City releases September roundup: Riverside centennial, $1.7 billion budget timeline, park investments and fall events

LaCima Packet, the mayor’s neighborhood advocate for Area 1, used the City of Indianapolis’ September episode of the Tuesday ’10 to summarize neighborhood news and citywide updates.

Packet led with the Riverside neighborhood and Riverside Regional Park. She said the neighborhood is marking the 100th anniversary of its annual Riverside Parade on Sept. 6; the parade is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. at Riverside Regional Park, followed by a block party at about 12:30 p.m. at the Riverside Community Center. Packet described Riverside as a near Northwest Side neighborhood that grew with late-19th-century streetcar and rail connections, and noted the neighborhood’s history of segregation and the construction of Interstate 65 and 70, which she said damaged portions of the community. Packet said the city has invested $36,000,000 in the park since 2019, noting renovations such as the Taggart Memorial Amphitheater (2021), the Riverside Promenade Trail (2023) and the Riverside Adventure Park (opened May 2025). She said construction is planned for an archery range, a nature center and the Taggart Memorial Playground.

Packet outlined the city’s 2026 budget timeline. She said Mayor Joe Hogsett proposed a $1,700,000,000 budget to the City-County Council on Aug. 11. Departments and agencies will present budgets to Council committees through September and October; committee meetings and public comment opportunities will precede a full Council public hearing scheduled for Monday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m., and a final Council vote currently set for Monday, Oct. 6, at 7 p.m. Packet said these meetings will be held on the second floor of the City-County Building and livestreamed at indy.gov/council.

On transportation, Packet said the Indianapolis Department of Public Works completed the planned two-way conversions for segments of New York and Michigan streets, from College Avenue to Ellenberger Park, and added bike lanes along those segments.

Packet announced that the Monument Circle farmers market will operate its final Wednesday of the season on Sept. 24, with vendors on site from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. each Wednesday in September.

On hunger resources, Packet highlighted the Indy Hunger Network and its Cooking Matters program and Community Compass digital tool, which she said lists food pantries, meal sites, SNAP and WIC retailers, and related services across Marion County and the state in 11 languages; she provided the network’s website (indyhunger.org) and the food resource hub (indyfoodresourceshub.org) for appointments and assistance.

Packet also highlighted a new small business placement through the city’s Startup 317 retail accelerator. She said the city provides a downtown storefront in the historic Stutz Building to participants and that Julian James Bespoke Leather Goods recently opened at 1060 N. Capitol Ave., Suite 6102; Packet said that business’ occupancy runs through April 20, 2026.

Public-safety community events were listed next. Packet said Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department community days will be held across districts in September and early October: the Downtown event was scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 18, on Georgia Street from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; the Southwest District event for Thursday, Sept. 25, at Hallsville Park from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.; the North District event for Saturday, Sept. 27, at Castleton Square Mall from noon to 3 p.m.; and a Northwest Community Day planned for Saturday, Oct. 4, at Lafayette Square.

Packet promoted arts and entertainment events including the Penrod Arts Fair at Newfields (Evening with Penrod on Friday, Sept. 5, and the main fair on Saturday, Sept. 6). She said the Penrod Fair features hundreds of artists, multiple performance stages and proceeds that support arts and cultural nonprofits. Packet also announced a WWE event called WrestlePalooza slated for Saturday, Sept. 20, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and listed several featured performers mentioned in the segment.

Packet closed the episode by encouraging listeners to check agency pages for more details and livestream links.