When the sun starts shining for days in a row, the breeze doesn’t make you run for your coat, the temperature lets you wear short sleeves, and you can breathe in the smell of flowers is in the air; you know it’s outdoor concert season.

Enjoying a concert in the freedom of the outdoors is a great way to have a little care-free fun with friends, dance and sing along as loud as you want to the music (guilty!) and enjoy the fresh air. Fort Wayne may not have a huge outdoor venue, but we do have the Foellinger Outdoor Theatre, which never fails to bring high quality performances to Fort Wayne without breaking the bank. This summer will be no different! With acts like Chicago, Kansas, Little River Band and America, the Foellinger Theatre summer concert lineup, being tagged “A Summer Like No Other”, promises to be one of the best yet.

The sounds of Chicago will come to Fort Wayne on August 27.

One amazing concert we’ll get to see this summer is from one of rock’s most well-known groups, Chicago, who will take the Foellinger Theatre stage Tuesday, August 27 at 8 p.m. This will definitely be a concert no classic rock fan will want to miss! With over 100 million records sold, 21 Top 10 singles, 5 consecutive number one albums, 11 number one singles, 5 gold singles and 25 platinum albums, Chicago is still a force to be reckoned with even 40 years after they first came together. They are known to put on a powerful live show, so get your tickets fast!

Kansas will perform at Foellinger Theatre on September 14.

One of my personal favorite classic-rock bands, Kansas, will perform on September 14. Not only has Kansas had some huge hits throughout their nearly 40-year career (anyone else belt out “Carry On Wayward Son” when it comes on the radio?!), but they’ve had a ton of success. The band boasts 8 gold albums, a platinum selling live album, over 200 weeks on the Billboard charts throughout the 70s and 80s and a million-selling gold single “Dust in the Wind”.

Other nationally acclaimed acts bringing music to the Foellinger stage are Little Red Band and America. Two powerhouse bands featuring some of the best musicians rock music has to offer. Beloved acts Fort Wayne audiences are sure to want to catch again include Cherish the Ladies and The Lettermen.

Several great tribute bands will also be performing as a part of the lineup this summer. Come on down to Margaritaville for the first Fort Wayne performance of Parrots of the Caribbean, a Jimmy Buffet tribute band. The British will invade the Foellinger Theatre with a performance from Chicago Beatles tribute band, BritBeat. Travel back to the 70s and 80s with Midnight Special. Listen to the smooth sounds of The Eagles with Hotel California.

Beyond concerts, Foellinger is once again hosting nine free, family-friendly, movies on Wednesday nights throughout the season at 9 p.m. Madagascar III will kick off the movie season on Wednesday, June 19. Other movies being shown under the stars are: ParaNorman, Brave, The Lorax, Hotel Transylvania and Oz: The Great and Powerful. This is a great chance to kick back and relax while leaving the couch and

With all of the excitement coming with the upcoming concert and movie season, Foellinger Theatre is also rolling out improvements to the venue. Phase 1 of this improvement project will provide an additional 48 seats beneath the roof, including a new patio seating area. This phase will also include functional and cosmetic improvements, new landscaping at the eastern edge of the theater and an expansion of the enclosed area to the east of the theater by 18,000 square feet. Phase two of the project will add a new building to the expansion area for concessions and a covered pavilion for group rentals.

If you have the chance to make it out to Foellinger Theatre, whether it’s for a concert, movie, or just to check out the venue, DO IT! It’s a gem you don’t want to miss.

Tickets for “A Summer Like No Other” events are on sale now! For a complete line-up for the summer, and more information, you can click here,  here or here.

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With three full-length albums, an EP, over half a million copies sold, performances on major television networks, and a new album on the way – Straight No Chaser has gone from Indiana favorite, to national success.

And we are delighted to announce their upcoming concert at the Embassy Theatre, scheduled for December 18! (See below to learn how to get tickets before they go on sale April 30!)

Straight No Chaser will perform at the Embassy on December 18.

Founded in Bloomington at Indiana University in 1996, Straight No Chaser started out with the goal to expand the boundaries of the traditional college A Capella group. They viewed themselves as more of a local band that used their voices instead of instruments. In 1999, as founding members approached graduation, new members of the group were hand-picked by the exiting members, ensuring that the tradition they had created would continue on with with successive generations of IU undergrads. Then in 2006, everything changed. The members of the original Straight No Chaser group came together for a reunion show at Indiana University. In honor of the performance footage from a 1998 concert was posted online featuring their version of “The 12 Days of Christmas” with Toto’s “Africa”. the video quickly went viral – and became the must-see video of the holiday season. Among the millions who viewed the video was Atlantic Records Chairman/CEO Craig Kallman, who tracked Straight No Chaser Down and promptly signed them to the label. The rest is history.

Straight No Chaser has been featured on ABC World News Tonight, HLN and Today, among many others and will even be headed to the big screen in an upcoming movie by Dreamworks! They are highly regarded for their great live performances, especially in a time when so much pop music is the product of digital processing and vocal pro-tooling. The captivating sound of ten unadulterated voices coming together to make extraordinary music that is moving people in a fundamental sense, and with a bit of humor, is refreshing and reinventing the idea of A Capella on the modern pop landscape.

