Mark your calendar now. One of Fort Wayne’s must-attend events is just around the corner. The annual Taste of the Arts — a community-wide fundraising project to benefit artist-in-residence programs at local schools — takes place on Saturday, August 25 in downtown Fort Wayne.

This free event is family-friendly and features samplings of food from more than 30 area restaurants. In addition, there is an art show and sale, hands-on activities for children and live performances and music. The only cost — food and beverage tickets are $1 each. Depending on the item, multiple tickets may be needed for a purchase.

A full list of participating restaurants will become available in the coming weeks. Participants at the 2011 event included local favorites such as:

•    Acme
•    B. Antonio’s Pizza
•    Carlos O’Kelly’s Mexican Café
•    Club Soda
•    Cracker Jack Catering
– Chef Mike Bentz
•    Dawson’s Dogs
•    Friendly Fox
•    Friends Greek Restaurants
•    Hall’s Gas House and Hall’s Takes the Cake
•    JK O’Donnell’s
•    Madeleine’s Bakehouse
•    Stellhorn Subway
•    The Venice Restaurant
•    Vince’s
•    Waiter on the Way
•    Yum Mee’s Bakery

Taste of the Arts is from noon to 7 p.m. at the Arts United Center at 303 E. Main St. The “party after the taste” goes until 10 p.m. and includes performances by local bands, dance troupes, choirs, string quartets and more! There will also be more food and beverages available for purchase. In addition, number of local non-profit and arts-related groups will have displays throughout the event.

For locals, there is still time to get involved with this year’s event: sign up to be a participating restaurant, sign up to volunteer, sign up for the art marketplace — and more! Additional details are available online. Don’t forget to follow Taste of the Arts on Facebook too! Taste of the Arts is presented by Arts United and a number of local sponsors.

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Are you a theatre enthusiast? Do you love to see plays, but not sure where to see them? How about at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne for their 2012-2013 season? There are four wonderful plays this season and you can even buy a Season Subscription!

This season’s shows include:

Don’t miss IPFW Department of Theatre’s performances of The Miser

The Miser: a play about a wealthy man who wants to marry his two children off for profit against their wishes. His children must fight to get away from him and marry the person they love.

The show will be held at the Williams Theatre on the IPFW campus on Sept. 28, 29, Oct. 4, 5, 6 at 8pm and Oct. 7 at 2 pm.

Don’t miss IPFW Department of Theatre’s performances of The Women of Lockerbie

The Women of Lockerbie: a play about a group of women from Lockerbie, Scotland who are fighting the U.S. government to obtain the clothing of the victims found in the crash of Pan Am 103. They want to wash the clothes of the victims and return them to their grieving families.

The show will take place in the Studio Theatre in Kettler Hall on the IPFW campus on Nov. 9, 10, 15, 16, 17 at 8 pm and Nov 18 at 2 pm.

Don’t miss IPFW Department of Theatre’s performances of Oliver!

Oliver!: the musical adaptation of the Famous Charles Dickens’ novel Oliver Twist, is the story of an orphan living on the streets of London. The IPFW Department of Theatre is teaming up with the Fort Wayne Youtheatre.

All performances of this show will be at the Arts United Center in Downtown Fort Wayne on Feb. 8, 9, 14, 15, 16 at 8 pm and Feb. 10, 17 at 2 pm.

Don’t miss IPFW Department of Theatre’s performances of Orlando

Orlando: the adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s novel Orlando, is the story of a noble man who is magically transformed into an immortal woman.

The show will take place in the Williams Theatre on the IPFW Campus on April 12, 13, 18, 19, 20 at 8 pm and April 21 at 2 pm.

You do not want to miss any of these great performances, so sign up for a Season Subscriptions now! For more information visit the IPFW Department of Theatre website.

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Summer is passing us by just as quickly as it came. So what is a better way to start the wrap up of the summer than with a day full of friends, food, fun, and country music? Country Fest ’12 is just around the corner and it is sure to be a day you do not want to miss!

Join Country Fest downtown at Headwaters Park!

