With the World’s Greatest College Weekend just days away, students are in the midst of celebrating and honoring the Little 500 tradition. From parties to concerts to cookouts, there are an endless number of ways to properly celebrate this event.
Watching “Breaking Away” — which takes place at IU — is a fun way to get into the racing spirit. Having bonfires and cookouts are an option if one wants to spend time with friends and enjoy the warm spring weather. Bars and restaurants also tend to offer Little 500 deals if one wants to go out.
Manny Alvarez, a steering committee member in the IU Student Foundation that runs the Little 500 every year, said WIUX hosted Culture Shock — an all-day music festival — to kick off the Little 500. The BlueBird Nightclub hosted a concert April 16 as an additional celebration during the week, he said. Alvarez said the Upstairs Pub will host karaoke night and bingo on Thursday. He said students and their families can enjoy nature, food and the race itself; it will be live streamed in case one cannot make it.
“If you explore the downtown area, it will be very, very alive throughout the week,” Alvarez said. “I enjoy being a part of a very unique tradition that is only available at IU and is billed as the greatest college weekend.”
People can also grab a copy of the IDS newspaper upon entering the race to learn more about what teams are racing and what their jersey colors are. One should remember to stay hydrated during the weekend and prepare for any weather because the race is held rain or shine.
He recommends making reservations for restaurants and bars in advance because places tend to be packed the day of the race and the night after. He also said the Little 500 serves as a much-needed break for students before finals come around.
“Without the Little 5 there’d be this low period where there’s not really any activities going on,” Alvarez said. “You have something to look forward to; the Little 5 is needed 100%.”
