The Spirit & Place Festival, one of Indianapolis’s most anticipated annual traditions, is celebrating its 30th year by inviting the community to explore the theme of Nature. From Nov. 6–16, 2025, Central Indiana will host more than a week of events ranging from concerts and workshops to outdoor explorations and community conversations.
The festival will begin on Thursday, Nov. 6, with the 30th Annual Public Conversation – Sacred Synergies: Nature, Faith and Science with Katharine Hayhoe. This virtual keynote features Katharine Hayhoe, Chief Scientist for the Nature Conservancy, an evangelical Christian, and the author of “Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World.” Also featured is an in-person watch party at the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation at 6 p.m. Interactive workshops exploring how to navigate tough climate conversations will follow the virtual keynote.
Over the next 10 days, participants can attend concerts inspired by plant life, try birdwatching and journaling in natural spaces, or join workshops on topics such as earth pigments, ritual and the “nature of” sacred texts and storytelling traditions.
“In a time of division, nature reminds us of the vital importance of interconnection. This year’s festival creates opportunities for people to reflect on how to live more sustainably – both with one another and with the planet. I hope that people walk away feeling a little more rooted, a little more alive, and a little more in tune with the world around them. After all, nature is where we all meet. No matter our backgrounds, we share the same sky, breathe the same air, and walk the same earth,” said Erin Kelley, program director of Spirit and Place.
Highlights this year include youth-centered events such as Youth Rising and Dreamland, which amplify young voices and focus on environmental justice. Community storytelling will also take center stage with programs like Storytelling is in Our Nature and 12 Moods of Heaven: A Neo-Soul Food & Jazz Journey. Other events like Hopecraft, Axolotl, and Fear, Mercy, and the Nature of Us highlight the power of the arts to help us heal as individuals and a planet.
The milestone year will close on Sunday, Nov. 16, with Connected by NATURE, a 30th anniversary celebratory gathering that blends art, reflection, and community dialogue with a new spoken word invocation by Manon Voice, live jazz from Premium Blend, food and hands-on art activities. This culminating event will take place at 4:30 p.m. at The Amp at 16 Tech and invites attendees to consider how we can live more deeply in connection with one another and with the Earth.
This milestone year is a chance to celebrate the creativity of our partners, whose ingenuity never ceases to amaze me. Together, they’ve shaped three decades of surprising, thought-provoking, and deeply human experiences.
Festivals like Spirit & Place depend on community support to thrive. Volunteers are needed to help bring the 2025 festival to life, and donations can ensure the festival continues to spark curiosity, creativity and connection for the next 30 years. Those interested in lending their time or making a gift can learn more at spiritandplace.org.
The Spirit & Place Festival is housed at IU Indianapolis and has thrived for 30 years thanks to more than 300 community partners. To see the full lineup of 2025 festival events, click here.
Pam Blevins Hinkle is the director of Spirit and Place.
