The Christmas Gift + Hobby Show returns to the Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center for its 77th annual edition, running November 11 through 15, 2026. Organiser Marketplace Events counts 375 vendors and 45,000+ shoppers. The floor occupies the West Pavilion, entered through the North Entrance only at 1202 East 38th Street.
Doors open at 10:00 a.m. every day. A shopper who arrives at the opening and stays to the close on a Friday logs ten hours on the grounds. That length is the reason a day-use room belongs in the plan.
The Hours, Day by Day
Wednesday, November 11 and Thursday, November 12 run 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Friday, November 13 and Saturday, November 14 run 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sunday, November 15 runs 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Two of those days carry their own program. Wednesday, November 11 is Hero Day, when veterans, active duty military, police, fire and first responders receive free admission and free parking on valid ID. The American Dairy Association Indiana runs drive-through milkshake giveaways at the Dairy Bar on the fairgrounds from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Sunday, November 15 is Teacher Day, with free admission for teachers and school staff on valid ID.
A Girls Night Out window runs Friday, November 13 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., sold at the box office only for $7.00.
Wheelchairs, Coat Check and Package Check
The show loans wheelchairs free of charge on a first-come basis. Scooters are not available, and the show FAQ names manual wheelchairs as the option. Strollers and backpacks are permitted.
Marion County South Special Olympics staffs a coat check and package check. Volunteers hold coats and shopping bags while visitors work the floor, and donations support the nonprofit's training and programs.
What the Day Costs
Admission at the door is $14.00 for adults. Advance online admission runs $12.00 plus a $1.00 service fee, a $13.00 total, through November 10, 2026. From opening day, November 11, the online price rises to $14.00 plus the $1.00 fee. Children 12 and under enter free, and seniors 65 and older pay $10.00 at the door with ID. Parking on the fairgrounds is $10.00 per day per car. The fairgrounds runs no shuttle service, and the show asks drivers to turn on flashers on arrival for building drop-off. Visitors who want a second day should see the show manager at the show office.
A Room for the Middle of the Day
hotelSlots lists 103,857+ properties across 46 states with day-use availability. It publishes its rates as typically 30-75% less than nightly rates, with no booking fees and no commission markup. hotelSlots defines a day-use room as a hotel room booked for daytime hours, typically 6 to 8 hours, offered in four blocks: morning 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., afternoon 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., evening 6:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m., and overnight 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.
For a show closing at 7:00 or 8:00 p.m., the afternoon block covers the middle of the day and the evening block covers the run to the close. The platform states that a booking covers one named block and the price is set for that slot.
Dayuse publishes an average day-room price of $87.43 for Indianapolis and advertises up to 75% off an overnight stay, with free cancellation until the last minute, payment at the hotel, and no prepayment required. Engine puts the Indianapolis average nightly rate at $128 across 1.2M public rate observations from May 2024 to April 2026. November reads $122, five percent below the city average, and May reads $158. Engine labels those par rates, not negotiated or booked rates.
The Gym and the Pool
hotelSlots states on its day-use page that pool, gym, Wi-Fi and shower access are included. Its short-stay article states that Wi-Fi, a proper desk, gym access, pool access and parking can all vary by property, and it tells the reader to check the inclusions on the specific listing. Its day-pass article states that pools, gyms, saunas and lounges are usually reserved for overnight guests, and that a day pass puts them within reach. Its remote-work page describes a quiet space with business-grade internet, a desk and ergonomic seating, and gym, coffee and restaurant breaks between calls.
The platform notes that day-use inventory is limited by design, and that the best slots at the best properties fill first, especially weekday afternoons and airport-area locations. The show's Friday and Saturday are its longest days, so those slots are worth securing early.
Properties Around the Fairgrounds
The show publishes its own area hotel list. It names the Hampton Inn NE Castleton at 6817 East 82nd Street, the Comfort Inn East Indy at 2295 North Shadeland, the Candlewood Suites Indianapolis NE at 8111 Bash Street, the Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton at 8980 River Crossing Boulevard with group code HOB, and the Staybridge Suites Indianapolis-Fishers at 9780 Crosspoint Boulevard. The same page lists Lazy Sunday Rentals, a local vacation rental company offering 10% off with the code LAZYINDYCHRISTMASSHOW, and year-round RV camping at the fairgrounds at $30 plus tax per day with hook-up.
The hotelSlots Indianapolis directory lists 273 hotels available. Indiana carries no restriction on day-use bookings. hotelSlots names Florida, Hawaii, Iowa and Washington as the four states it cannot currently serve.
