Looking for Free Parking in Downtown Indianapolis?

Parking for the most part is affordable and abundant in downtown Indianapolis when no major event is underway. However, you can do better than affordable if you play your cards right. Here are a few tips to snag free parking downtown:

• Street spaces in areas with new digital meters are free after 9 p.m. and on Sundays and holidays. Spaces with old meters are free after 6 p.m. on weekdays and on weekends. Make sure to look for signs and read instructions on your meter for exceptions. *
• Parking at Circle Centre Mall? Catch a flick at the United Artists Theater or buy a gift card there, and you can get up to four hours of free parking. Remember to bring your parking ticket to the box office for validation.
• Some downtown retailers and banks offer parking validation for customers. Check in advance to see if such an offer applies to your visit.
• A limited number of free street parking spaces are available if you're willing to park on the edges of downtown and walk. Make sure to check for no-parking signs.
* Updated May 2011 for installation of new parking meters.

Indianapolis Cracks Down on Parking Abuse

The city of Indianapolis is attempting to put to an end the abuse of parking placards by public employees, politicians and business leaders, the Indianapolis Star reports. The city will no longer honor more than 3,000 placards that allowed free parking at metered spots.

INDIANAPOLIS - An era of widespread downtown Indianapolis parking perks came to an end Wednesday as the city confiscated hundreds of placards that allowed drivers to disregard meters and the county prepared to take that privilege away from another 1,500 people.
Officials said their actions, which will cut the number of parking placards in circulation by 70 percent, were a response to an investigation by The Star last month that showed some drivers used the dashboard permits to park all day without paying, clogging spots used for Downtown commerce.

Pacers Offering Parking Incentives

PLEASE NOTE: This is an archive post from 2008. Visit our Indiana Pacers Parking page for up-to-date information.
The Indiana Pacers are sweetening season-ticket packages by throwing in free parking. The team has been struggling of late, so now is a great time for fans to lock in great seats along with a great -- and in some cases free -- parking spot. Get all the details at the Pacers' box office.