Five days, three closing times
The Christmas Gift + Hobby Show runs Wednesday 11 November to Sunday 15 November at the West Pavilion of the Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center, 1202 E. 38th St., Indianapolis. Marketplace Events produces the show. Doors open at 10 a.m. on all five days, and the close moves three times across the run.
Wednesday and Thursday close at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday close at 8 p.m. Sunday closes at 5 p.m. The five sessions hold 45 hours of show floor.
The organiser's FAQ names Wednesday, Thursday and any evening as the quietest windows. A front desk can pass that line to a guest who wants a shorter queue at the door.
Where the guest walks in
The show uses the West Pavilion and the North Entrance. Rideshare passengers use 3773 Woodland Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46205, and enter through Gate 7 on 38th Street, per the venue's directions page. IndyGo routes 4 and 39 and the Purple Line stop near the main entrance on 38th Street. The venue publishes $1.75 per ride and $4 for an all-day pass, with reduced fares for riders 18 and under and 65 and over who carry ID.
The parking charge and the lots
The show charges $10.00 per day, per car, on the Fairgrounds. Its FAQ states that ample parking sits on the fairgrounds property, and that no shuttle service runs at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
The venue's directions page gives the same $10 per vehicle and names the lots: the Fairgrounds Infield, the South Lot on 38th Street and the Indiana School for the Deaf lot on 42nd Street, while space is available. Accessible parking sits in the southeast and west corners of the infield beside the ADA walk tunnels, in the South Lot, in the Indiana School for the Deaf lot and behind the Indiana Arts Building. The venue tows any vehicle parked outside a designated area.
The ticket price moves on opening day
An adult ticket bought online in advance costs $12.00 plus a $1 service fee. The show dates that rate through 10 November. From opening day the online adult price moves to $14.00 plus the fee, and the box office price is $14.00 across the run. Children 12 and under enter free. Seniors 65 and over pay $10.00 at the door with ID.
Girls Night Out runs Friday 13 November from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the box office only, priced at $7.00.
Coupons available in participating Ace Hardware stores from 15 October 2026 take $4.00 off the box office price. The show lists 27 participating locations.
Two days with free admission
Wednesday 11 November is Hero Day. The show gives free admission and free parking to veterans, active-duty military, police, fire and first responders who bring a valid ID. The American Dairy Association Indiana runs drive-through milkshake giveaways at the Dairy Bar on the Fairgrounds from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day.
Sunday 15 November is Teacher Day. Teachers and school staff enter free with a valid ID.
What the show publishes about rooms
The show lists five area properties with street addresses: Comfort Inn East Indy at 2295 N. Shadeland, 46219; Staybridge Suites Indianapolis-Fishers at 9780 Crosspoint Blvd., 46256; Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton at 8980 River Crossing Blvd., 46240, telephone 317.706.7500; Candlewood Suites Indianapolis NE at 8111 Bash Street, 46250; and Hampton Inn NE Castleton at 6817 East 82nd Street, 46250.
One listing carries a group code. Hampton Inn & Suites publishes code HOB beside the line "Reserve today for 20% Off". The booking link resolves to a Hilton page carrying group code CHHHOB, an arrival of 10 November and a departure of 16 November, six nights. The show publishes no block rate, no cut-off date and no room count for the run.
A sixth line names Lazy Sunday Rentals, an Indianapolis vacation-rental company, with 10 percent off a direct booking under code LAZYINDYCHRISTMASSHOW. The Fairgrounds' own RV campground appears under other accommodations at 317-927-7500, priced at $30 plus tax per day with a hook-up and $20 plus tax without. The venue's camping page runs full hook-up sites April through October and electric-only hook-ups November through March, with the dump station closed in that window, so the show's November dates sit in the electric-only season.
What the desk can hold for a guest
Coat and package check runs at the show, staffed by Marion County South Special Olympics volunteers, and the show states that donations and proceeds support that programme. The show office number is 317.927.1469, and the organiser states it is reachable only from 9 to 15 November. Ticket confirmations can be resent through the organiser's vendor at microspec.com/tix123/Resend.cfm. The show publishes no multi-day ticket. Its FAQ directs a shopper who wants a second day to the show manager in the show office.
The closing times to hold are 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 5 p.m. Sunday. A front desk covering the five days works two 8 p.m. finishes, two 7 p.m. finishes and one 5 p.m. finish.