Spades Park

This 31-acre neighborhood park is one of the Windsor Park neighborhood’s most picturesque features. Spades Park was named after Michael H. Spades, who made his fortune in real estate. In 1898 he donated six acres of land straddling Pogue’s Run to the city and funded the construction of a shelter house and a bandstand on the property. Two additional acres were added to the park in the following years.

The park more than tripled in size in the early 1900s as part of George Edward Kessler’s Park and Boulevard System. The original eight acres grew to thirty-one as the land between there and Brookside Park became incorporated into Spades Park.

Kessler believed that part of the joy of a day in the park was the journey to and from. His plan called for Parkways connecting the city’s green spaces. Brookside Parkway winds around Brookside and Spades Place Parks’ north and south borders, providing park goers with a scenic route through the city’s Near Eastside. Inside the park, concrete bridges cross Pogue’s Run, allowing visitors to travel to both sides of the park with ease. The Pogue’s Run trail, a 2.3 mile pedestrian path, starts at Rural Street, wanders through Spades Park, and reaches its terminus at Brookside Park.

While wandering through Spades Park, note its modesty. Even the playground equipment is a subtle green and tan color scheme that blends in with the surrounding trees. Though the park is just a few blocks from downtown, it feels far-removed from the rest of the city. Spades Park may appear to be an untouched landscape, but in truth, Indianapolis residents enjoy the beauty of these grounds thanks to careful urban planning and the help local volunteers.

Feast of Lanterns Festival

Each year in late summer, Spades Park hosts the Feast of Lanterns. The event is hosted by the Lanterns Foundation. The festival dates back to 1908. Visitors are invited to listen to live music, enjoy delicious food, and soak up the last of the season’s halcyon days.

For more information visit https://indyfol.org/