Classic cars, custom bikes, and a free afternoon of live entertainment are heading to Lawrence Community Park on August 30, when the Mike Epps Car & Bike Show takes over the 225-acre space from noon to 6 p.m. Comedian and actor Faizon Love will host the show, with performances from Petey Pablo, DJ Quik, and local artists rounding out the bill alongside food vendors and family activities.
The event is presented by Mike Epps, the Indianapolis-born actor, comedian, and entertainer, who is partnering with organizers to bring the free community gathering to the park at 5301 N. Franklin Road, according to the City of Lawrence, Indiana. General admission is free, but cars and bikes entering the show carry a $50 entry fee, sponsored by Botero Carts, and a $500 VIP category adds a backstage pass, premiere parking, and access to a food and cigar lounge.
The car show is not a standalone happening. It serves as the grand finale of the 3rd Annual Mike Epps Community Festival Weekend, a three-day civic celebration running from Friday, August 28, through Sunday, August 30, across Central Indiana, according to Midwest Leak Magazine. The weekend opens with the Mike Epps and Friends Comedy Show at the Murat Theatre at Old National Centre downtown, where ticket prices start at $50, and paid sales help subsidize the festival's free public events, per the same outlet.
A Weekend Built Around Free Public Access
Saturday's leg of the festival brings a free public concert to Washington Park in Indianapolis, featuring R&B and funk acts Eric Benét, EU featuring Sugar Bear, Club Nouveau, and One Way, according to Visit Indy. Washington Park has hosted similar free community concerts during the festival's 2024 and 2025 runs. The financial model threading through the whole weekend leans on ticketed events and paid participant tiers, like the $50 car and bike entries and $500 VIP passes, to keep outdoor gatherings free for the general public, the same report notes.
Festival organizers chose Lawrence Community Park specifically to accommodate higher spectator turnout than in previous years, an intentional venue upgrade after earlier car shows were held at sites like Indiana Avenue in downtown Indianapolis, per Midwest Leak Magazine's reporting. The park itself, the largest municipal park in the City of Lawrence, spans 225 acres and includes the Lawrence Community Activities Center, the Lawrence Soccer Complex, baseball fields, a skate park, and walking trails, according to Visit Lawrence.
Foundation Ties Fit a Pattern of Hometown Investment
The festival and car show are presented and funded by the Mike Epps Foundation, an Indianapolis-based non-profit the comedian founded to empower underserved communities through mentorship, youth programs, and local resource events, the Indianapolis Business Journal has reported. The foundation also sponsors local youth sports tournaments and neighborhood cleanups across the metro area.
It fits a broader pattern for Epps, who has repeatedly put his career and resources behind his hometown. In 2023, Epps and his wife Kyra starred in the HGTV series Buying Back the Block, documenting their project to purchase and renovate six homes on the Kennedy-King neighborhood block where he grew up, according to WFYI. Faizon Love, tapped to host Sunday's car show, previously co-starred with Epps in the 2000 comedy Next Friday, where Epps made his breakout film debut as Day-Day while Love played drug dealer Big Worm, per SlashFilm.
The show's arrival in Lawrence also lands amid an active stretch for the city's park programming. Lawrence Mayor Deb Whitfield, who took office in January 2024 as the city's first Black mayor, has partnered with local non-profits and cultural organizations to expand community programming across city parks, and the City of Lawrence initiated a master plan process in May 2026 to guide future park developments. Admission to the August 30 car and bike show remains free for spectators, with families able to browse the lineup of classic cars, custom bikes, and live music without a ticket.
