Evansville, Indiana Sports Facilities for Events
This idyllic city is filled with fascinating sports history, state-of-the-art facilities and endless entertainment and educational experiencesIntroduction
EVANSVILLE, INDIANA
There’s always something to do in beautiful Evansville. This city has more than 300 locally owned and operated non-chain restaurants and food trucks, many of them serving you from local farms. Sports fans will appreciate Evansville’s history, as it is home to historic Bosse Field, the first municipally owned sports stadium in the nation and the third-oldest ballpark still in regular use for professional baseball.
At Burdette Park and Aquatic Center, the park is open 365 days a year. Walk, run or bike through the woods on a three-mile paved trail. Primitive trails wind through the 170-acre park. Enjoy fishing and swimming. Book a weekend at one of the rustic chalets, cabins, RV or tent camping. Burdette Park Pavilion and O’Day Discovery Lodge host groups from 20 to 1,000 people. The Aquatic Center is open from Memorial Day through the second week of August. BMX Club and competition track is also on site.
Extending over 45 acres, historic Mesker Park Zoo is home to more than 700 animals and is open 365 days a year! Pathways bloom and grow with local and exotic trees and plants. The crown jewel of the zoo is Amazonia- a walk through the wild expanse of the South American Rainforest. Encounter hundreds of animals representing species from around the globe.
Housed in an historic building on 5th street Downtown, the Children’s Museum of Evansville features three floors of engaging exhibits to inspire play based learning.
Called the ship that won the war by Churchill, the LSTs were essential in sea-to-land invasions and many were built in Evansville, Indiana. This floating piece of history was on site in Normandy on D-Day. She is also the “Last of the Class,” meaning she is the only operational LST in existence. Tours are led by dedicated and learned crewmembers, some who served on LSTs.
Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve is the largest tract of virgin, old-growth forest within any city limits in the United States. As an Indiana Nature Preserve and National Natural Landmark, Wesselman Woods is a surviving remnant of Southern Indiana’s original forests. Wesselman Woods provides environmental education and outdoor recreation experiences designed to awaken the senses and enrich the lives of area residents and visitors.
Aaron King
812-421-2209
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Don’t just take our word for it, hear what these planners had to say.
“The new turf and other renovations to Deaconess Sports Park really helps tournament directors market and sell their events. Rising costs in fuel and other supplies make teams want to be confident, when they sign up for tournaments, that they will be playing regardless of rain and other mild weather conditions. Evansville embraces sportsmanship and hospitality, which is another reason why the community is a great fit for our tournaments.”
— Tim Foster, State Director, Indiana USSSA (United States Specialty Sports Association)
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Evansville, Indiana Sports Facility Spotlight
DEACONESS SPORTS PARK
Sports Covered: Baseball, softball
The Deaconess Sports Park is an eight-field complex that features synthetic infields and state-of-the-art amenities for girls’, women’s, and men’s fast-pitch and slow-pitch softball as well as adult and co-ed softball league play and boys’ baseball 12 & under tournaments. Eight lit fields with Musco Sports Lighting, shaded spectator seating, extra-large brick-covered dugouts, batting cages, bullpens, team warm-up areas, Wi-Fi tower for live streaming of games, wireless scoreboards, two full-service concession stands, tournament director offices, and umpires locker room all come together to create a fun and comfortable atmosphere for teams and spectators. The grounds of the sports park feature a park setting including a nine-foot wide, one-mile-long walking path, two playgrounds, an amphitheater, and a large common area.
GOEBEL SOCCER COMPLEX
Sports Covered: Soccer, Lacrosse, Field Hockey, Football, Flag Football, Ultimate
A multi-purpose sports facility designed to serve local and regional tournaments and the community at large, this 10-field soccer and lacrosse facility recently underwent a 2.3 million dollar face lift. Two of the fields feature high quality synthetic turf surfaces for all-weather play, with six fields offering championship level Bermuda grass, as well as two cool season grass fields. Under the management of Explore Evansville, Goebel Sports Park once again is hosting soccer, lacrosse, and other events that attract teams and families from around the Midwest. Venue Details: 2 Olympic-size fields feature synthetic turf to support playing in all-weather conditions, 6 Olympic-size irrigated Bermuda grass fields, 2 Olympic-size irrigated cool-season grass fields, 9 lighted fields, becoming a premier destination for soccer and lacrosse in the tri-state, recently underwent 2.3 million-dollar renovations, 70 acres of land adjacent to Deaconess Sports Park
DEACONESS AQUATIC CENTER
Sports Covered: Swimming, Diving, Water Polo
Evansville’s newest city pool and recreation center, Deaconess Aquatic Center features an outdoor splash pad, a recreation pool, a 50-meter competitive pool and a separated diving well. It has four separate locker rooms for both participants and officials and has relay touch pads and a timing system. It contains just under 1,000 seats for spectators. These seats are a level higher than pool level for optimal viewing.
FORD CENTER ARENA
Sports Covered: Basketball, Ice Hockey, Figure Skating, Volleyball, Wrestling
As the region’s center for sports and entertainment, Ford Center Arena is a stunning and exciting multi-purpose facility with 290,000 square feet and the capacity to seat 11,000 spectators. With 20,000 square feet of usable space, the arena can be modified for basketball, hockey, concerts, conventions, rodeos, expos and any other event imaginable. Home of the NCAA Division I University of Evansville Aces men’s basketball team and the SPHL Evansville Thunderbolts hockey team, Ford Center Arena has all the necessary amenities a sports facility needs, including wheelchair accessible seating, men’s, women’s and family restrooms and concessions.
Swonder Ice Arena
Sports Covered: Ice Hockey, Figure Skating
Swonder is home ice to many regional organizations including Evansville Youth Hockey, Total Package Hockey, The Tri-State Adult Hockey Association, River City Ice Theatre, and the Greater Evansville Figure Skating Club. Additionally, the University of Southern Indiana Ice Eagles Hockey Team, the Roller Girls of Southern Indiana, and the Evansville Rage Arena Football have utilized the facility. Venue includes two NHL regulation-size rinks, 1,400 seating capacity, 10 locker rooms, 2 officials’ locker rooms, 4 multi-purpose party rooms/tournament office space, a Pro Shop and food service areas.
Wesselman Pickleball and Tennis Complex
Sports Covered: Tennis, Pickleball
Wesselman’s Tennis and Pickleball Complex is home to twelve tennis courts and sixteen dedicated pickleball courts. All courts are lit for night play. The dedicated pickleball courts are newly constructed in spring of 2024 and the complex can host up to 40 pickleball courts total. Additional amenities include a large spectator viewing area, restrooms, locker rooms, tournament offices, Wi-Fi and more.