Indianapolis Historical Society Article
Indianapolis 500 - Visitor Tips
Visiting Indianapolis to see the Indianapolis 500 can be very exciting. However, it is very important to know some of the laws and regulations in Indianapolis. If you don't know the laws and regulations, you can get into trouble. In this article, you will find some visitor tips for when you visit Indianapolis to watch the Indianapolis 500.
In many places in the United States, it's illegal to participate in ticket scalping. However, it is OK in the Indianapolis area. Lots of people sell tickets to various events in the Indianapolis area. Many vendors offer a discount on their tickets. Indianapolis understands that when people arrive to find the event they came to see is sold out and that they may choose to sell their tickets. It is totally legal for you to resell your tickets. So, if you get a good deal on tickets on the street and choose to invest in it, you don't have to worry about dealing with the local authorities.
If you buy or drink alcohol in Indianapolis, there are laws and procedures that you must understand. First, you must be at least 21 years old to buy or drink alcohol in Indianapolis. If you are younger than 21 and are caught trying to buy and/or consume alcoholic beverages, you will deal with the local authorities and will probably end up in legal trouble, which could be avoided by just following the laws in Indianapolis.
If you choose to visit one of the local bars and/or pubs in Indianapolis to pass time until the Indianapolis 500 races start, or to celebrate after the Indianapolis 500, you need to know that most bars close at 3am. Mast bars quit allowing new customers to enter the bar about 2am. If you want to drink after 3am, be aware that stores are not permitted to sell any kind of alcoholic beverages after 3am. This law is why the bars close at 3am. There are a few bars and nightclubs that stay open past the 3am curfew, but they have a last call order procedure to properly adhere to the alcohol laws - in other words you stay in the club, but you can't order drinks after 3am.
If you plan to visit Indianapolis on the weekend, be aware that Sundays are dry in the area, so you can't buy alcoholic beverages to take home with you on Sundays. However, you can visit bars, pubs, and nightclubs on Sunday because they are allowed to sell alcohol. If you buy alcohol on Sunday in a bar or pub, you must understand that you can't leave with the beverage.
