Major Event Sponsorship The 500 Festival stages multiple high-visibility May events that attract hundreds of thousands of attendees, creating broad sponsorship opportunities across marquee programs such as the Mini-Marathon, Kid's Day, the Parade, and the Snakepit Ball. The new 2026 Kickoff to May Contest provides a fresh activation channel with statewide reach and a prize package that can be leveraged for multi-event sponsorships and employee engagement. Target local and regional brands seeking community alignment and cross-channel exposure, with bundled activations across on-site branding, digital presence, merchandise, and volunteer involvement.

Health and Wellness The Living Well Program and the Rescue Ready Race signal a strong emphasis on health, safety, and wellness partnerships, creating openings for healthcare providers, insurers, corporate wellness vendors, and property managers to sponsor wellness initiatives, fitness campaigns, AED readiness education, and branded health content, with opportunities to align with IU Health and other local hospital networks.

Digital and Media A robust digital footprint with YouTube presence and online forms supports sponsorship of online content, live streams, and cross-channel branding. Offer integrated marketing packages that combine digital advertising, video sponsorships, and data-driven lead generation via registration platforms to capture attendees and donor prospects.

CSR Partnerships Not-for-profit status and a mission to improve quality of life position the festival well for CSR and cause-marketing collaborations. Brands can sponsor community-focused initiatives, employee volunteering, and philanthropy-aligned campaigns that amplify social impact while gaining local visibility.

Education and Family A strong family and education-oriented audience, including education programs and kids events, opens opportunities with brands serving families, schools, and children’s products. Consider sponsorships tied to Education Program activities, Kids Day, and other family-focused events, as well as partnerships with local banks, healthcare brands, and insurers seeking community-facing sponsorships.