Speedway, Indiana (Indianapolis), United States
Indianapolis 500
Widely billed as the largest single-day sporting event in the world: 33 cars, 500 miles, and a bottle of milk.
The straight answer
The Indianapolis 500 is held on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend every year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with practice and qualifying filling the weeks before.
The Indy 500 runs on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, and it is widely billed as the biggest single-day sporting event on the planet, with a crowd in the hundreds of thousands inside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race was first run in 1911, and the traditions stacked up since then are half the reason to go: Back Home Again in Indiana before the start, the command to start engines, the winner drinking milk, and kissing the yard of bricks at the finish line.
It is also a whole month, not just a day. Locals call it the Month of May: practice opens in mid May, qualifying on the weekend before the race sets the 33-car field in eleven rows of three, and the final days bring Carb Day with the last practice and a concert, a downtown parade on Saturday, and then race day itself.
The track is a 2.5-mile oval with a golf course in the infield, in the town of Speedway, an enclave surrounded by Indianapolis. The scale is hard to picture until you are there: the grandstands wrap most of the circuit, and the crowd is a small city for one afternoon.
The event, explained
Race day is 200 laps at speeds above 220 mph on the straights, typically around three hours with cautions. Pre-race ceremonies run all morning, with military flyovers, bands, and the traditional songs. The best seats for drama are near the start and finish line and the pits; the turns give you a sense of the speed that the straights cannot.
The infield has its own world. The Snake Pit inside Turn 3 is a large electronic music party on race day, and the general admission infield areas are a mix of families on blankets and serious tailgaters. Reserved grandstand seats are the calmer choice.
Qualifying weekend is the underrated ticket: cheaper, far less crowded, and packed with tension as drivers do solo four-lap runs for a spot in the field. Carb Day on the Friday before is the fan favorite for a relaxed day at the track.
How to play it right
- 01Buy race tickets well ahead; the best reserved seats sell out, but general admission is widely available. The Speedway has long allowed fans to bring their own food and drinks in small coolers, a big money saver; check the current size and container rules.
- 02Book hotels months ahead. Rooms across Indianapolis fill and prices spike for race weekend, often with multi-night minimums. Staying in downtown Indianapolis and using shuttle or ride-share options is common.
- 03Plan for traffic. Getting in and out of the Speedway on race day takes hours; arrive early in the morning, and consider staying put after the checkered flag until the traffic eases.
- 04Pack for weather. Late May highs are usually near 78F (26C) with strong sun on the grandstands, and afternoon thunderstorms can cause delays. Sunscreen, a hat, rain gear, and ear protection are essentials.
- 05Add a day for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum on the grounds, which displays winning cars and the Borg-Warner Trophy, and for the downtown parade on Saturday.
With kids in tow
- Race day works for families in reserved grandstand seats with ear protection for everyone; the noise is intense and long. The infield party areas are not for kids.
- Qualifying weekend and Carb Day are better introductions for children, with smaller crowds and cheaper tickets.
- The Speedway museum and the downtown parade are low-stress, kid-friendly ways to experience the Month of May.
Book your stay for Indianapolis 500.
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- Hotels for May
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Hotels in Indianapolis 500Opens a hotel search for Indianapolis 500 in May, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
- Rentals on Vrbo
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Vacation rentals in Indianapolis 500Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
- Tours and tickets
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Tours and tickets in Indianapolis 500Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Indianapolis 500 for May. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Indianapolis 500, quick answers
When is the Indianapolis 500?
On the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend every year. Practice and qualifying take place in the two weeks before, with Carb Day on the Friday before the race.
How many people attend the Indy 500?
Hundreds of thousands, which is why it is often called the largest single-day sporting event in the world. The Speedway's permanent seating alone is well over 200,000.
Can you bring coolers into the Indy 500?
Yes, the Speedway has long allowed fans to bring small coolers with their own food and drinks. Size limits and glass rules apply, so check the current policy before race day.
Why does the Indy 500 winner drink milk?
The tradition goes back to the 1930s, when a winner asked for buttermilk after the race. It stuck, and the dairy industry now sponsors a bottle of milk in Victory Lane.
What is the best day to visit the Speedway besides race day?
Qualifying weekend and Carb Day on the Friday before the race. Both are cheaper and far less crowded, with plenty of on-track action.
Also in May
Tulip Season in the Netherlands
Lisse & Amsterdam, Netherlands
Mid March through mid May, with the fields at their boldest in mid-to-late April
Feria de Abril
Seville, Spain
About one week in spring, usually two weeks after Easter, so it lands in April most years and slips into early May when Easter is late
Kentucky Derby
Louisville, Kentucky
The first Saturday of May, every year, capping a week of racing and citywide festivities
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