Indianapolis, IN – On August 23, 2025, the streets of Fountain Square pulsed with energy as Chreece, Indianapolis’s flagship hip-hop festival, celebrated its 10th anniversary. What began in 2015 as a grassroots effort by musician Sean “Oreo” Jones to support the nonprofit Musical Family Tree has, over the past decade, transformed into one of the city’s most anticipated cultural gatherings. The milestone year underscored Chreece’s role not only as a music festival but also as a symbol of community pride, artistic innovation, and the power of grassroots cultural organizing.
This year’s Chreece marked a triumphant continuation after a three-year pause brought on by the pandemic. When the festival returned in 2022, it reasserted its place in the cultural life of Indianapolis, and with each subsequent year it has only grown stronger. The 10th anniversary carried added meaning through the creation of the DJ Indiana Jones Scholarship, honoring the legacy of Ron Miner, a beloved local DJ and cultural figure whose influence shaped the city’s hip-hop community for decades. By establishing a scholarship in his name, the organizers reaffirmed the festival’s long-term mission: not only to entertain but to invest in the next generation of artists and cultural leaders.
Crowds turned out in force, eager to experience more than 70 performances across seven different venues. Spaces like HI-FI, HI-FI Annex, White Rabbit, Square Cat Vinyl, Atomic Bowl, FTSQ Plaza, and Wildfyre Tap became stages for both nationally recognized performers and local talent. The lineup reflected Chreece’s dual purpose of bringing in marquee names while simultaneously uplifting homegrown voices. Rising stars such as Smino, MAVI, and Audrey Nuna performed alongside local acts like 81355 and longtime Indianapolis favorites who have found their creative roots nurtured at the festival. For many attendees, the variety and depth of performances reflected Chreece’s ethos: a festival that belongs to the community yet speaks to broader audiences beyond Indiana.
The festival’s logistics mirrored its growing stature. Beginning early in the morning, several key roads in Fountain Square—including Virginia Avenue, Woodlawn Avenue, St. Patrick Street, and Shelby Street—were closed to accommodate the flow of crowds. Vendors, food trucks, and art installations lined the streets, creating a lively atmosphere that blurred the line between traditional festival space and neighborhood block party. Tickets, starting at $60, nearly sold out, evidence of how deeply embedded Chreece has become in the cultural calendar of Indianapolis.
Chreece has always been more than a music event. Its nickname, “Rap Christmas,” coined by local fans, reflects its role as a holiday-like gathering for the city’s creative community. Over the years, it has helped spotlight artists who might otherwise have struggled to find such a wide platform. Names like Flacoisbored, Sirius Blvck, Drayco McCoy, and Pope Adrian Bless have all benefited from the visibility Chreece has offered, cementing the festival’s reputation as a launching pad for Indianapolis-based talent. The organizers—Jones, along with Jamil “Jay” Brookens and Jane Sun Kim—have stayed committed to curating a festival that balances professionalism with grassroots authenticity.
The impact of Chreece has reached beyond music. It has become a cultural anchor, reflecting and affirming the vibrancy of Black culture in Indianapolis while also inviting broader participation from the city’s diverse communities. Civic leaders have taken note of its influence. Congressman Andre Carson, addressing the anniversary, called Chreece “a pinnacle of Black culture, creativity, ingenuity, and artistry,” and praised it for being not just an entertainment spectacle but a vital expression of the city’s identity. His words echoed what many festival-goers have come to believe: that Chreece is more than an event, it is a tradition that binds people together through shared appreciation of artistry and community.
The festival’s evolution over ten years illustrates a larger story about Indianapolis itself. Long known for its sports culture, the city has, through events like Chreece, demonstrated a growing recognition of its artistic and cultural assets. Fountain Square, once seen primarily as a quirky neighborhood, has become a recognized hub of creativity in large part due to the energy festivals like Chreece have brought into the area. The blend of local businesses, performance spaces, and community involvement has created an ecosystem where artists and audiences can thrive together.
The tenth anniversary celebration reaffirmed that Chreece is not only a place to hear music but also a site where cultural history is written in real time. Each year adds to a growing legacy that will continue to shape Indianapolis’s reputation as a city that values and cultivates creativity. For attendees who packed the streets this summer, the festival was a reminder of what can be achieved when visionaries, artists, and communities commit to building something larger than themselves.
As the final performances concluded and crowds slowly dispersed from Fountain Square, the sense of celebration remained. Chreece at ten years old has proven it is here to stay. Its return after a pandemic, its honoring of legends like DJ Indiana Jones, its near-sellout crowds, and its unwavering commitment to uplifting local artists all point to a future where Indianapolis’s hip-hop festival continues to grow in influence. For those who attended, the 2025 edition was not just a party but a statement—that art, culture, and community thrive best when celebrated together.