Come celebrate the past, present, and future of Martindale-Brightwood at PreEnact, a free community festival presented by MOVE Martindale Brightwood.

Part art festival, part interactive theater, PreEnact invites neighbors to help act out the community's shared vision for its future.

This year's celebration includes a special tribute: the second annual Tysha Hardy-Sellers Excellence in Leadership Award, honoring the late Gina Fears, a beloved community builder who helped shape the neighborhood's Quality of Life Plan. The event also marks a major investment, $5.5 million from KIPP Indy with a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., to expand opportunities for Martindale-Brightwood students and families.

Activities include:

• Parade: Neighbors and business owners can parade down the Monon to celebrate the historic Martindale Brightwood neighborhood.

• Tours: Guests can tour the Polklore Micro-Museum, historic Polk Stables, Faye Gallery, and local public art. Guests can also take a free neighborhood history walking tour with Sampson Levingston.

• Entertainment: Guests can attend a community sing, a unique Double Dutch jump rope Concert with visiting artist Jeremiah Ince, and enjoy live dance. Local musicians, including Men in the Fire, will also perform. 

• Networking: Business people can attend a networking workshop, porch party, or business networking hour

• Dining: Solely Wine, Provider Coffee, and three food trucks will be open for attendees to taste and experience. 

Scheduled events:

• 2:00 PM — Parade down the Monon with neighbors, creatives, and business owners (gather at 16th & the Monon)

• 3:00 PM — Quality of Life Plan Press Conference (3rd floor balcony), emceed by Lynn Kinslow; Tysha Hardy-Sellers Award winner announced

• 3:30–4:30 PM

  • Concert & Double Dutch crossover with music by Jeremiah Ince and dancing by Arika Casey, Dena Toler, and Shakisha Mahogany (Polk Stables)

  • "Connections" networking seminar with KB Nelson (ticketed, Green Room)

• 3:30–6:00 PM

  • Community sing-along with live music (Irrigation Trench, south of the parking lot)

  • Dance and performance-art-style Greatriarchs photo shoot (Tinker Balcony stage)

  • Porch Party networking (3rd floor balcony & Cannery Room)

  • Learn about The Oaks Academy and its resources (inside Polk)

• 3:30–7:00 PM — Tour the coworking spaces — guess who's an actor and who's a real entrepreneur!

• 4:30–5:30 PM — Debut storytelling performance by the Polklorists, blending folklore and neighborhood stories (Polklore Micro-Museum)

• 4:30–6:00 PM — Business Happy Hour networking (Green Room)

• 4:45–5:30 PM — Live music by Jeremiah Ince (Provider patio)

• 5:30 PM — Poetry reading about the Monon Trail by Cynthia Stigger-Clark (16th & the Monon)

• 6:00–8:00 PM 

  • Live dance performance by Arika Casey (Tinker Balcony stage)

  • Gospel music from Men in the Fire (Polk Stables' 3rd balcony), including a special poetry break with Doug Wilson and Bruce Ford

All-Day Activities:

• Learn about the Martindale Brightwood Quality of Life Plan through activations throughout the building

• Make music with fruits and veggies using a Playtronica (2nd floor)

• Tour historic Polk Stables, the last remaining Polk Dairy building

• Explore the Polklore Micro-Museum with docent tours and augmented reality (3:15–8 PM)

• Watch live illustrator Ess McKee bring Quality of Life Plan goals to life (1st floor near Polklore, 3:30–5 PM; then Provider Patio, 5:15–8 PM)

• Take a Public Art Tour featuring work by Shamira Wilson, Quincy Owens, Linda Belton, Tashema Davis, Cierra Johnson, James LeFebvre, Kimmy Wachtel, and more (look for volunteers with blue signs)

• Grab a drink from a lemonade stand run by young entrepreneurs

• Pet a Jersey cow — just like the ones the Polk Dairy Company once raised

• Watch (or ride!) a horse-bike around the event

• Join a Sampson Levingston Walk & Talk exploring neighborhood history (look for the yellow sign)

• Grab a free ice cream sandwich at Polk's front entrance

• Spot live painters around the building

• Grab a bite from the food trucks

• Walk or bike the Monon and take in the neighborhood

Who is MOVE Martindale Brightwood?

MOVE Martindale-Brightwood includes One Voice, Edna Martin Christian Center, Martindale- Brightwood CDC, Oasis Christian CDC, Martindale-Brightwood Community Center, Kipp Schools, Felege Hiywot, IUI Office of Community Engagement, Citizens Energy, Rep. Robin Shackleford, Harrison Center, HealthNet, Martindale-Brightwood Education Zone, IU Health, Indy Parks, Faith, Hope, and Love, Mayor's office, Indianapolis City Councilor Jesse Brown, Indianapolis Recorder, The Mirror, Overcoming Church, and Polk Stables.