How to enjoy the US Olympic swim trial festivities for free
The best kind of pool party is one you don’t pay for. Even if you won’t spend money to attend the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium, there are plenty of fun things to do for free.
The swim trials began on June 15 and run until Sunday. About 1,000 people are competing for 52 spots on Team USA, while 250,000 spectators are searching Indianapolis for entertainment between laps.
Georgia Street block party
A variety of free pool-themed activities are on Georgia Street, starting at Meridian Street and ending at the miniature Eiffel Tower on Capitol Avenue.
There are food vendors and multiple bars hosted by Michelob Ultra, as well as booths from local organizations and photo opportunities, including a giant pair of swim goggles.
Visitors can play a virtual reality swimming simulator in which they swim in a Purdue-themed pool hosted by Purdue professors Jason Guy and Christian Rogers.
The block party is free and no registration is required.
Free concerts
The concert stage on Georgia Street is hosting free concerts every evening through Sunday from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Thursday: “Taylor Swift Night: The Taylor Party,” a dance party for Swifties.
Friday: Fastball, a rock band known for undefined 1998 hit “The Way.”
Saturday: Zee Machine, an LGBTQ+ pop and rock artist, and Sizzy Rocket, who has opened for PVRIS and Imagine Dragons.
Sunday: Six Foot Blonde, an indie band from Bloomington with soul, retro and pop influences.
Indoor fun at the Toyota Aqua Zone
You might not be able to jump in the Olympic-sized pool to beat the heat, but you can splash into the Toyota Aqua Zone, a free fan event inside the Indiana Convention Center. The zone is in Exhibit Halls F through K, the Georgia Cube and the Sagamore Ballroom from 1 to 7 p.m. every day.
There will be free, family-friendly activities including daily autograph signing from swimmers, booths and a retail store. While there’s no charge to enter, you must register at usaswimming.org.
Still want to attend the trials?
You can buy individual tickets for preliminaries from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. or finals from 8 to 11 p.m. Tickets are available at usaswimming.org and range from $15 to $311. A full schedule is available at swimswam.com.