The Oak Ridge Boys are coming to Fort Wayne!  The hit country and gospel band is coming to the Embassy on Saturday, June 23, at 7 p.m.  I’m sure listening to their hit song “Elvira” will remind you of this great band.

Remember now?  Readers of a younger generation might have just seen the band on the season finale of All-Star Celebrity Apprentice.  “Elvira” is considered to be one of the catchiest songs in Country music.  The Oak Ridge Boys are winners of Academy of Country Music Awards, American Music Awards, and Grammy Awards for Country and Gospel music.  The group, today made up of Duane Allen, Joe Bonsall, William Lee Golden, and Richard Sterban, have been performing together for forty years; the band itself has been in existence much longer.  In 2011, the Oak Ridge Boys were inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, but the group has been performing in some capacity on the show for 66 years.

Concertgoers in Fort Wayne will hear old favorites at this lively concert.  If you can’t attend, you can still get the Oak Ridge Boys 40^th anniversary album—Celebrating Faith, Family & Freedom scheduled for release in July.

Tickets are $42.50, $34.50, or $29.50 and are on sale now at the Embassy box office, all other Ticketmaster locations, and online at Ticketmaster.com.

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Get ready for a great new season of theater at IPFW.

In 2013 and 2014, IPFW student actors and community members will perform four diverse shows with something for the entire family.  If you act before July 1, you can buy a discounted season subscription with four tickets that can be used for any of the shows.

“5 Women Wearing the Same Dress”

Five Women Wearing the Same Dress – September 27-October 6: Five bridesmaids hide from a lavish wedding reception, and find camaraderie in a celebration of women’s spirit.  This comedy contains adult language and content.

Our Town—December 6-15: Thornton Wilder’s Our Town is a classic play about the inhabitants of Grover’s Corners and their everyday lives.  Dan Butler, best known for his numerous roles in television and movies and recurring character Bulldog on Frasier and Fort Wayne native, will direct and play the main role of the Stage Manager.  IPFW students and community actors will play the other characters in this memorable town.

Gint—February 21-March 2: Based off of Henrik Ibsen’s drama Peer Gynt, Gint follows the life of Pete Gint in the early 1900s in the Appalachian Mountains.  Gint faces many problems and ultimately leaves responsibility at home and turns toward materialistic gain, only to return home after losing everything.

Sondheim’s “Into the Woods”

Into the Woods—April 18- 27: Into the Woods tells the story of many fairy tale favorites as they struggle to fulfill their wishes in a magical world.  Playwright Stephen Sondheim weaves stories from the Brothers Grimm and others into and out of the woods in a funny and touching musical.  This Tony Award-winning musical might not be suitable for young children.

For full descriptions of these events and show times, check out the IPFW Theater page.

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This post is part of our Hot Summer. Cool City. series, where you can discover great family getaways and even WIN a getaway for your family in our Fort Wayne Photo Contest. Learn more here.

Summer means festivals in Fort Wayne!  From June through September, there is a festival almost every weekend to celebrate local heritage, great food, or entertaining arts.  Many festivals are free, and all have a variety of activities for all ages.  If you’re having a hard time deciding which weekend to visit, picking a week with an interesting festival is a great addition to all the Fort Wayne attractions open all year long. Our full list of festivals starts here.

Performance at Ribfest

A good festival has to have good food—many festivals focus on great eats in Fort Wayne and the surrounding areas.

Ribfest has ribs, brisket, pulled pork, and other delicacies from around the country along with a stage packed full of great music. Stop by Headwaters Park June 13-16 to grab a bite of this festival. Later, Junk Food Alley at Three Rivers Festival is open during from July 12- 20 and has classic carnival favorites and other festival food.  St. Joe Pickle Festival, a celebration of all things pickle, is August 8-10 in St. Joe, Indiana.  If pickles aren’t your thing, Taste of the Arts on August 24 allows visitors to learn more about arts and food in Fort Wayne.  Check out performances and food in various locations around Arts United all day.  A few weeks later, Mad Anthony’s Oktobeerfest has beer, dining, golfing, and other great activities from September 6-8.

IPFW Riverfest

Other festivals celebrate performance, music, and entertainment.  Buskerfest on June 29 from 4-10 p.m. is free!  Street performers are scattered around Wayne and Calhoun Streets downtown, so wander around the area to see mimes, drummers, musicians, balloon artists, and more.  Food trucks and other downtown restaurants will be open for a quick food break during the festival.  IPFW RiverFest shows the great resource Fort Wayne’s rivers are to the city.  Learn more about rivers with food, art, music, and the cardboard regatta on June 22 from 9 a.m. to midnight.  A month later, stop by the Allen County Fair from July 23-28 has music, fine arts, crafts, animals, and more for people of all ages.

Be sure to look at our festival information page for the full listing of festivals and activities.

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It’s Friday! The workweek is over and it’s time to blow off a little steam.  You, your friends, and your family deserve a little break from the crazy week you’ve just had. Maybe you’re in town for the weekend and looking for a way to jump start your weekend.  This summer, kick off any weekend with Friday Nites Live at Jefferson Pointe Mall.

Jefferson Pointe is our beautiful open-air shopping environment with some of the city’s best stores.  With over 60 shops, beautiful fountains, and lovely green spaces, Jefferson Pointe offers an experience like no other in Fort Wayne.

On Friday nights they turn it up a notch and provide great entertainment as well. With the best local bands playing every weekend, there’s something for everyone.  Bring a lawn chair and the family and plan to stay a while.  You’re sure to meet lots of friendly Fort Wayne residents and possibly show off those dancing skills!

Local Band, Urban Legend, plays to a packed house at Friday Nites Live at Jefferson Pointe

Concerts start at 6:30 every Friday night beginning June 7 and running through September 6.  Live music is performed by popular local Fort Wayne band like Sugar Shot, Urban Legend, New Millennium Orchestra, and Good Night Gracie.  After the concert, stroll on over to dinner at one of Jefferson Pointe’s great restaurants like Eddie Merlot’s or Biaggi’s.  Of course, you could treat always start with dessert first and enjoy a DeBrands chocolate sundae (I highly recommend these!)

For a complete list of concerts visit Jefferson Pointe’s website at www.jeffersonshopping.com

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After a long winter, there’s nothing better than basking in the summer sun, while enjoying a meal. Lunch on the Square is a great way to combine both!

As part of this event, free weekly concerts will take place Thursdays in June, July and August from 11:30am – 1:00pm (excluding July 4th).

The annual concert series takes over the courtyard at One Summit Square (on the corner of Wayne and Calhoun Streets) with free live music for people to enjoy outside during their lunch hour.

The weekly event kicks off on Thursday, June 6th with the music of the Solar Buskers at 11:30. Grab lunch to-go at one of the many downtown restaurants or food trucks and come celebrate the start of summer with the Downtown Improvement District!

The performance schedule is as follows:

• 6/6/2013 Solar Buskers
• 6/13/2013 Pop N’ Fresh
• 6/20/2013 Honey Badger
• 6/27/2013 Mike Conley
• 7/11/2013 elle/the REMNANT
• 7/18/2013 Fernando Tarango
• 7/25/2018 Scratch N’ Sniff
• 8/1/2013 Jug Huffers
• 8/8/2013 Joe Justice
• 8/15/2013 The J Taylors
• 8/22/2013 Shade and Shannon
• 8/29/2013 Back in Effect

For more information, visit the Downtown Improvement District website.

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