The Indianapolis 500 is the largest single-day sporting event on the planet, but the race itself is only one part of why people show up. Two other days bookend the weekend and turn IMS into a different kind of place. One is Friday's Miller Lite Carb Day, the unofficial start of summer in Indiana. The other is Sunday's Coors Light Snake Pit, an EDM festival that runs inside the track while the cars run laps overhead.
For first-timers, both can feel a little overwhelming. The crowds are massive. The schedule is packed. The cooler rules are oddly specific. Here's what you actually need to know to make it through Indy 500 weekend in 2026.
Carb Day: Friday, May 22, 2026
Carb Day used to be the day teams "carbureted" their cars back when fuel injection wasn't yet standard. The name stuck after the technology changed. Now, the day is the final on-track preparation before the 500, plus three of the most fun events of race weekend, plus a rock concert.
Gates open at 8:00 AM. Final practice for the 110th Indianapolis 500 typically runs from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. This is your chance to see all 33 cars on track at the same time, working through last-minute setup tweaks before Sunday. If you've never seen an IndyCar at full speed in person, Carb Day practice is the cheapest way to do it.
At 1:00 PM, the Oscar Mayer Wienie 500 returns for its second year. Full-size Wienermobiles take a ceremonial lap around the 2.5-mile oval. It is exactly as ridiculous as it sounds, and one of the more genuinely fun moments on the IMS calendar.
The Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge follows at 2:30 PM. Teams compete head-to-head on pit lane in a bracket-style tournament for the fastest stops. Wheel guns, jacks, fuel hoses, four tires, all at full speed in front of a live crowd. The winning crew chief usually gets to brag about it for the rest of race week.
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Then the music takes over. The 2026 Carb Day Concert in Turn 3 is headlined by Counting Crows, with Switchfoot opening. Counting Crows have sold more than 20 million records over three decades and are widely considered one of the great American touring rock bands. Switchfoot brings 13 albums and a Grammy of their own. Compared to the Snake Pit on Sunday, the Carb Day concert leans more rock than rave, more crowd-singalong than crowd-jumping.
Carb Day general admission tickets start at $50. A concert pit upgrade runs $90. VIP platform tickets sit at $285 and include concert pit access, snacks, two complimentary drinks, dedicated bars, and private restroom trailers. Every Carb Day ticket type includes both the on-track activities and the concert. You aren't paying separately.
For broader Month of May context, our May in Indy guide covers everything happening across the city through race weekend.
Snake Pit: Sunday, May 24, 2026
The Coors Light Snake Pit is the festival that runs inside Turn 3 of the IMS infield while the Indy 500 happens on the track around it. More than 20,000 fans pack the Snake Pit each year. This is electronic music. This is heavy bass. This is a different crowd than the grandstands, and that's the point.
The 2026 lineup brings Zedd back as headliner. He last played the Snake Pit in 2017, the year he also took the Fastest Seat in Sports ride with Mario Andretti to lead the field to the green flag. Zedd is a Grammy-winning multi-platinum artist with more than 31 billion streams to his name. The full bill behind him: Crankdat, Wooli, it's murph, and Wax Motif. Bass-forward, festival-tested, and built for early morning into mid-afternoon energy.
Performances begin early on Race Day morning and run through the race itself. Set times for individual artists are typically released closer to the event.
Important rules. The Snake Pit is 18 and over. Valid photo ID is required at entry. To get in, you need both an Indy 500 general admission ticket AND a Snake Pit wristband. The wristband alone does not get you through the IMS gates.
Two main package options exist for 2026. A general admission Indy 500 ticket plus Snake Pit wristband is $115. A general admission ticket plus Snake Pit VIP wristband is $220, with the VIP area offering closer stage access. Prices increase as race day approaches and wristbands are limited.
The location matters. The Snake Pit sits in the infield by Turn 3. From there, you can hear the cars but not really see them, except for glimpses through the catch fencing. If you came to watch the race, the Snake Pit isn't where you do it. If you came to dance for eight hours while Zedd plays during one of the wildest sporting events in the world, you're in the right place.
For the full race weekend experience plus our take on the tailgate scene outside the gates, our Indy 500 tailgate guide covers everything happening in the parking lots, side streets, and Speedway-area yards before the green flag.
What you can and can't bring
IMS has a standard set of gate regulations that apply across race weekend. Some details shift by event and area, so always check the current rules at indianapolismotorspeedway.com before you go.
Allowed:
Coolers no larger than 18" x 15" x 15", hard or soft sided. Smaller bag-style coolers are easier to carry through crowds.
Food and non-glass beverages, including water, soft drinks, beer, and wine.
Strollers, lawn chairs, and folding camping chairs.
Binoculars, scanners, and personal cameras.
Camera stands like tripods and monopods, except inside grandstands and concert areas.
Flags, except inside concert areas.
Umbrellas, with the user responsible for not blocking views.
Carts and wagons. Must be collapsible on Race Day.
Not allowed:
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Glass containers of any kind. Move drinks to plastic or aluminum before you go.
Bicycles inside the gates. Bike parking exists at Gates 1, 6, and 9.
Skateboards, roller blades, scooters, hover boards, pogo sticks, ATVs, and the like.
Drug paraphernalia, including marijuana products.
Animals other than service animals trained to assist a person with a disability.
A note on the Concert Pit areas at both events: coolers are not allowed in the Concert Pit zones at the Carb Day Concert. Plan accordingly if you're upgrading to the pit. The Snake Pit concert area has its own restrictions, so the simplest move is to leave the cooler at your seat or in the car if you're heading into either pit.
Smoking and vaping are prohibited in IMS seating areas, including grandstands and infield viewing mounds. Smoking is permitted 20 feet away from buildings, seating entrances, and viewing mounds.
Survival tips from people who've been
A few things experienced fans pack and plan around.
Hydrate hard. The infield is a long day in direct sun, and IMS water refill stations exist throughout the venue. Bring an empty reusable bottle and use them. Beer is great. Beer is also dehydrating after a few hours.
Wear closed-toe shoes you'll be willing to throw away. The Snake Pit infield gets muddy if there's any rain in the days leading up. The Carb Day concert is on grass. Grandstand stairs are aluminum and tear up flip-flops.
Sunscreen, applied before you walk through the gate. Reapply at the second sunscreen station you see. Indiana sun in late May lies about how strong it is.
Plan your bathroom strategy. Lines stretch long during race-time and headliner sets. Hit the restroom before the headliner walks on stage, not after the second song.
Cell service slows to a crawl when 350,000 people are at the same place. Set a meeting spot with your group at the gate before you split up. Pick a landmark that doesn't move, like the Pagoda or a specific tunnel entrance.
For the racing terms you'll hear all weekend on broadcasts and around the track, our Indy 500 racing lingo guide breaks down what drivers and announcers actually mean.
Closing
Carb Day and Snake Pit are the bookends to the biggest weekend on the Indiana calendar. They aren't the race itself. They're the parties that surround it, and they're a big part of what makes the Indy 500 what it is.
Counting Crows kicks the weekend off Friday night in Turn 3. Zedd closes it out Sunday with 33 cars running laps overhead. In between, you get final practice, the Pit Stop Challenge, a Wienermobile parade lap, and one of the most American sporting weekends you can put on a calendar.
Pack the cooler. Wear the right shoes. Subscribe to our newsletter to follow the rest of our 2026 Indy 500 coverage as the green flag approaches.