Author: Jes Beals

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Ball State’s We Fly Fest to Offer Free Food, Fun, Entertainment, and Campus Tours on June 7

People gather at food trucks in the foreground with the amphitheater lit up in the background. the night sky is a deep blue and the grounds are brightly lit.

Ball State University will host its first We Fly Fest from 5-8 p.m. on Saturday, June 7. This free, on-campus event is open to the public and will include campus tours, entertainment, live music, informational booths, games, and other family-friendly activities.

“We Fly Fest is the latest demonstration of our University’s commitment to fostering strong connections between our campus and the community,” said Ball State President Geoffrey S. Mearns. “I am excited to welcome our friends and neighbors to experience the best of what Ball State has to offer.”

The event will begin at Ball State’s Brown Family Amphitheater, where guests can enjoy games and activities, food trucks, information tables, and a live DJ.

Fest attendees may explore campus through several self-guided tours or the Student Experience bus tour. Featured destinations on the self-guided tours include the Dr. Joe & Alice Rinard Orchid Greenhouse, the Marilyn K. Glick Center for Glass, the David Owsley Museum of Art, Christy Woods, and the Environmental Education Center. The Student Experience tour will highlight student housing, recreation, athletics, academic buildings, and more.

Additionally, the University’s Charles W. Brown Planetarium will offer three showings during We Fly Fest: One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure—a favorite among children—at 3:30 p.m., and two showings of the staff’s program pick, We Are Stars, at 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

The evening will conclude with a free concert by the Ball State Studio Band at the Brown Family Amphitheater beginning at 7 p.m.

Parking
Parking is free in all campus parking lots on weekends—but look for “Free Parking Today” signs in front of lots closest to the Brown Amphitheater, such as the New York Parking Garage at 1001 N. New York Ave.

Community Shuttle Stops
Free shuttles to campus will run from 4:45-8:30 p.m. There will be three pick-up stops: in Muncie:

  • Buley Center, 1111 N. Penn St.
  • Common Market, 900 W 8th St.
  • P.O.P. Shop, 904 E Willard St.

For more information on We Fly Fest, visit bsu.edu/weflyfest.

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Won’t You Be Our Neighbor!

A header image that has "Be My Neighbor Day 2025" in various colorful rectangles. An image of a cartoon tiger cub is in the lower bottom left.

It’s going to be a beautiful day in the neighborhood on Saturday, June 7, 2025 at Canan Commons for BE MY NEIGHBOR DAY 2025!

The free family event, set for 1 to 4 p.m., will include an appearance by none other than DANIEL TIGER, star of DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD on PBS KIDS.

At the heart of this event is the importance of being neighborly. So why not learn about some of our community’s greatest neighbors?

A map will lead children through the streets of a very special neighborhood, where they will meet people from community centers, arts organizations, charity groups and much more. At each booth, kids will be able to participate in fun activities, many designed to show the importance of being a good neighbor.

Parents and caregivers will discover ways to give back, from volunteer opportunities to support local arts and culture. Once the maps are completed, kids can claim their Good Neighbor awards!

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Ball State to Host Community Update on Village Revitalization, June 4

Ratio image of what the new Ball State Performing Arts Center will look like upon completion.

Ball State University President Geoffrey S. Mearns invites members of the campus and greater Muncie community to attend a public update on the University’s revitalization efforts in The Village—the commercial district located next to campus and IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital.

The event will take place at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 4, in the Legacy Room on the third floor of Cornerstone Center for the Arts, located at 520 E. Main Street in Muncie. Parking is available in the Cornerstone lots off Washington Street.

After years of planning, the University has begun to implement its comprehensive Village Revitalization Plan—an ambitious, long-term initiative to transform the district through a collaborative public-private partnership involving city leaders and development partners, including Schahet Hotels and Trademark Construction.

