Opening Night, Pacers Hoops, and State Finals Heat Up Indy
From the earliest opening pitch in Indians history to IHSAA championship basketball, Circle City is stacked this weekend
Circle City is coming out swinging this weekend. The Indianapolis Indians make history with their earliest Opening Night ever, the Pacers battle the Clippers in a Friday night playoff push, IHSAA State Finals take over Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Tacarra Williams brings the laughs all weekend at Helium, and the Indy Fuel close it out with a family-friendly Sunday matinee in Fishers. Here’s how to run it.
⚾ Indianapolis Indians Opening Night vs. St. Paul Saints
Friday, Mar 27 @ 6:35 PM at Victory Field
The Indianapolis Indians kick off their 124th season and Victory Field’s 30th anniversary with the earliest opening night in franchise history. The Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates welcomes the St. Paul Saints (Minnesota Twins affiliate) for a three-game Opening Weekend series presented by Spokenote running Friday through Sunday. Fans will get the first look at the Indians’ brand-new uniforms and overhauled branding that pays homage to the club’s early 1900s heritage. The club is also running their popular 60-Degree Weather Guarantee in partnership with FOX59 — if it’s under 60° at first pitch, every fan in attendance scores a free ticket to an April home game. Single-game tickets start at just $13 for lawn seats. All ages.
The Move: Victory Field is just a quick 10-minute drive from Hotboys Indianapolis at 1004 Virginia Avenue. Grab a spicy chicken sandwich before the game or swing by after for a late-night bite — the Virginia Ave store is open until 9 PM.
🏀 Indiana Pacers vs. LA Clippers
Friday, Mar 27 @ 7:00 PM at Gainbridge Fieldhouse
The Indiana Pacers host the LA Clippers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for a Friday night NBA showdown. With the regular season winding down, every game matters as the Pacers push for playoff positioning. Gainbridge Fieldhouse brings the energy for Friday night hoops, and with a 7 PM tip-off it’s a perfect way to start the weekend. Tickets are widely available across Ticketmaster, SeatGeek, and StubHub. All ages.
The Move: Gainbridge Fieldhouse is right downtown — just a 10-minute drive from Hotboys Indianapolis at 1004 Virginia Avenue. Fuel up with some Nashville hot chicken before tip-off or cool down with a post-game visit.
🎤 Tacarra Williams at Helium Comedy Club
Friday, Mar 27 – Sunday, Mar 29 at Helium Comedy Club
| Known throughout the comedy world as “The Beautiful Beast,” Tacarra Williams brings her unfiltered brand of stand-up to Helium Comedy Club for five shows across the weekend. A school teacher, plus-sized model, motivational speaker, and writer from the Bronx, Williams delivers bold, personal “mom comedy” that covers motherhood, dating, and the chaos of everyday life. Helium’s intimate downtown showroom at 10 W Georgia St is the perfect setting — just note it’s 18+ with a two-item food/drink minimum. Premium couple’s packages and private skybox suites are also available. Showtimes: **Fri 7:00 PM & 9:15 PM | Sat 7:00 PM & 9:30 PM | Sun 7:00 PM**. |
The Move: Helium Comedy Club is right downtown on Georgia Street, making Hotboys Indianapolis at 1004 Virginia Avenue an easy pre-show stop. Grab some hot chicken to fire you up before the laughs start.
📍 Get tickets at Helium Comedy Club
🏆 IHSAA Boys Basketball State Finals
Saturday, Mar 28 @ 10:30 AM & 6:00 PM at Gainbridge Fieldhouse
It’s the pinnacle of Indiana high school basketball — the IHSAA Boys Basketball State Finals return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse for a full day of championship hoops. Session 1 tips off at 10:30 AM with the Class 1A and 2A title games, and Session 2 follows at 6:00 PM for the 3A and 4A championships. In a state where basketball is practically a religion, this is one of the biggest sporting events of the year. All tickets are digital only at $24.75 per session, available through Ticketmaster or the Gainbridge Fieldhouse box office. Games will be broadcast on IHSAA Champions Network affiliates and streamed live via pay-per-view on IHSAAtv.org ($20 per game or $25 for all games). All ages.
The Move: Between sessions or after the final buzzer, Hotboys Indianapolis at 1004 Virginia Avenue is just minutes from Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Celebrate like a champion with some Nashville hot chicken.
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🏒 Indy Fuel vs. Fort Wayne Komets — Agriculture Day & Family Fun Day
Sunday, Mar 29 @ 4:00 PM at Fishers Event Center
The Indy Fuel host their ECHL rivals the Fort Wayne Komets for a Sunday matinee at the Fishers Event Center with a double dose of fun — it’s both Agriculture Day and Family Fun Day. Kids eat free, making this one of the most wallet-friendly outings of the weekend for families. After the final horn, stick around for a postgame skate with the players on the Fishers Event Center ice. The 4 PM puck drop is perfect for wrapping up the weekend with some high-energy minor league hockey action in Hamilton County. All ages.
The Move: The Hotboys North Indy location on 106th Street in Carmel is your pre-game pit stop before heading to the Fishers Event Center — just a short drive up the road. Swing by for some Nashville hot chicken to fuel up, or stop in after the postgame skate.
📍 Get tickets at indyfuelhockey.com
The Hotboys Connection
From the earliest Opening Night in Indians history at Victory Field to the Pacers battling for playoff positioning, Tacarra Williams bringing the heat at Helium, IHSAA State Finals crowning champions at Gainbridge, and the Indy Fuel closing out a family-friendly Sunday in Fishers — the 317 is absolutely loaded this weekend. We’ve got the fuel to match.
- Indianapolis: 1004 Virginia Avenue — open in Fountain Square for the downtown crowd hitting Victory Field, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and Helium Comedy Club (11am – 9pm Sun – Thurs).
- Carmel: 4335 W 106th St, Suite 1300 — the move for anyone heading to the Fishers Event Center for Indy Fuel hockey (11am – 9pm Sun – Thurs).
Hit the ballpark, hit the arena, hit the hot chicken. See you in Naptown. 🔥