Here in Fort Wayne, we love to host a party! Many of those parties take place in the form of festivals. where we celebrate our heritage, our love of certain foods, our traditions, and our community all summer long.  Here’s a list of the great festivals you won’t want to miss this year.

June

Germanfest                            June 2-9                                 Headwaters Park

www.germanfest.org

Locals know that Germanfest kicks off “festival season” in Fort Wayne.  Everyone looks forward to the food, the entertainment, and beverages, and the fun.  It’s what German’s call “Essen, Trinken, und Gemutlichkeit,” or what we here in America call “Eating, Drinking, and having a really good time”.  Not German?  They don’t mind.  Just come on in and join the party.  Admission is $2 from 2-5 p.m. and $5 after 5 p.m. Military personnel with I.D. admitted free of charge.

Ribfest                                    June 13-16                            Headwaters Park

www.bbqribfest.com

Don’t think of Fort Wayne when you think of barbecue   Join us for Ribfest in June and we’ll change your mind.  Bring a hardy appetite and comfortable shoes (you could be in line a while for the good stuff) and see what it’s all about.  Ribfest wraps up on Father’s Day so why not take Dad, which makes it the perfect family day out.  In addition to the ribs they’ll have live rockin’ blues, a little bit of jazz, and a little bit of country music a the main stage.  They call it “the biggest piggin’ out in the park party” for a reason.  Admission is free daily until 5:30 p.m.  After 5:30 admission for adults is $8, $6 for seniors, and $4 for students, military members, fire, and police with proper I.D.

Riverfest                                 June 22                                  IPFW Campus

www.ipfwriverfest.org

At Riverfest we celebrate one of Fort Wayne’s most prominent resources, our Rivers.  A day for families and fun is on tap for anyone who wants to join the party.  If you love sports, art, live music, food, and nature you’ll love this festival that takes place on the IPFW Campus.  Go for a boat ride on the river, participate in the volleyball tournament, or participate in the Riverfest Mud Run 5K.  At the end of the day sit under the stars and enjoy one of the city’s best fireworks displays.  Admission is free.  The festivities start at 9 a.m. and last until midnight.

Buskerfest                              June 29                                  Downtown Fort Wayne

www.downtownfortwayne.com

The art and celebration of the street performer comes alive in downtown Fort Wayne each year at Buskerfest.  Join us for this unique festival in the streets of downtown Fort Wayne.  Whether you’re interested in live music, fire breathers, sword swallowers, snake charmers, poets, magicians, or caricature artists you’ll find something that appeals to you.  Buskerfest promises to give you and your family a festival experience like no other in the area.  Admission to this event is free.

July

Three Rivers Festival            July 12-20                              Headwaters Park

www.threerviersfestival.org

Welcome to Fort Wayne’s biggest summer party! The Three Rivers Festival is a Fort Wayne classic event.  Don’t miss the parade, bed races, concerts, crafters market, river games, or waiter-waitress contest.  This 8 day festival wraps up with the city’s largest fireworks display on Saturday night.  Join in the fun throughout the week.  Admission varies based on the events of the day/evening so be sure to check their website for up to date information.

Pridefest                                July 26-27                              Headwaters Park

www.fwpride.org

Pridefest is not only a celebration of our community but also a celebration of LGBT members of our community.  Celebrate with us in Headwaters Park for two full days of fun and entertainment.  The party starts off with a parade at 11:30 on Saturday celebrating diversity in our great city.  You’ll find family fun in KidSpace, a Cornhole Tournament that includes cash prizes, LGBT friendly businesses, retailers and food concessions.  Various workshops will take place on Saturday also.  Check their website for a complete list of topics and times.  Friday night admission is $3 and Saturday admission is $5.  Kids 12 and under are free both days.

September

Country Fest                          September 21                                   Parkview Field

www.k105fm.com

If you’re a fan of country music, make plans to join us at Country Fest 2013.  It’s a full day of music, food, and fun.  2012 performers included Montgomery Gentry, Lee Brice, and Colt Ford.  While this year’s line up hasn’t been announced yet, we are sure they’re booking acts you won’t want to miss.  Be sure to check their website for tickets as last year’s event sold out.

Johnny Appleseed Festival   September 21-22                 Johnny Appleseed Park

www.johnnyappleseedfest.com

In the pioneer spirit of John Chapman, aka Johnny Appleseed, Fort Wayne celebrates his colorful life spent right here.  He’s known to have plated orchards in Fort Wayne and the surrounding areas in the latter part of his life.  In fact, his gravesite memorial is located in Fort Wayne’s Archer Park not far from the site of the Johnny Appleseed Festival.  You’ll enjoy the best of the pioneer life at this festival complete with the foods that remind you fall is on the way.  Admission is free!

