Fort Wayne offers a festival nearly every weekend in the months of June and July. Out of all of the summer events, my favorite is GermanFest. Why? That’s simple; it’s the festival that my husband and I enjoy together (and without kids).

The celebration begins at various city locations on June 2^nd and ends Saturday, June 9^th. On Wednesday, June 6^th, the majority of the events take place at Headwaters Park in the Festival Pavilion. The week is jammed-packed with events that are sure to please everyone.

My favorite activity is the Beer Stein Relay Race, it’s always fun to watch (maybe this year I will even talk myself into participating).

My other favorite part of GermanFest is inviting a group of friends to enjoy the food (the warm potato salad is amazing) and music (oh, and of course, the beer!)

If the festival closes for the night, but you are still yearning for more, be sure to check out the nightlife that Fort Wayne has to offer!

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Canal Days began in 1958 when a “Canal Boat” was brought to New Haven during the event. Throughout the years the festival has undergone many changes and adjustments, but has been held in the downtown area since 1987 and continues to draw crowds each year. The annual parade, and 5K race benefiting the New Haven High School Track program, are among the event highlights. Thoughout the event, enjoy traditional fair food, rides on the midway and an arts and crafts show.

Highlights from this year’s schedule of events include:

Friday, June 1
Car Show

Tuesday, June 5
Army Invades Schnelker Park

Wednesday, June 6
Karaoke Night
Teen Glow Dance

Thursday, June 7
Quilt Show
Movie Night

Friday, June 8
Senior Picnic

Saturday, June 9
Parade
Kids Day
Cornhole Tournament

The midway and vendors are open daily. Visit Canal Days online for a full schedule of events and times. Registration forms for the “Wellness 4 Everyone” 5K race, held Saturday, June 9, are available here. For more information on Canal Days visit the event website and join the Canal Days group on Facebook. New Haven is located just east of Fort Wayne, only a 12 minute drive from downtown.

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Do you have a Pug? Or are you a Pug or dog lover?

If so, you do not want to miss Fort Wayne PUGfest on June 2 at the Memorial Coliseum!

Who doesn't love a pug?

Kentuckiana Pug Rescue hosts and participates in many events throughout the year to help promote awareness of the need for rescue, giving people in the community the opportunity to learn more about all that KPR is doing to help Pugs in need.

But more than that, PUGfest is a way for people and their Pugs to have a fun filled day together!

The day is packed with fun events starting off with a Parade of Foster Pugs followed by vendor highlights. Some of the vendors include The PUGzone!, Tupperware, Pugs in the Kitchen and Smiling Dog Photography.

PUGFest will also feature several raffles and contests throughout the day as well as Pug races!

Some of the contests you can enter your Pug in include best shredder, curliest tail, biggest Pug, smallest Pug, best dressed, best kisser, longest tongue, costume, banana eating, best trick and Pug owner lookalike.

Come celebrate PUGfest and enjoy the day surrounded by Pugs of all shapes and sizes!

Hours:

• 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Parking:

• Main Lot – $4.00
• Preferred Lot – $8.00

Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
4000 Parnell Avenue

Schedule of Events:

• 10:00  Doors Open
• 10:30  Parade of Foster Pugs
• 10:45  Vendor Highlights
• 11:00  Best Shedder and Curliest Tail Contests
• 11:15  Chinese Raffle Pull
• 11:30  Biggest Pug and Smallest Pug Contests (over 1 year of age)
• 11:45 1st Raffle Pull
• 12:00  Pug Races
• 12:30  Pug Races
• 12:45  2nd Raffle Pull
• 1:00  Best Dressed Boy and Girl   and Best Dressed NON Pug Contests
• 1:15 2nd Chinese Raffle Pull
• 1:30 Best Kisser and Longest Tongue Contest
• 1:45 3rd Raffle Pull
• 2:00 Costume Contests Group and Individual
• 2:15 Vendor/Foster Highlights
• 2:30 Banana Eating Contest
• 2:45 4th Raffle Pull
• 3:00 Best Trick
• 3:15 3rd Chinese Raffle Pull
• 3:30 Pug Owner Lookalike Contest
• 3:45 5th Raffle Pull

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Did you know that Colonel Sanders of KFC fame was from Indiana? So, was that Southern drawl he used in TV commercials just a show? Guess we’ll find out that nugget of information and others about some of the Hoosier state’s most notorious sons at the Fort Wayne showing of Michael Martone’s book-turned-play Alive and Dead In Indiana.

