Big Chair Story Time: Indy 500!

Start your engines and get ready to celebrate the Indy 500 with Indy Reads on Sunday, May 17, 2026 at 10:30am for a special Big Chair Story Time, featuring guests from the 500 Festival Princess Program!

Families are invited to enjoy a fun, interactive story time inspired by Indianapolis’s most iconic tradition. Children will delight in listening to engaging stories read by Festival 500 Princesses, and soaking up the excitement of race season—all while building a love of reading!

This event is designed for young children and their caregivers and is a great way to kick off Indy 500 festivities with literacy, imagination, and community. Come dressed in your favorite race-day gear and join us for a morning of stories, smiles, and Speedway spirit!

All ages welcome!

Meet Emma Pearce

Emma Pearce is a junior studying Sports Media, with a certificate in Journalism and a minor in History, at Indiana University Bloomington. She currently works as a photography intern with the Mark Cuban Center for Sports Media and Technology at Indiana Athletics. A graduate of Noblesville High School, Emma grew up celebrating the month of May in Central Indiana. This year marks her 20th 500 Festival Parade and her sixth Indianapolis 500.

Social Media Handles:

Emma Pearce: @emma_pearceee

500 Festival Princess Program

The 500 Festival Princess Program, presented by The National Bank of Indianapolis, is a tribute to Indiana’s most community-oriented and academically accomplished young women. Every year, 33 college-aged women are selected as 500 Festival Princesses, entrusted with the role of being ambassadors for the 500 Festivals, their hometowns, and their respective colleges and universities. Being a 500 Festival Princess opens the door to unparalleled experiences and an abundance of leadership and professional growth prospects. Since its inception in 1959, over 2,000 outstanding Indiana women have had the honor of being selected as 500 Festival Princesses, leaving a lasting impact on their college campuses and hometown communities.

Social Media Handles:

500 Festival Princess Program: @500festivalprincess

500 Festival: @500festival

This event is Pay-What-You-Can. Here’s what your suggested donation can do for the Indy Reads community:

FREE Ticket – This ticket is for attendees that would like to attend this event and are unable to purchase a ticket. Indy Reads values our community and facilitators. We are proud to provide programming to all. Thank you for being a part of our community!

$10 Donation– This donation covers the cost of one attendee to this event. Indy Reads strives to bring the very best programming to Fountain Square and all Hoosiers. Thank you for helping us to keep our quality programs accessible for all!

$20 Donation – This donation covers the cost of two attendees to this event. If you are attending as an individual, your ticket at this level makes it possible for another who cannot afford a ticket to attend. It is only through the generosity of our community that we are able to support programs that enrich the lives of all Hoosiers. Thank you for your support!

Other Donation Amount– “Pay-What-You-Can” really does mean pay what you can. Indy Reads appreciates that every one of our community members is able to support our vision of 100% literacy for all in different ways. Whether you can pay $5 or $50, we are so excited to see you – and thank you for your support!

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Indy Reads