2020 MK Home Tour: Bicentennial Edition
The largest, longest-running home tour in Indiana!
Located just 15 minutes from downtown Indianapolis, Meridian-Kessler is one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods. Well-maintained homes with historic charm are nestled within a diverse and walkable community. Founded in 1973, the MK Home Tour was created to promote the history and unique artchitecture of MK.
Today, the MK Home Tour is an important part of the fundraising efforts of Meridian-Kessler Neighborhood Association and in the year 2020, official part of the Bicentennial of the City of Indianapolis!
Ticket sales and sponsorships are reinvested in the neighborhood to serve MK residents, businesses owners, schools, faith-based institutions and other community organizations!
2020 MK Home Tour Bicentennial Edition:
June 5, 6, & 7, 2020
Homes are selected not just for their superb design and architectural elements, but to highlight a wide variety of styles from DIY bungalows and cottages to professionally decorated manors. The tour includes homes of all shapes and sizes. As part of the celebration of the Bicentennial, conserted efforts have been made to showcase historically significant homes on this year’s tour.
Participate
The MK Home Tour is truly a neighborhood event—neighbors opening their homes to neighbors—all organized by neighbors in support of the mission of our neighborhood association.
There are many ways to get involved!
- Nominate a home to be on Tour – whether it’s yours or a friend who’s interested in sharing their inspiration.
- Attend – BOTH events!
- Become a sponsor – why not help the event while promoting your business? We have opportunities at all levels.
- Donate – do you have access to things you see us using every year? We can’t be a success without your generous support.
- Volunteer – whether you want to join a committee or work a shift during the event.
Volunteer
The committee is responsible for planning and executing the weekend festivities.
Volunteer opportunities include:
- Home Selection & Review
- Marketing & Advertising
- Neighborhood Business Participation
- Sponsorship
- Twilight Tour
- Silent Auction
- Logistics/Environmental Services
- Volunteers & Host/Hostess
- Ticketing
- Artist Selection
2019 Sponsors
Thank you to our sponsors! We couldn’t do it without you!
Presenting Estate Sponsor
Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery
Manor Sponsor
Brizo
Bungalow Sponsors
Colby Equipment
COVI
Indiana Design Center
Jensen Design
Kelly Lavengood Team | Plat Collective
The MK
The National Bank of Indianapolis
Cottage Sponsors
Floor & Decor
Jenni Egger Design
L.D. Smith Plumbing
Garden Sponsors
Ambrose Property Group
Easter Conservation
kOMpose Yoga
The Somerville Team
Allison Steck | F.C. Tucker
MK Restaurant & Retail Sponsors
Aristocrat
Diavola
Fat Dan’s
Gallery Pastry Shop
Half Liter
Liter House
Pots & Pans Pies Co.
Scarlet Lane Brewing Co.
The Sinking Ship
Upland Brewing Co.
Urban Hippie
Learn more about our 2019 homes
Kick off summer in style while raising money for the neighborhood!
FAQs
The Meridian-Kessler Home Tour happens Saturday and Sunday, June 6 & 7, 2020.
Homes are open Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. — 5 p.m.
You can expect a fun and leisurely weekend of enjoying beautiful homes in a charming urban neighborhood. The tour is very casual. You can go through homes at your own pace.
Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes! To protect the floor coverings of our neighbors who have graciously made their homes available for the tour, those touring the homes will be provided with shoe covers to wear when inside of each home. Please use caution because floors, particularly stairs, can be slippery when wearing shoe covers.
Absolutely. But don’t forget, your ticket is valid all weekend so there’s no need to rush! Some folks like to split their day up to make sure they have time to enjoy lunch at a fabulous cafe in Meridian-Kessler and then finish up the next day. You are granted one-time access to each home on the tour with your ticket.
We hope that you do! Meridian-Kessler is a very pedestrian- and bike-friendly neighborhood. View our suggested bicycle map online and conveniently in the mobile app.
You can, but we don’t recommend it. The Home Tour is not a particularly child-friendly event. We have found that most kids get pretty antsy going through the homes.
We are a rain-or-shine event and we hope you’ll join us regardless of the weather.
Day-of ticket sales are available. Locations TBD.
Our goal is to showcase homes that are representative of the neighborhood—from stately homes on Meridian Street to cozy bungalows and cottages. Meridian-Kessler is lucky to have a unique diversity of homes and our tour celebrates that mis. We are always looking for tour homes. Sometimes we hear about a great home and approach the owner, and other times homeowners ask if they can be a part of the event.
Just contact one of our co-chairs and they will be happy to chat with you about the tour.
Homeowners from past tours have had great things to say about the experience. Many people living in Meridian-Kessler have a great sense of pride about where they live—and they love to show it off! Offering your home for the tour is a wonderful way to get involved in the neighborhood and help raise money that will be used to make Meridian-Kessler an even better place to live, work and play.
It’s a great motivator to tackle some of those lingering projects around the house. What better way to get moving than to have a deadline?
Not necessarily! Tour attendees want to see how real people live in our neighborhood. Some residents do happen to professionally decorate their homes and others are do-it-yourselfers. That’s the fun of the tour—it’s eclectic, fun and completely real.
The tour committee takes great care to ensure that visitors treat each home with care and respect. We provide shoe covers and rope off areas that you may not want visitors to enter. Volunteers staff your home to ensure that tour attendees learn about the history of your home and can enjoy the experience.
Sharing your home on the tour is a wonderful way to get involved in the neighborhood. Many of our homeowners have enjoyed chatting with visitors and sharing stories—it’s fun to see the pride that people have in where they live.
All ticket proceeds are used by the Meridian-Kessler Neighborhood Association to help grow and support our neighborhood. Your support of the tour helps to:
- Pay for street lighting in previously poorly lit areas
- Support IPD financially and with volunteers
- Promote revitalization projects
- Underwrite community grants
- Support local schools
- Host all-neighborhood meetings, as well as business and clergy breakfasts
- Publish a quarterly magazine
The tour is planned and promoted by neighborhood volunteers. Planning for next year’s tour begins immediately after the current tour, as there is always a lot to do. We have committees of volunteers who handle marketing & PR, sponsorship, 50/50 raffle, home hosting, Twilight Party and ticketing. There is always room for more volunteers and we’d love to have you join us at our next meeting. Feel free to contact us for more information.