The comedy/drama adapted from Martone’s book by play adaptor Doug Long is a fictional account of Sanders and other Hoosiers including James Dean, former Vice President Dan Quayle, and Indiana University sex researcher Alfred Kinsey. Martone was born and raised in Fort Wayne.

Content advisory status for Alive & Dead in Indiana: Mild sexual situations.

Performance dates and times:
Friday, June 1, 2012 8:00 PM
Saturday, June 2, 2012 8:00 PM
Sunday, June 3, 2012 2:00 PM
Friday, June 8, 2012 8:00 PM
Saturday, June 9, 2012 8:00 PM
Sunday, June 10, 2012 2:00 PM

Tickets: $24.00

It's all part of the Northeast Indiana Playwright Festival

Performance dates for Alive And Dead In Indiana coincide with the 3rd Annual Playwright Competition to be held Saturday, June 2 and Saturday June 9, 2012.

First place: Althea’s Well by Ruth Tyndall Baker
Second place: Hands Under the Table by Theron RD Steinke
Third place: Spring at the Willowbrook Inn by Douglas C. Evans and Jonathan Van Dyke

3rd Annual Playwright Competition schedule:
Saturday, June 2:
• 10AM Workshop
• 11AM Lunch break (on your own)
• 12PM Spring at the Willowbrook Inn
reading with post discussion
• 3PM Civic hosted break
• 4PM Hands Under the Table
reading with post discussion
• 7PM Dinner break (on your own)
• 8PM Althea’s Well
with post discussion
• Post-show reception in the Ian Rolland Gallery

Sunday, June 3: (Coffee available)
• 12PM Panel discussion
• 1PM Box luncheon
• 2PM Alive and Dead in Indiana
with post discussion

Fees for each of the events are listed at the Civic website.

The Arts United Center charges a parking fee of $3 per car. Parking options free after business hours include 1st Source Bank building parking garage, City-County Building parking garage, and metered spaces behind Freimann Square.

For additional information, please visit the Fort Wayne Civic Theatre website.

Arts United Center
303 E Main Street
Fort Wayne 46802
260.422.8641 X 221
Box office: 260.424.5220

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Ladies, do you enjoy playing tennis or golf? What about supporting a good cause while having fun with your girlfriends?

Then round up a doubles partner or a golf team of four for the Vera Bradley Classic!

Grab a girlfriend and head to the Vera Bradley Classic!

Vera Bradley will be holding its annual Vera Bradley classic on June 1, 2012 – June 4, 2012. This amateur women’s golf and tennis charity tournament is the largest in the country.

The tournament will kick off with a two day women’s doubles tennis competition at Wildwood Racquet Club. One hundred and fifty women will be competing in the tournament playing in various divisions.

Following the conclusion of the tennis tournament, there will be a Tennis Celebration Dinner. The celebration will include a cocktail party, dinner, a featured exhibition match and a silent auction to benefit the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer.

The golf tournaments will be held on Monday, June 4^th at the Fort Wayne Country Club and Sycamore Hills Golf Club. There will be a 9-hole and 18-hole tournament that players can choose to play in. Over 400 women will participate in the day.

Monday evening there will be a Golf Celebration Dinner. The night will include a cocktail party, dinner and a silent auction.

If you want to support the Foundation, but are not a tennis player or golfer you can still get involved!  There are opportunities to volunteer at the various events happening throughout the weekend, or you can also pay to attend one of the celebration dinners.

The 2011 Vera Bradley Classic raised $945,185 over the weekend, and since the tournament was established in 1994, it has raised more than $8.2 million dollars for breast cancer research.

 Event Schedule:

Women’s Doubles Tennis Tournament
Friday, June 1, 2012 – Saturday, June 2, 2012
Wildwood Racquet Club
508 North Hadley Road

• Match Play Schedule Depends on Player Rating

Tennis Celebration Dinner
Saturday, June 2, 2012 at 6:30pm
Wildwood Racquet Club
508 North Hadley Road

Women’s 9-Hole Golf Tournament
Monday, June 4, 2012
Fort Wayne Country Club
5521 Covington Road

• Morning Tournament begins at 7:30am
• Afternoon Tournament begins at 12:00pm

Women’s 18-Hole Golf Tournament
Monday, June 4, 2012
Sycamore Hills Golf Club
11836 Covington Road
Assigned Tee Times

Golf Celebration Dinner
Monday, June 4, 2012 at 6:00pm
Sycamore Hills Golf Club
11836 Covington Road

To register your team or learn more, visit www.verabradley.org/classic

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