On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 19, White River State Park will celebrate the beginning of its 30th year anniversary with a special and exciting offer for visitors. In addition to free admission to Park attractions with a canned good donation to Gleaners Food Bank, and free parking, guests on MLK Day can register to win a trip for four to Washington, D.C. – including air travel, accommodations, tours and more.
“White River State Park began with a dream 30 years ago for a unique, urban state park,” said Dawn Tabler, chair of the Park Commission. “That dream is still alive today. In fact, the ‘New York Times’ has compared White River State Park to the National Mall in Washington, D.C.”
“We want to commemorate this special time in our history by giving a lucky family the opportunity to visit the city where Dr. King made his famous ‘I Have a Dream’ speech,” said Bob Whitt, executive director of White River State Park.
The winners of the trip to our nation’s capital will receive four round-trip airline tickets, two nights at the Marriott Renaissance Hotel with complimentary breakfast, visits to the White House, Capitol Building, National Zoo and Newseum, and dinner at Ruth’s Chris Steak House and McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant. Visitors can register to win on MLK Day at any of the Park’s six major attractions - Eiteljorg Museum, IMAX Theater, Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis Zoo, NCAA Hall of Champions or Victory Field.
For the eighth year, visitors will also get free admission to these attractions with a canned good donation to Gleaners Food Bank (one can per person, per attraction). Last year, the Park raised 13,234 pounds of canned goods for Gleaners on MLK Day.
“This event is very important for us each year, as these donations help us restock our shelves after the holidays,” said Pam Altmeyer from Gleaners. “Families are in need all year round, and we’re so thankful for White River State Park’s continued support.”
The following activities at Park attractions will be taking place on MLK Day:
The Indianapolis Zoo: Visitors can enjoy a dolphin show and visit the polar bears and the new brown bear cubs – perfect for winter. And then warm up by visiting the meerkats in the deserts building.
The IMAX Theater: Take a trip to the mountains with a sneak preview of “The Alps,” coming to the theater later this year.
- Victory Field: Come by the home of the Indianapolis Indians between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. for various activities, including an autograph signing with Rowdie, the Indians mascot.
- NCAA Hall of Champions: Although still under renovations, NCAA will open its doors to serve cookies and hot chocolate, as well as hand out free passes for visitors to return when the Hall officially opens in February. An autograph signing with Jason Singleton, former basketball player from Ohio State University, will take place from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. And J.J. Jumper, the NCAA mascot, will make an appearance from 2:30-4:30 p.m.
- The Indiana State Museum: The museum will premiere its new exhibit titled “Shadow and Substance: African-American Images from The Burns Archive.”
- Eiteljorg Museum: Visitors can immerse themselves in the Native American and Western cultures with the museum’s many exhibits.
The Park will also offer complimentary parking on MLK Day. Visitors may park in the underground garage located off Washington Street in front of the Indiana State Museum, in the parking lots at the Indianapolis Zoo and Victory Field, and in the lot across from Victory Field next to the Visitor’s Center.
For more information about White River State Park, visit www.inwhiteriver.org.
