Crown Hill Cemetery will fill with students from preschool through high school Wednesday as the Crown Hill Foundation hosts its fourth annual Homeschool Day, a free open-house event running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. across the cemetery's 555-acre grounds. Families can come and go as they please, wandering between stations that range from stone carving demonstrations to hands-on STEM activities, with no cost to attend as long as visitors register in advance.
The event, scheduled for Wednesday, October 7, brings together 32 organizations from across Indiana, according to WISH-TV. David Rieck, president of the Crown Hill Foundation, said the gathering offers history and STEM activities for students of all ages. While the name spotlights the homeschool community, Rieck noted the event is open to everyone, and its open-house format lets families drop in on whichever stations catch their interest.
From Birds of Prey to Auto Shop Basics
Organizations confirmed for Wednesday include Newfields, Conner Prairie, the Indiana State Museum, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum and WFYI, per the station's report. Attendees can interact with birds of prey, including owls and falcons, or stop by art stations scattered around the grounds. Automotive technicians will also be on-site, teaching students about various trades, while the Crown Hill Foundation offers guided tours of the cemetery that highlight local history.
According to the foundation's own event listing on crownhillhf.org, students will also interact with The Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site and Indiana Landmarks, take part in the foundation's popular “Heritage” historical tours, and watch Civil War surgery reenactments. Climbing arborists round out the roster of educational stations, which the foundation says will be led by its own staff, volunteers and community partners.
A Steady Climb Since 2023
Homeschool Day began as an opportunity for homeschool students to learn in a hands-on setting, and it has grown considerably since. The inaugural event took place on October 4, 2023, and drew nearly 500 attendees, according to the foundation's recap of that first gathering. That 2023 lineup featured tree climbers, stone carvers, monarch butterfly experts, a “Woods on Wheels” interactive trailer, Civil War medicine reenactments, Heritage Tours and symbolism scavenger hunts.
Attendance has swelled considerably since that first year: more than 3,000 people showed up in 2025, the station reports. That jump from a few hundred visitors to several thousand in just two years reflects how far the event has expanded beyond its original homeschool-only framing into a broader community draw. There is no cost to attend this year's event, though registration is required, per the foundation's listing.
