IPL 500 Festival Parade

The Indianapolis 500 begins with the annual IPL 500 Parade held the day before the race.  Nationally-known celebrities, costumed characters, marching bands, patriotic units, specialty units, spectacular floats, and giant helium balloons fill the streets to celebrate the world's largest single-day sporting event, the Indianapolis 500.

Celebrating 53 years of tradition, the IPL 500 Festival Parade will return to the streets of downtown Indianapolis on Saturday, May 29, 2010.

More than 300,000 spectators will rev up for race weekend by watching the pageantry and larger-than-life floats light up the city During the IPL 500 Festival Parade.

The tradition continues with the 33 starting drivers of the Indianapolis 500 serving as honorary grand marshals the day before the race, riding in the traditional rows of three, with the winner of the pole position bringing up the rear.

The Parade will be telecast live on WISH-TV 8 and on VERSUS Cable Network.