Gorgeous murals at your feet. Just be careful not to step on them — or the artists. The annual Chalk Walk at the Three Rivers Festival is nearing, and an event not to be missed!

This beautiful walk outside the Fort Wayne Museum of Art is a city block in downtown lined on both sides with 8′ by 8′ squares of artistry. Artists register their squares for a small fee and a chance to win. This year’s categories are Iconic Fort Wayne, Realism in America, Trompe I’oeil (fooling the eye with hyper-real creation), The Art of Gaming and Legendary Hoosiers. All images are family friendly.

More than 22,000 visitors are expected to visit the Chalk Walk July 14 and 15 at this year’s Three Rivers Festival. The event draws its roots from the Italian tradition of street painting. Artists use pastel chalks to create their own works or reproduce others in their assigned square. The Chalk Walk is just one of the many exciting events that are a part of the 2012 Three Rivers Festival — bringing locals and visitors to Fort Wayne to celebrate it’s culture and downtown offerings.

Registration for Chalk Walk artists is closed, however, a waiting list is in place should openings occur. Email chalkwalk@fwmoa.org for more information. Read more about the Three Rivers Festival online and follow the festival on Facebook.

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Admittedly, I am not a fan of big crowds, so I tend to steer clear of the big events associated with Three Rivers Fest, with one exception: Art in the Park.

Consuming Freimann Square and a two-block stretch along picturesque Main Street, adjacent to the Arts United Center and the Fort Wayne Museum of Art in downtown Fort Wayne, this event features over 75 local, regional and national art vendors showcasing their wares. From paintings to sculptures to pottery to metal work to photography, the variety and quality of the items for sale are impressive.

Taking place the first weekend of the Festival, Art and the Park runs on Saturday, June 14 from 11am-6pm, and Sunday, June 15 from 11am-5pm, helping to kick off the 43rd Annual TRF.

The variety of artists is amazing.

This year, Art in the Park will include an outdoor cafe in addition to the beautiful artwork. I especially enjoy attending early in the day with the smell of the morning still in the air, before the big crowds hit and before the city heats up from the afternoon sun.

An insider tip: if you live within a few miles of downtown, ride your bike. There are plenty of bike racks in the vicinity and it helps to beat the traffic.

If you’ve never been to Art in the Park, make a point to visit this year. You will not be disappointed.

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Three Rivers Festival

Friday, July 13, 2012 – Saturday, July 21, 2012

Indiana’s second largest festival offers 9 days of fun for the entire family!  From the opening day parade, arts, crafts, amusement rides, and International Village, to live music, the Bed Race, and the all-new RiverGames Water Wars and canoe races, Three Rivers Festival brings family-friendly fun to the heart of downtown Fort Wayne! 

Location: Headwaters Park – Downtown Fort Wayne

For additional information, please visit the Three Rivers Festival website.

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The Three Rivers Festival has been held in Fort Wayne since 1969, so it was around when I was a teenager (I won’t say what decade that was!). My dad, who worked on the railroad and was gone from home a lot, loved any parade and made an effort to take us to this one when he was home.

It meant getting my two sisters and Mom up early and driving to Fort Wayne (we lived outside of Allen County), walking a long way from a parking spot to some place on the parade route that was not already claimed by early-morning parade watchers. Most years, the weather was already hot by the time the parade started.

No matter how hot or tired he was from working all week, Dad always had a look of anticipation on his face as he watched each float drift by. Later, Dad would take us to a vendor selling favorite festival food like cotton candy and corn dogs and ice cream. Yum!

While I usually complained about attending the 3 Rivers Festival parade because it was tiring and hot, I also knew it was an opportunity to spend quality time with my family. I appreciated that even if I was a teenager!

I’ve attended the Three Rivers Festival parade many times since my teen years. Dad is gone now but his memory lives on for me each time I watch the parade.

What memories are you making for your family with the 3 Rivers Festival?

This year’s 3 River Festival Parade starts at 9:45 on Saturday, July 14.

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Three Rivers Festival

Friday, July 13, 2012 – Saturday, July 21, 2012

Indiana’s second largest festival offers nine days of fun for the entire family!  From the opening day parade, arts, crafts, amusement rides, and International Village, to live music, the Bed Race, and the all-new RiverGames Water Wars and canoe races, Three Rivers Festival brings family-friendly fun to the heart of downtown Fort Wayne! 

Location: Headwaters Park – Downtown Fort Wayne

For additional information, please visit the Three Rivers Festival website.

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Big news in Fort Wayne! The Gold Wing Road Riders Association is holding their 34^th annual Wing Ding in Fort Wayne from Tuesday July 3^rd – Saturday July 7^th! This is an exciting time for Honda Gold Wing enthusiasts and Fort Wayne residents alike! Fortunately, you do not have to own a Gold Wing to be involved with the Wing Ding. There are three events that the public is welcome to attend.

The first is the Welcome Party, nicknamed “Horses and Horsepower.” This will be held in Grabill from 6-10 pm on July 3. The streets of Grabill will be closed to help welcome all of the Wing Ding attendees. During the party, all of the party-goers will be about to get a glimpse into the Amish lifestyle, buy some Amish goods, and taste some delicious Amish food.

The second event that the public is encouraged to attend and support is the light parade on July 4^th at 9:30 pm.  The motorcyclists will decorate their Gold Wings with lots of lights and have a parade around the IPFW Campus! Be sure to stick around after the parade for the annual IPFW 4^th of July Fireworks.

The third event that the public is encouraged to attend is the Wing Ding Grand Parade on Friday July 6^th at 5:30 pm. This parade will travel through the streets of Fort Wayne as the participants make their way from the Memorial Coliseum to Parkview Field.

Feel free to come out and encourage these three great events during Wing Ding 2012 and learn more at www.VisitFortWayne.com/wingding.

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What is a Busker and why is there a festival devoted to them?

A Busker is another name for a street performer, and there’s no better place to enjoy these talents than at a downtown festival! There are so many different types of street performers who are so talented with their unique skills – it is truly a sight to behold.

Pyrotechniq returns to BuskerFest with their flaming performances.

At BuskerFest you will see more than just singers and musicians. You will see chalk artists, jugglers, human statues, mimes, fire breathers, sword swallowers, magicians, aerialists, and much, much more. When you are at BuskerFest, you never know what you will see. It is always an exciting time.

The 3^rd Annual BuskerFest will be on Saturday June 30 from 4pm – 11pm. It will be held on the corner of Wayne Street and Calhoun Street. Admission is free, but tipping the performers is encouraged and greatly appreciated. Some artists will have booths set up for you to buy their art.

Many of the performers will have their own area on the streets, but there are two stages where acts will perform and show off their skills. The performances that start on the hour will perform on the Wayne St. Stage, while the shows that start on the half hour will be on the Corner Stage. For a list of the stage performances or more information visit the Downtown Improvement District website or Visit Fort Wayne.

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