For additional festival and special event information, visit our complete Calendar of Events!

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Fort Wayne helps celebrate the rich history of Mexican folk art at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art now through the end of April through their latest special exhibit “El Caballo: The Horse in Mexican Folk Art.”

This display contains 22 examples of this popular figure, El Caballo, known in English as “the horse.” Displays include ceramics, paintings, paper art, sculpture and metalwork. The horse was first introduced by the Spanish and continues to maintain special prominence in art and Mexican culture. Today many recognize Mexicans as the world’s best equestrians. Figures in Mexican history were known along with their horses, including Zapata, a leader in the Mexican Revolution, Santiago and Apostle St. James.

This exhibit is part of a national tour and will only be in Fort Wayne for a short time. Visit the Fort Wayne Museum of Art today and learn about Mexican culture and why El Caballo holds such importance. The exhibit can be viewed during normal gallery hours.

“El Caballo: The Horse in Mexican Folk Art” is on display now through April 28. Check the art museum’s website for information on hours of operation or call 260.422.6467. Admission to the Fort Wayne Museum of Art is $7 for adults, $5 for students and $12 for families. The museum is located in downtown Fort Wayne at 311 E. Main St.

Insider Tip: Admission is free on Thursdays and Sundays.

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The 2012-2013 Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) Omnibus Lecture Season, now in it’s 18th year, and continues this month. This free event is open to the public and features special lectures by actors, activitsts, inventors, authors and more.

The March speaker is Robotics Engineer Grant Imahara on Monday, March 25.

Probably most well-known for being a “mythbuster” on the Discovery Channel TV science program, Imahara is also an animatronics engineer and model maker. His film credits include work with George Lucas for “Star Wars,” “The Matrix,” “Jurassic Park” and more. Hear Imahara talk about his career and fascinating experiences in this unique field. Among his clients — The Energizer Bunny.

Imahara’s lecture begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are free but required in advance to attend all lectures. Tickets should be acquired about three weeks before each event and are available online or by calling the Larson Box Office at Gates Athletic Center, at 260.481.6555. Parking is free for all events, which take place at The John and Ruth Rhinehart Music Center in the heart of IPFW’s campus. The campus is located just off of North Coliseum Boulevard on the city’s near north side.

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The 2012-2013 Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) Omnibus Lecture Season, now in it’s 18th year, is underway. This free event is open to the public and features special lectures by actors, activists, inventors, authors and more.

The next speaker this season is Human Rights Advocate Naomi Tutu on Thursday, February 21.

Tutu is a well-known human rights advocate, born in apartheid South Africa. She later lived in Lesotho, the United Kingdom and the United States. She has served as a development consultant in West Africa and has worked in coordination of programs that support race and gender awareness. She also leads conflict resolution workshops on race and racism and holds women’s retreats with her sister.

Tutu’s lecture begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are free but required in advance to attend all lectures. Tickets should be acquired about three weeks before each event and are available online or by calling the Larson Box Office at Gates Athletic Center, at 260.481.6555. Parking is free for all events, which take place at The John and Ruth Rhinehart Music Center in the heart of IPFW’s campus. The campus is located just off of North Coliseum Boulevard on the city’s near north side.

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Wunderkammer Co. is not your typical art gallery, for several reasons.

It all starts with a former restaurant building on Fort Wayne’s south side, when Casa D’Angelo, an Italian restaurant and staple of the neighborhood, shut its doors a few years ago.

Local artist Dan Swartz purchased the facility spring 2012, located at 3402 Fairfield Ave., with the hopes of trying to connect local artists with their community. Today, he operates the contemporary art gallery as a 501(c) 3 organization, Wunderkammer. The space houses three gallery spaces, two with rapidly rotating exhibits, and one devoted to performance art and installations.

What can visitors expect at Wunderkammer? Swartz envisions a space where people can experience all the arts, similar to a contemporary arts center in bigger cities. For example, patrons could hypothetically see a poetry reading, dance troupe, film, or visual art show in the same space. For example, the gallery will be hosting the upcoming Fringe Festival January 31 – February 3.

He also plans to keep the integrity and atmosphere of the building, saying that the bar area and entrances will stay more or less the same because Swartz wants to keep the general feel of the space.

The gallery formally opened in January, and Swartz has already been met with great interest. Come on out and see what Wunderkammer is all about! Gallery hours are 1-9 pm, Wed.-Sun.

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