Indianapolis

It's the "Greatest Spectacle in Sports" and it's happening this Sunday! I've noticed a lot of out of state license plates this week and the numbers are going to continue to grow as the weekend nears. Expect insane traffic around the Speedway area and heightened traffic throughout the city. If you want to attend the race but don't know where to start, you might find this Indianapolis 500 Race Day Information helpful.Learn how to get tickets, where to park, what street route to take to your gate and lots of other important information.

Saturday is also the big parade! This is a very popular event and family-friendly as well. See the race cars and the drivers. Large character balloons will fill the streets. Be sure to take note of the parade, and other Indianapolis 500 Events.

Most importantly, enjoy the race and the Memorial Day weekend, but be sure to be safe!

Memorial Day is approaching and with it, the promise of summer. As the long, hot months stretch ahead, parents may find themselves wondering how to keep the kids entertained without breaking the bank. One option is the popular Summer Movie Deals, featured at several local theaters across the city. Enjoy family movies with the kids at a very discounted price (some as low as $.50). These movies aren't new releases and in fact, some of been on DVD for awhile, but if your kids enjoy the theater experience, this is a great option. Some of the theaters even feature concession specials to lower the cost further.

If your kids need to be a bit more active, consider signing them up for the Kids Bowl Free program. Just pay for the shoe rental each visit and your kids can bowl throughout the summer at no cost! You must register your kids.

For even more indoor fun ideas, check out the list of Fun Things to Do Indoors.

If you're looking for an alternative to all the Race Day festivities this weekend, you might want to consider a quiet trip into nature at Conner Prairie. The living history museum is currently featuring a 2,000-square-foot indoor traveling exhibit that allows guests to explore the way humans and animals live in and use trees - both now and in the past. Children can explore the habitat by tracking clues, natural artifacts, sounds and through stereoscopie viewfinders. The Craft Corner will also feature special TreeHouse exhibit-related crafts. This exhibit runs through Septembe3r 2 and is included in regular museum admission. Admission at Conner Prairie is $15 for adults; $14 for seniors 65+; $20 for youth 2-12. Children under 2 are free. Active and retired military are free and immediate family of military receive 50% discounted admission.

May is an exciting month in Indianapolis. It seems likes there's always something happening at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this month. This Saturday is Pole Day at the IMS, followed by Bump Day on Sunday. Tickets for each day are $15 and can be purchased on the IMS website or at the speedway. For information about the race, tickets, directions, parking and more, visit the Indianapolis 500 Race Day Information page. In addition, there will be many 500 festival events, leading up to the Indianapolis 500. Even those who don't attend the race enjoy the parade and other city celebrations. Check out the list of Indianapolis 500 Events and make sure you don't miss a thing!

The Indiana Pacers are on a roll! They battled valiantly against the New York Knicks Tuesday night and won 93-82. This is the third win in round two of the NBA Playoffs. Thursday night, the Pacers will be back in New York for game five. If necessary, game six will be at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Saturday, May 18. All attendees will receive a free gold t-shirt, blue collar and gold swagger. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster.

Over the past few years, Klipsch Music Center has gotten a reputation for its overly intoxicated lawn crowds and the prevalent use of marijuana during every concert. Indiana State Excise Police are cracking down on these crowds. Just this past weekend, they arrested 54 underage drinkers at the Brad Paisley concert on Friday night. At the X103 May Day concert on Saturday night, there were even more charges. Excise police charged 22 people with possession of Marijuana, and also made arrests for illegal possession of an alcoholic beverage and furnishing alcoholic beverages to a minor. Saturday's arrests totaled 62. It is likely that the Indiana State Excise Police will make their presence known throughout the season in an effort to make patrons safer.

There are several great events this month happening at Klipsch and throughout the city. Check out the May Calendar of Events.

Ever wonder how your favorite restaurant is fairing at health inspections? Well, the year started off with a top violation score of 14 for the month of March. That's a bit higher than the previous month's score of 24.

My list includes only restaurants (no bars, churches, businesses, corporate cafeterias or bakeries). It includes those restaurants that received five or more Critical Violations. These violations are ones that put customers at the highest risk for food poisoning. Here is a list of restaurants that received the most Critical Violations during March 2013 inspections.

If you'd like to give patronage to those restaurants that are keeping things healthy and safe for customers, check out this list of restaurants that received perfect scores during March 2013 inspections.

The warm temperatures have reassured us that spring is indeed here--for now! And what better way to celebrate the new season than to take in nature and enjoy blooming flowers. Orchard in Bloom, held at Holliday Park,  provides a great opportunity to do just that! Enjoy this nationally recognized garden show that combines nature and community. Find garden inspiration from top local landscapers, enjoy garden markets. The event also has a lot to offer for children, including face painting, crafts, the Pacers Fun Van and more! This family-friendly outing runs this Friday through Sunday. Advance tickets are $10 and Children 14 and under are free. At the gate, adult tickets are $12. Purchase a 3-day ticket for just $15 and enjoy the event all weekend.

We've known for a few months that Indianapolis is going to be home to a pro soccer team, but today, organizers announced the team name: Indy Eleven. The teams colors are red, white and navy blue. The team name was denotes the number of players on the field in soccer, but also represents the  Indiana's 11th Regiment in the Civil War. The team will be part of the North American Soccer League. The NASL promotes the most players into Major League Soccer. The new sports team takes the field in April 2014.

We just celebrated Earth Day on Monday and now you can plant a tree in honor of another environmental day - Arbor Day! The Indy Free Tree program will give away 1,000 oak trees on Monument Circle in front of Indianapolis Power & Light Company from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Friday, April 26. Discover the need for environmental stewardship, the benefits of trees and the importance of planting the right tree in the right place so as not to interfere with power lines. The event is sponsored by IPL, the Indianapolis/Marion County Tree Board, Hoosier Heartland Resource Conservation and Development, Woody Warehouse Nursery and Plant A Million trees project.Free trees are first come; first served, so be sure to get there early!