The Third-Largest Parade in the U.S. – And Most People Miss It | Dave Neff, 500 Festival

On today's show I sat down with Dave Neff, the new president and CEO of the 500 Festival, a community and civic organization that produces events to enrich the lives of Hoosiers, drive community impact, and celebrate the spirit of the Indy 500.

Neff dives into the organization's 70-year history, its origin inspired by the Kentucky Derby Festival, and his career path through Pacers Sports & Entertainment, ExactTarget, EDGE Mentoring, Prolific, and Purdue's NIL collective Boilermaker Alliance.

Neff explains the 500 Festival's role in community engagement around the Indy 500, including the 50th running of the Indy Mini, the third-largest parade in the U.S. that draws up to 300,000 attendees, the Princess Program, Breakfast at the Brickyard, Kids Day on Monument Circle, and the Memorial Service honoring Gold Star families.

He details year-round work such as a STEM-based fourth-grade education curriculum and Kids Fit, collaboration with IMS and the IMS Museum, and ways Hoosiers can volunteer or intern.

If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast.

You are going to learn about:
- The Origins and Community Impact of 500 Festival
- 500 Festival Events
- How Hoosiers Can Volunteer or Intern with 500 Festival

Thank you to our partners:
Elements Financial
Berne Apparel

Check out these great clips from the show:
02:08 Guest Introduction: Dave Neff, 500 Festival
03:24 Dave's Career Path
05:40 How 500 Festival Began
07:56 Why Dave Took the Job
10:55 Festival vs IMS Explained
13:41 Year-Round Programs
15:46 Growing Statewide Fandom
18:28 Parade Breakdown
21:18 May Saturdays Lineup
23:49 Indy Mini 50th Year
27:20 Kickoff to May Event
29:06 Surprises as CEO
30:14 Legacy Volunteers Spotlight
31:03 Volunteer Army Behind Events
32:28 Memorial Service and Gold Mile
34:02 Mini Race Motivation Stories
36:25 How to Get Involved
37:26 Internships and Networking
38:35 Why Volunteer When Young
40:39 Purdue NIL and Final Four Run
43:06 NIL Money and NCAA Rules
49:18 Portal Fundraising Wild Story
51:24 May Events and Registration Push
52:02 Indiana Home and Traditions
54:32 Race Day Suite and Favorite Drivers
55:51 Hidden Gems and Guest Picks

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