesville’s historic downtown square seat 40 guests around one long dinner table for a four-course feast. Two of the dishes are brought out from the kitchen pre-plated, but the others are passed family-style, encouraging diners, who are likely strangers prior to the amuse-bouche and chef-owner Samir Mohammad’s opening speech, to spend the evening chatting across the fresh flower centerpieces in a dining room that defines cozy. Maybe the best way to get to know someone is to find out how they like their steak and where they stand on roasted beets. Reserve a spot for the next pair of Community Dinners on March 24 and 25 at 9thstbistro.com.
Volunteer
Local events and organizations could use your helping hands. As a bonus, you will join forces with people who are similarly altruistic. Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, for example, proves that not all heroes wear capes. Some adopt a block instead. By becoming a block captain, you’ll get to build bonds with your neighbors, looping them into the common cause of picking up litter and keeping your side of the street clean. If that sounds like too much of a commitment, just sign up for a one-off project or a day of service to plant trees, help create pocket parks, or perform administrative tasks. In addition to offering full- and part-time positions as well as paid summer gigs, Indy Parks solicits volunteers to help out across its 216-park territory, 153 miles of trails, and more than 11,000 acres of green space all year long. WFYI relies on the kindness of volunteers to assist with promotional events and tackle office work. Lend your voice to the Indiana Reading and Information Service by recording a book or publication for listeners with visual or learning impairments to enjoy, or if you’re feeling extra, dress up as your favorite PBS character for a personal appearance. Daniel Tiger! And, of course, large-scale local festivals such as Heartland Film, Spirit & Place, and the Broad Ripple Art Fair always need friendly helpers to take tickets, distribute programs, direct traffic, help with setup and teardown, and answer FAQs.
Hang Out With Your Best Friend
At Metazoa Brewing Company’s outdoor dog P-A-R-K, pets and the people who love them come together in an enclosed off-leash area right outside the College Avenue watering hole. Water bowls and B-A-L-Ls are provided, as well as benches where moms and dads can sit and swap proud pet-owner stories. As an added T-R-E-A-T, dogs are allowed inside the bar—and Metazoa donates 5 percent of its profits to animal and wildlife organizations.
Play
Whether you come to the card table as a Magic: The Gathering pro or a Catan rookie, Family Time Games can help connect you with fellow board gamers. “There are many couples and singles that come multiple times a week for our open board game nights,” says owner Shane Priddy. The College Park business known for its welcoming vibe and a deep library of boxes hosts tournaments and open game nights, and it invites visitors to set up their own spreads (or check out something from the shop’s inventory) on one of several tables in the showroom. The staff and regulars are friendly and happy to teach newcomers how to master their new hobby—although when everyone’s having a good time, nobody’s keeping score.
Topple the Patriarchy
Women-led organizations prove that making friends can be both empowering and fun. Want to know where Indy’s strong female leads hang out? Founded during the pandemic, Let’s Be Friends Indy has gained a following of more than 7,500 by hosting all sorts of social gatherings to link ladies with common interests—think book clubs, trivia nights, happy hours, movie outings, board game meetups, and coffee chats. Follow along on Instagram or Facebook for upcoming events. Striving to make female and minority voices heard and respected within the professional community, Amanda Bonilla and Doneisha Posey teamed up to launch the Women’s Equity Brunch in 2021. With events, training sessions, and speaking engagements on the menu, the platform addresses issues like diversity, inclusion, and gender pay gaps to empower local ladies across all business sectors and demographics. Dating back to 1888 and led by ahead-of-her-time suffragist May Wright Sewall, the Indianapolis Propylaeum (Greek for “gateway”) gathers women for meetings, cultural events, programs, and volunteer opportunities in the gorgeous historic downtown John W. Schmidt House. The Indy Women in Food network celebrates and supports chefs and cooks, restaurateurs, bloggers, organizers, entrepreneurs, and creatives, ultimately aiming for a more inclusive, collaborative, and equitable local food scene.
Talk It Out
If you’ve got something to say—and you don’t mind saying it in front of a (probably) sympathetic crowd—White Rabbit Cabaret’s Vocab sessions offer a once-a-month chance to get things off your chest. The hosted event includes its own DJ and typically opens with the work of a featured performer followed by an open mic. Be advised that this is usually a left-of-center crowd, so if you want to share your “challenging, edgy” views on men’s rights or your dislike for pronoun usage controversies, this isn’t the place to do it. You must be at least 21 to attend, and doing so will set you back $10.
Be You
Members of Indy’s LGBTQ community can connect and build lasting relationships through groups such as the Indy Queer Coffee Club, which meets monthly to caffeinate and socialize. Loudmouth Books’ calendar of events celebrating queer literature and culture includes a Backyard Reading Series. We Walk Indy is a social walking club that encourages both fitness and friendship. And Stonewall Sports, which caters to LGBTQ individuals and allies, offers leagues for everything from kickball to trivia.
