When the weather is nice, the sun is shining, and the breeze is refreshing rather than invasive, a walk in the park is a classic way to spend a day. Holliday Park, one of Indiana’s oldest parks, is only a few miles out of downtown, making it a little nature getaway for us city dwellers. The White River flows (or in this case, rushes due to excess rainfall) throughout the trails of the park, bouncing its calming noises off the trees for miles.
I personally do not believe myself to be directionally gifted, so when Anthony said “I can get us out of here, I basically know my way around,” I was shocked. We had been in the trails for only a couple of hours now. How did he memorize almost four miles of trail so fast? Little did I know, this park was a big part of his childhood. Only about fifteen minutes from where he grew up, it was often a destination after school with his family. He reminisced walking the trails with his mother when he was in elementary school time and time again. “I liked the trails,” he said, “but the part I couldn’t wait for was the spiderweb thing at the playground.” I didn’t know what exactly that was, so we went and looked at it. It looked like a large spiderweb made for kids to climb on, so “spiderweb thing” was the best description for it. Out of not wanting to embarrass ourselves (and to respect all precautions of this strange time), we decided just to walk past as he shared more memories with me.
I personally do not believe myself to be directionally gifted, so when Anthony said “I can get us out of here, I basically know my way around,” I was shocked. We had been in the trails for only a couple of hours now. How did he memorize almost four miles of trail so fast? Little did I know, this park was a big part of his childhood. Only about fifteen minutes from where he grew up, it was often a destination after school with his family. He reminisced walking the trails with his mother when he was in elementary school time and time again. “I liked the trails,” he said, “but the part I couldn’t wait for was the spiderweb thing at the playground.” I didn’t know what exactly that was, so we went and looked at it. It looked like a large spiderweb made for kids to climb on, so “spiderweb thing” was the best description for it. Out of not wanting to embarrass ourselves (and to respect all precautions of this strange time), we decided just to walk past as he shared more memories with me.
The trails themselves were more challenging than I remembered from my visit a few years ago. Yeah, I broke a sweat going up some of those steeper hills. I was impressed with the ruggedness of the hike. Passing under the Meridian Street bridge was a strange collision of concrete and nature. The walls of the underside are filled with graffiti and writing; its easy to get lost in the colors and grotesque yet captivating shapes of it all. The cars above drowned out the White River, even though we were standing mere feet from it. Walking under the bridge (cue the RHCP) took us into more trails, but the river had engulfed some of the paths, and one lone park bench stood tall while the water barreled past.
Holliday Park is also the host of two annual events: “Trail Run”, which is usually dated for the middle-to-end of March, and “Rock the Ruins” in early October. “Trail Run”, which was cancelled for this year, should make its appearance again in 2021. The run is broken into a five-mile trail run, a three-mile trail hike, and multiple activities catered to children, including a one-mile run or hike for kids between the ages of 6 and 12. Tickets for this event are $25-$35, with an option to add an event shirt or hoodie. “Rock the Ruins” is a one-night music, food, and beer festival centered around Holliday Parks most recognizable landmark: The Ruins at Holliday Park. In 2019, five local bands played from 4:30 to 9:00, including three small sets by Pulse Project Indy. Some of the local food and beverage vendors were BRICS Ice Cream, City Bar-be-que, and Flat 12 Bierworks (now known as Rad Brewing Company). For only $5 a ticket (when bought in advance), this is not only a steal, but a phenomenal way to support and get to know your community.
Just because Holliday Park has been part of the City of Indianapolis since it was gifted in 1916 doesn’t mean it has any obvious signs of aging. From the beautiful, well-kept trails and grounds, to still knowing how to rock even at over 100 years old, this park is one to visit on multiple occasions throughout the year.