With roots in Indiana, Straight No Chaser is definitely a Hoosier favorite. This Christmas season the group will be returning to Indiana for 7 shows throughout the state right before Christmas! You can even catch them in Fort Wayne on Wednesday, December 18, at the Embassy Theatre! They will also be playing shows in South Bend and Evansville leading up to four shows in Indianapolis.  If you can’t wait until then to hear Straight No Chaser’s smooth vocals, you can buy their new album, “Under the Influence”, on May 7.

In addition, we are offering a special pre-sale link for friends Visit Fort Wayne! (Buy tickets before they are on sale!) Simply click here: http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/05004A89E46CDF1E and use the password “summit” – this exclusive presale is only available April 26 through April 29!

After that date you can order tickets through the Embassy Theatre website and Ticketmaster.

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Join the fun at EclecTech!

Indiana Tech is giving the “little guys” a chance to shine in Fort Wayne with their first ever EclecTech Music Festival! This all-day event hopes to promote live, local music, the importance of supporting local economic development and agriculture. Different from other music festivals looking to bring in the big names, EclecTech Music Festival is hoping to bring some attention to lesser known musicians by bringing them to the forefront of the Fort Wayne music scene. With acts hand-picked from open jam sessions and small shows, the event looks to be a new-avenue for local musicians to get their name out there.

The event is free and open to the public with a lot of different things to do! The festival is featuring over 20 farmer’s market vendors bringing fresh fruit and vegetables, sweets, handmade goods and more! Some of Fort Wayne’s favorite food trucks will be on hand for when you need a bite to eat with representatives from the Food Truck Association.

There’s even fun for kids of all ages to enjoy! There will be inflatables on sight as well as a chalk art competition and live big-screen Rock Band.  EclecTech Music Festival will also give the community a chance to explore Indiana Tech’s great campus with campus tours being offered throughout the day.

This will be a great opportunity to bring the community together to enjoy local live-music and support local businesses! Not to mention the huge amount all great activities they have planned for throughout the day!

EclecTech Music Festival will take place on Saturday, April 20, from noon-10 p.m. in the Indiana Tech Andorfer Commons parking lot. The event is free and open to the public! Don’t miss out on this new music fest that will hopefully be a Fort Wayne staple for years to come!

For more information you can visit the EclecTech Music Festival’s Facebook page!

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“Momisms”, “Total Momsense” and “Phe-mom-enon” are just a few of the terms synonymous with stay-at-home mom turned YouTube and comedy sensation Anita Renfroe. Bringing a unique brand of estrogen-flavored musical comedy (with a little sass and edge to boot) Anita Renfroe tells it like it is!

Catch ‘Froe and Cho in Fort Wayne!

It all started when Renfroe debuted her own version of the famous William Tell Overture called “Momisms” with the encouragement of her own kids. In the video, Renfroe shoots off 2 minutes worth of stuff moms can be caught saying within a 24 hour period. From there came an overwhelming response from the parents of the world with over 10 million people viewing the YouTube video, opening a whole new world for Renfroe, and starting her career as a comedian for the mom masses. She has been featured all over the media, including Good Morning America, CNBC, Fox and Friends, Dr. Phil and more!

On April 25, Anita Renfroe will bring her “Mother of all Comedy” tour to Fort Wayne with special guest Comedy Central comedian Henry Cho.  These two celebrated comedians have packed their bus full of zingers and hilarious stories, and they’re headed to the Summit City. When “Froe and Cho Bring the Show,” you can count on a no holds barred outlook on life’s hilarious, and sometimes downright unbelievably crazy, moments.

You can catch Anita Renfroe and Henry Cho in the “Mother of all Comedy” tour April 25 at the Embassy Theatre at 7 p.m.

Tickets are still available and range from $23 – $28. Learn more at Ticketmaster or Visit Fort Wayne.

And – YOU CAN WIN TICKETS!!

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A young voice & member of Fort Wayne Children’s Choir’s Apprentice Choir

The Fort Wayne Children’s Choir will host the Appleseed Children’s Choir Festival in Fort Wayne this May 3-5 at IPFW.

The festival will welcome 100 young singers from throughout the Midwest. Singers from groups such as Kantorei, the Singing Boys of Rockford, IL, the Milwaukee Children’s Choir, and the Grand Rapids Children’s Choir will all be in attendance.

“Hosting the event in Fort Wayne is a no brainer,” says Denice Beights, Executive Director of the Fort Wayne Children’s Choir. “People like to come here, and there’s lots to do in Fort Wayne making it attractive to other choirs.”

The Fort Wayne Children’s Choir program is considered one of the best in the country, making the opportunity to attend a festival in the choir’s hometown attractive to other choirs.

The festival will offer programing for 9-12 year old singers. Traditionally only the older children in a choir such as the Fort Wayne Children’s Choir will go on international tours.

“This festival focuses on younger singers to get them ready for touring without taking them too far away from home,” Beights explains.

Singers, directors, and chaperones won’t just be practicing music while they’re in town.  Their schedule is quite full with local activities.  The festival also provides educators the opportunity to for professional development as they spend time together.

The festival will culminate with a free concert on May 5^th at Rhinehart Music Center in the Auer Performance Hall where all four choirs will be performing.  Log on to www.fwcchoir.org for more information.

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