All Posts by this Author

The public is invited to celebrate the holiday season with the University of Saint Francis (USF). Below are a few events you don’t want to miss:

• Christmas in the Castle, Dec. 1, 2, 7, 8 &9. : Historic Brookside, the former Bass family mansion, will be decorated for Christmas by local florists and designers. Visitors can view all three floors of the mansion as it comes alive for Christmas. Tickets can be purchased on the days of the event in the North Campus lobby (across Spring Street from Brookside). Ample free parking is available at the North Campus. Golf cart shuttles will be available for those with mobility difficulties. Admission is $5 per person, $20 maximum per family of up to six people, including parents and children. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.sf.edu/christmas.

• Fair Trade Alternative Shopping Bazaar, Sunday, Dec. 2 from noon-5:30 p.m.: Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) present high-quality, fairly-traded hand-crafted items from disadvantaged producers all over the world at the Fair Trade Alternative Shopping Bazaar at the North Campus. Fairly-traded items are sold by artists who earn a fair price in producing them, receive access to credit and training, and maintain long-term relationships with organizations rooted in the principles of human dignity and economic justice.

• Living Nativity, Sunday, Dec. 2 at 6 p.m.: As Advent begins, members of the university community present a living Nativity as a witness to the power and presence of God’s incarnate love in the world. The character of Saint Francis will narrate the Christmas story as it unfolds, and all gathered will sing “Silent Night.” The living Nativity will be presented in the amphitheater next to the Pope John Paul II Center. Parking is available off Leesburg Road, and there is no admission charge. A petting zoo with the animals for the living Nativity will be available for children from 5-5:50 p.m. free of charge at the living Nativity site.

• Lighting of the Lake, Sunday, Dec. 2 at 6 p.m.: Vigil lights will encircle the area of Mirror Lake closest to Spring Street for a shining symbol of Christmas. Those who wish may dedicate one or more luminaries at $10 per luminary to a loved one, in memory of someone special, in recognition of a special occasion, or just to wish a student good luck with final exams. Call (260) 399-8037 to order luminaries by Dec. 1. There is no charge for admission.

As the holiday countdown begins, many a shopper turn their focus to craft fairs for home-made gifts with a special touch. Luckily for the artsy types out there, Fort Wayne has no shortage of holiday craft fairs. Here are a few to consider:

• Holiday Gift Market: (Nov. 24, 11 am to 5 pm, ArtLink Gallery, 200 E. Main St.) Here, you will find unique and local gifts like handbags, pottery, natural soap, knitted items, and MORE! This event is a stop on the Downtown Improvement District’s “Holly Trolley.”

• Ft. Wayne Farmer’s Market: (Dec. 1, 9 am to Noon): Located inside Parkview Field, this market has it all. You can find everything from necklaces to hand-made pillows.

• Lifeway Wesleyan Holiday Craft Bazaar: (Dec. 1, 8:30 am to 2:30 pm at Lifeway Wesleyan Church, 7722 Moeller Road): Breakfast and lunch will be available at this show. There will also be a cookie walk (until noon), homemade crafts, and door prizes.

• Fair Trade Alternative Shopping Bazaar: (Sunday, Dec. 2, Noon to 5:30 pm):  The University of Saint Francis’ Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) will present high-quality, fairly traded handcrafted items from disadvantaged producers all over the world. The event will take place in the Historic Brookside Mansion on campus.

What are you waiting for? You are wasting valuable shopping time!

Insider’s Tip: Don’t forget to have cash on hand, as some vendors do not accept cards. And, if you know of any other great craft markets feel free to add them in the comments below!

Come out to see one of Fort Wayne’s historic neighborhoods in a new and different light.

The Williams Woodland Park 2012 Holiday Home Tour, Dec. 1-2, welcomes visitors to take in the beauty of this area’s architecture. According to their website, the Williams Woodland Park Local Historic District was originally established in 1985. This area is located roughly between Calhoun to Fairfield, and Creighton to Pontiac. A slightly modified area was listed on the National Register in 1991. The district is considered significant as an early example of a planned residential development in Fort Wayne, as an intact collection of outstanding late-19th/early-20th century domestic architecture, and for its association with many prominent Fort Wayne citizens.

