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Slammed by a chorus of online complaints, Indianapolis Pizza Festival organizer Tommy Barrett said he didn’t expect most of his guests to arrive at the same time.
The first Indianapolis Pizza Festival attracted 4,000 attendees Saturday on Monument Circle, where 21 pizzerias served slices from noon to 6 p.m.
The event received more negative feedback than compliments at social media platforms such Threads and X. At the private Facebook group Indy Local Foodies, people decried the festival’s “overcrowded chaos,” “endless lines” and “food shortages.”
Barrett responded to the event’s critics by saying more than 3,200 attendees arrived between noon and 1:30 p.m.
“For a six-hour festival, that was not expected,” Barrett told IBJ. “We really felt there’d be an even flow of people, but that wasn’t the case. It’s pretty much logistically impossible to have that much pizza ready for that many people. Right at the start of the festival, you don’t really know how many people are going to show up.”
Barrett, who shares his opinions about central Indiana restaurants in “Starts with a Question” videos posted at TikTok and Instagram, said he wants to present a sequel to the pizza festival in 2026. Potential improvements include a larger venue or timed entry sessions for attendees.
He disagreed with online commenters who accused him of selling more tickets than what the southern half of Monument Circle can accommodate. Barrett said his permit listed 13,000 people as the maximum capacity.
In online comments, disgruntled attendees mentioned a lack of organized lines for vendor stations. Barrett said the event envisioned a farmers’ market format of walk-ups rather than formal lines.
Barrett said he didn’t perceive an abundance of problems during the event.
“From the response I got from the people who came up to me during the festival, people were loving it,” he said.
Barrett said nearly 10 vendors dropped off the roster in days leading up to the event.
“People are telling me it’s my fault that [vendors] didn’t show up,” Barrett said. “I can’t control someone emailing me at 9 the night before the festival to tell me they’re not coming.”
The festival awarded the title of best pizza to Indianapolis-based restaurant Shin Dig, followed by Noblesville’s Brooklyn Char in second place and Columbus-based BlackSheep Pizza in third.
Barrett said the event had a no-refund policy. He said refunds would be warranted if the event didn’t happen.
“So many people were there and had pizza all day,” he said. “It’s hard for me to grasp, ‘Oh, I showed up for 20 minutes and left.’”
A representative of Downtown Indy Inc., which oversees third-party rentals of Monument Circle for events such as the pizza festival, referred questions to Barrett.
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He did not expect people to show up to the event when it started?
He has obviously never been to a single event like this… but somehow planned one?
How could you not expect a huge rush at the beginning? On a day where it is nearly 90 degrees out, folks would naturally want to come AT LUNCH TIME!
+1
The instant gratification entitlement crowd whining again because they had to wait in lines.
Read the article silly boy.
Large ticket prices for 2-4 small pieces of pizza.
Were you there..haha… you would have been whining too. There was definitely no instant gratification.hahaa.
It’s a 6 hour festival. If you came and had pizza, you got what you paid for. I’m really missing how people thought this was supposed to go. If you just wanted pizza for lunch, go to a pizza place.
I got my pizza… but I had to wait in crazy lines… pay 50 dollars for two people and go somewhere afterward for food because the micro slices didn’t fill me up..haha
This is not surprising to anyone who’s ever put on a big event. “Didn’t perceive an abundance of problems during the event” shows how unqualified this dude is. There will not be a 2026; this was a one-and-done.
His permit said he expected up to 13,000, and he can’t handle 4,000?
Hmmmmm.
No his permit allows for 13000 based on the volume/area of space available based on safety and fire regulations. He didn’t say he’d have 13000
He projected up to 13000
They didn’t expect more people to show up at lunch time than between 2-3pm?
HIs willingness to have timed entry in the future sounded good. The rest sounded a bit too defensive and not sure if he’d be able to get the pizza co participants to return for a round 2 of this. But hey, nothing ventured nothing gained. Sounds like he did have an idea that could attract an audience, but his execution may have been lacking?
I had several friends fly in from around the country just for this festival. Their cities have large themed festivals, as well, and they attend many. They loved the pizza festival, praised Indy for offering it and happily spent the whole day enjoying it all. They shared many happy pictures across social media. Not sure what the complainers were expecting, but pizza is not an instant food although it’s taste is instantly gratifying. Thank you Indianapolis!