Country Fest ’12 is Saturday, August 4 at Headwaters Park in Downtown Fort Wayne! Gates open at 1pm and the show begins at 3 pm. All tickets are general admission and priced at just $17.50 ($18.50 for credit card purchases). If there are any tickets left on the day of the show, they will be $25. Children 3 and under get in for free (one free child per adult). There are even opportunities to win tickets and four Meet & Greet passes to me ALL of the Artists for this year’s show! No coolers, blankets, or lawn chairs will be allowed.

This year’s Country Fest will have performances by Due West, Kana Kramer, Dustin Lynch, Colt Ford, Lee Brice, and Montgomery Gentry! It is sure to be a great day with great performances.

Tickets are on sale now! Last year’s show sold out, so hurry to get your tickets now! To order tickets, find out how you can win free tickets, or answer any questions you still have, visit K105’s Country Fest website.

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The Botanical Roots concert series returns to the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory every Friday night from July 27th through August 31st.

Summer in Fort Wayne is definitely the season for great music and great concerts! On top of the already great concert series, another one is getting ready to start on July 27^th. That’s right! The Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory’s concert series Botanical Roots is back for its 7^th year. You can expect a great concert every Friday night until August 31^st. All performances will be held outside on the Terrace. Rain or Shine, there will be a concert!

Each concert consists of a national touring act with a local band as the opener. These concerts are not something you will want to miss. Doors open at 7:30 pm. Opening act begins at 8:30 pm. Food and beverages will be available for purchase, but not outside food or drink will be allowed. You are allowed to bring your own lawn chair. Admission is $6 for adults. Admission is free for children 12 and under.

This year’s lineup includes:

Friday July 27^th: Kenny Neal, Blues, With the Todd Harrold Band

Friday, August 3^rd: Unknown Hinson, Rockabilly (Satire, not recommended for young audiences), With the Kenny Taylor Trio

Friday, August 10^th: The Aggrolites, Reggae/Ska, With Black Cat Mambo

Friday, August 17^th: The Honeybees, Rockabilly, With Scratch ‘n Sniff

Friday, August 24^th: Gizzae, Reggae, With Dan Dickerson

Friday, August 31^st:The Lost Bayou Ramblers, Cajun, With Old and Dirty

For more information in this great concert series, visit the Botanical Roots website.

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Among the many ‘A Summer to Remember’ concerts offered at the Foellinger Theatre, Midnight Special would be top of my list!

I’ll admit I recall hearing these songs on the radio at the time of their release, but hat’s OK because they were my Dreamy Song Groups (Meaning I got all dewy-eyed listening to them).

They’re still popular today, as witnessed on my son’s Wii Rock Band—we’ve played ‘More than a Feeling’ by Boston enough times to wear it out!

Midnight Special

Some sticklers might want to argue that Queen’s music isn’t really dreamy (‘We Will Rock You’, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, ‘We are the Champions’). But they are really fun songs and you’ll hear ‘Champions’ played during nearly every Komet hockey game. In Fort Wayne that means something!

This concert is an awesome opportunity to re-live some of the great tunes in your life!

If you need a review of bands and their hits to be included during Midnight Special here it is:

Boston – ‘More than a Feeling’, ‘Peace of Mind’

Journey — ‘Don’t Stop Believing’, ‘Faithfully’

Styx —‘Babe’, ‘Lady’, ‘Come Sail Away’, ‘The Best of Times’

Led Zeppelin — ‘Stairway to Heaven’, ‘Kashmir’, ‘Whole Lotta Love’, ‘Black Dog’.

Foreigner — ‘I want to Know What Love Is’, ‘Cold as Ice’, ‘Waiting for a Girl like you’, ‘Urgent’.

The show starts at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $10 for reserve and stadium seating.

For more information visit them online or call the box office at 260.427.6715 (Summer only).

Foellinger Theatre is located at 3411 Sherman Blvd — in Franke Park next to the Children’s Zoo on Sherman Boulevard.

Foellinger Theatre offers free parking at all concerts.

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