The vision: to create a best-in-class, multigenerational district driven by arts and culture, entertainment, and innovation. The revitalized Village will feature new venues for living, working, dining, and gathering, including a new Performing Arts Center, a distinctive new hotel, a Center for Innovation and Collaboration, and a new residential neighborhood.

At the June 4 update, President Mearns will provide a progress report on key projects currently under construction and preview upcoming phases of development. The presentation will be followed by a brief Q&A session.

Featured project updates include:

  • The Performing Arts Center and adjacent Cantio Hotel, both scheduled to open in Summer 2026.
  • The Center for Innovation and Collaboration, designed to foster entrepreneurship, interdisciplinary partnerships, and hands-on learning.
  • New market-rate apartments, a Barnes & Noble community bookstore, and for-sale townhomes and single-family homes offering expanded residential options in The Village.

“These community events have been well attended, and I’m grateful for the strong interest in this project,” President Mearns said. “With construction underway on several sites, we’re seeing real progress.”

The June 4 forum builds on a series of public presentations and community conversations that have guided the revitalization effort since its early stages. Ball State’s planning has been informed by local feedback, philanthropic investment, and national models for transforming college-adjacent districts into destinations for creativity, commerce, and collaboration.

For more information and to follow the project’s progress, visit bsu.edu/thevillage.

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Neighborhood Leadership Council

NLC Logo

The Neighborhood Leadership Council is an initiative of the Muncie Action Plan that brings together neighborhood association leaders from across the city of Muncie to share best practices, take advantage of educational opportunities, and connect with local resources and area non-profits. The group meets on the third Tuesday of each month on the third floor of the E.B. and Bertha C. Ball Center (400 W. Minnetrista Pkwy) at 6:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend. 

Updated list of neighborhood leaders for 2025

Let’s Celebrate!

Our May Neighborhood Leadership Council meeting is scheduled for
Tuesday, May 20th from 6-7 p.m. at the E.B. Ball Center, 400 W. Minnetrista Blvd.

Shafer Leadership Academy will be presenting on
Effective Communication – Listening with Your Eyes. We hope to see you there!

Thanks to funding provided by CenterPoint Energy Foundation, we have developed a training schedule for our Neighborhood Leadership Council / CenterPoint Scholar meetings that we hope will help build everyone’s leadership capacity. Here’s what you can look forward to over the next 12 months!

Tuesday, April 15 6-7 PM
The Importance of Neighborhoods		Tuesday, October 14 6-7 PM
CenterPoint Scholar Project Pitch
Tuesday, May 20 6-7 PM
Effective Communication – Listening with your Eyes		Tuesday, November 18 6-7 PM
Celebrating Lessons Learned
Tuesday, June 17 6-7 PM
How to Fund your Association’s Work		Tuesday, January 20 6-7 PM
Recruitment
Tuesday, July 15 7-9 PM
Neighborhoods Pool Party @ Tuhey		Tuesday, February 17 6-7 PM
Stakeholder Meet and Greet & CenterPoint Scholar Presentations
Tuesday, August 19 6-7 PM
Conflict Management		IDEA Conference – March 7 9 AM – 3 PM
Tuesday, September 16 6-7 PM
Resident Listening

Come hungry! We always provide dinner at the start of the training.

Have time for a quick survey?

Mitch Isaacs, Executive Director of Shafer Leadership Academy is reaching out on behalf of the Muncie Youth Leadership Program. One of their student teams is working on a project about the Unity Bridge—aimed at raising awareness and celebrating it as a symbol of connection.

They’ve created a short survey to gather community input about updating the Unity Bridge and would love your help sharing it through your neighborhood networks.

The project is supported by Muncie Arts, 8–12 / Habitat, and Councilwoman Ro Selvey, who has also spoken to the mayor. The students plan to share results at the May City Council meeting.

Survey link

Thanks for supporting these young leaders!

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A group of Ball State students is collecting community input on climate change. Please take a few minutes to fill out their survey and share with your networks. Your help is greatly appreciated!

Survey link

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