The tour will feature seven neighborhood homes, as well as two apartments in Fairfield Manor apartment building and the Center for Nonviolence. The Center will host a traditional English tearoom with readings from works by Charles Dickens.

The tour runs Saturday 5-9 pm and Sunday 1-5 pm. Advance tickets are $10 for individuals and $36 for groups of four. You can purchase them the day of the tour at Simpson United Methodist Church, 2501 S. Harrison St.) for $12 tickets for individuals. Children 10 and under receive free admission, so make it a family affair.

The Festival of Gingerbread, the annual fundraiser to benefit The History Center, has a special treat for visitors this holiday season.

The museum kicks off its “special events” on November 21, as part of the Downtown Night of Lights. This is a time for visitors to get a sneak peek at the handiwork of creators from 5 to 9 p.m. Admission is $2 a person at the door for Lighting Night. At 6 p.m. the History Center’s turret will be lit with special holiday colors of red and green. Kids will love that Santa will make an appearance.

But that’s not all! A variety of special events will occur during the Festival of Gingerbread. Throughout the season, admission is $5 adults ages 19-58, $3 for seniors ages 59+ and students ages 3-18, and free to children age 2 and under. There is no extra charge for special activities or events unless indicated. Below is a schedule:

• Saturday, November 24, 1-3 pm, Create Your Own Ornament, $1 plus regular museum admission
• Sunday, November 25, 1-3 pm, Make a Holiday Greeting Card, $1 plus regular museum admission
• Tuesday, November 27, 5-9 pm, Free Night sponsored by AEP Indiana-Michigan Power
• Saturday, December 1, 1-3 pm, Visit with Santa Claus
• Sunday, December 2, 1-3 pm, Holiday Story Telling
• Saturday, December 8, 1-4 pm, Science of Sugary Structures sponsored by PNC Bank and Science Central, $3 plus regular museum admission
• Sunday, December 9, 1-4 pm, Cookie Decorating Party, $1 plus regular museum admission

Special holiday exhibits during the Festival include a Wolf and Dessauer display of animatronic characters, an exhibit of “A Christmas Carol” watercolors that once adorned the Patterson Fletcher Department Store, and a display of holiday photos from years past.

A visit to the museum is also another opportunity to view the new exhibition gallery, “Allen County Innovation.”

The Festival of Gingerbread will run November 22 through December 9th. Hours are Monday through Thursday 9 am to 5 pm; Friday 9 am to 8 pm; Saturday 9 am to 5 pm; and Sunday Noon to 5 pm. The History Center will be closed Thanksgiving Day.

The History Center is located at 302 East Berry Street, Fort Wayne, in downtown Fort Wayne. For more information, visit www.fwhistorycenter.com, or call (260) 426-2882.

The Summit City sure knows its beer. The proof is in the pudding (er….beer).

Local food and beer purveyor  Mad Anthony Brewing Co. (known affectionately by some as “Mad Brew”) recently received a gold medal at Denver’s Great American Beer Festival. Judges were apparently wooed by the brewery’s Ruby Raspberry Wheat variety, taking the price in the Fruit Wheat category. It’s easy to see why, as the beer has a crisp taste and is accessible to most palettes.

Mad Anthony last took home a medal in 1999, when its Auburn Lager won a silver medal in American-Style Amber Lager.  The event includes more than 500 breweries and 2,700 beers from across the country, being judged among 84 categories of beer covering 134 styles.

They must be doing something right! Since 1997, Mad Anthony Brewing Co. has packaged and distributed more than 50 beers throughout the northern half of the state. Brewed locally and naturally and without preservatives, the fruits of their labor range in style and taste, from heavy lagers to light summer-y ales. Try a seasonal beer to get a taste of the product. You also can’t go wrong with their Gabby Summer Blonde, an American style golden lager.

You can find Mad Anthony’s at restaurants all over the Summit City or at the “Original” Munchie Emporium, located near downtown at 2002 Broadway. Check out Mad Anthony’s on the web.