Sure they did… I call BS…
Flew in from around the country? Sure Jan
Nobody’s flying anywhere for a $30.00 pizza buffet.
This is a Micah!!!! level troll
“Many people are saying…” Trump level hilarious.
I was there… he must have spoken to the only 10 people who thought it was well run. It was a sweaty unorganized mess. There were pizza shortages. Long lines, mad visitors. I would never go to that again. and I definitely didn’t eat 25 dollars worth of pizza….it was a disaster.
FYI – most people come early to an event like this presuming that by 4pm most of the vendors are tired and out of food. Running two shifts – 12-2 and 4-6 would allow the vendors a chance to rest/recalibrate, and give attendees confidence that there wouldn’t be exhausted vendors and bones left to pick through. And after spending $25/pp – a free bottle of cold water on a 95 degree day would have been helpful, instead of $3 bottle of hot water (and another line). We all love pizza – I hope they can get this right going forward – but they’d have to sell us on how it would be better. This was a VERY light version of Woodstock… (and not nearly as epic). Fingers crossed…
This guy is a clown who has no idea what he’s doing. Apparently, he doesn’t know it all begins with a question.
Bravo Tommy – I don’t know you – but I’m impressed you did something – created something for our city. I hope you ignore the haters, take notes from the constructive feedback, and don’t quit. Come back better next year.
That’s the ticket…
It is called a learning curve for a reason. I do not know if too many festivals or events that pull it off on the first try but learn and adapt as the festival progresses. Even old events make changes, look at the Indiana State Fair – been going on for decades yet is still adapting to the changes. So learn from your mistakes, make changes and move on.
Good balance, Thomas…well said!
Abject failure is more apropos
it’s a food festival that starts at lunchtime, what’d they expect, a slow start? That being said, it’s an event in it’s infancy. It’ll take a few years to find their rhythm unless they hire a better large event coordinator with many years of experience. The 10 pizza vendors(33% of the providers) who didn’t show up, really caused the majority of the problems.
it’s a food festival that starts at lunchtime, what’d they expect, a slow start? That being said, it’s an event in it’s infancy. It’ll take a few years to find their rhythm unless they hire a better large event coordinator with many years of experience. The 10 pizza vendors(33% of the providers) who didn’t show up, really caused the majority of the problems.
it’s a food festival that starts at lunchtime, what’d they expect, a slow start? That being said, it’s an event in it’s infancy. It’ll take a few years to find their rhythm unless they hire a better large event coordinator with many years of experience. The 10 pizza vendors(33% of the providers) who didn’t show up, really caused the majority of the problems.
it’s a food festival that starts at lunchtime, what’d they expect, a slow start? That being said, it’s an event in it’s infancy. It’ll take a few years to find their rhythm unless they hire a better large event coordinator with many years of experience. The 10 pizza vendors(33% of the providers) who didn’t show up, really caused the majority of the problems.
it’s a food festival that starts at lunchtime, what’d they expect, a slow start? That being said, it’s an event in it’s infancy. It’ll take a few years to find their rhythm unless they hire a better large event coordinator with many years of experience. The 10 pizza vendors(33% of the providers) who didn’t show up, really caused the majority of the problems.
it’s a food festival that starts at lunchtime, what’d they expect, a slow start? That being said, it’s an event in it’s infancy. It’ll take a few years to find their rhythm unless they hire a better large event coordinator with many years of experience. The 10 pizza vendors(33% of the providers) who didn’t show up, really caused the majority of the problems.
it’s a food festival that starts at lunchtime, what’d they expect, a slow start? That being said, it’s an event in it’s infancy. It’ll take a few years to find their rhythm unless they hire a better large event coordinator with many years of experience. The 10 pizza vendors(33% of the providers) who didn’t show up, really caused the majority of the problems.
it’s a food festival that starts at lunchtime, what’d they expect, a slow start? That being said, it’s an event in it’s infancy. It’ll take a few years to find their rhythm unless they hire a better large event coordinator with many years of experience. The 10 pizza vendors(33% of the providers) who didn’t show up, really caused the majority of the problems.