The 2026 Lucas Oil 500 Festival Parade has tapped a pair of Pacers to be grand marshals: Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard.
The organization chose Siakam and Nembhard for their reputation as fan favorites, leadership and impact on the court, the nonprofit organizer 500 Festival noted in a news release. The players will travel the route of the parade, which begins at 11:45 a.m. May 23, and talk to fans. The festival is celebrating its 70th year with the theme Racing Through History, which highlights the traditions that have developed over the past decades.
“Pascal and I are excited to represent the Pacers as Grand Marshals of the upcoming 500 Festival Parade,” Nembhard stated in the release. “We look forward to sharing the passion and excitement that people have for the Indy 500 and being a part of one of the nation’s most recognizable events leading up to race day.”
The Pacers made it to the NBA Finals last year, losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder by a score of 108-91 in Game 7.
Buy tickets to the parade at 500festival.com/parade. The parade will also be televised live locally on WTHR, Channel 13.
Recent 500 Festival Parade Grand Marshals
2025: Former Indiana Pacer Scot Pollard
2024: Tamika Catchings, basketball legend and founder of Catch the Stars Foundation
2023: Frank Shorter, Olympic gold medalist and first ever Mini-Marathon winner
2020, 2021: Parade canceled due to Covid
2022: August A. Ebeling, longtime 500 Festival volunteer
2019: Sam Schmidt, NTT IndyCar Series team owner and philanthropist
2018: Abby Abel and Mitch Bonar, inspirational advocates for Unified Sports
2017: Eva Moses Kor, forgiveness advocate, champion of human rights, Holocaust survivor
Contact IndyStar reporter Domenica Bongiovanni at 317-444-7339 or d.bongiovanni@indystar.com. Sign up here for the newsletter she curates about things to do and ways to explore Indianapolis. Find her on Facebook, Instagram or X: @domenicareports.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Two Pacers stars will be 500 Festival Parade grand marshals
Reporting by Domenica Bongiovanni, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
