After much anticipation, and what felt like one of the longest winters ever, spring is finally here!  The smell of BBQ and the sounds of children’s laughter fill neighborhoods throughout the city.  Bicycles are dusted off and families set out on Fort Wayne’s abundant trails.  Puppies become eager for walks and we dig through the cabinet to find sunscreen and that great pair of sunglasses from last year.  Suddenly landscapes turn green and beautiful flowers begin to bloom.  There’s nothing like those beautiful spring days to give hope and happiness to all of us.

During spring, Fort Wayne is filled with beautiful flowering trees and plants that bring magic to the scenery that simply can’t be duplicated outside of nature.  Here are a few spots you can find gorgeous spring blooms this spring to enjoy:

Foster Park, located at 3900 Old Mill Rd, is one of the most popular places to enjoy spring blooms.  In fact, they update the floral display each season so there’s always something to enjoy.  Boasting 32 flowerbeds and over 15,000 annuals this garden is not to be missed!  Delight your senses with an array of spring flowers, beautiful benches tucked in for quiet reflection, and a quaint walking path to get up close to nature.

Lakeside Park, nationally recognized by the All American Rose Selection Display Garden, boasts a rose garden unlike others in Fort Wayne.  It’s the site of many romantic proposals, weddings, and lazy afternoon picnics.  With over 1,500 roses on display and reflecting pools the Rose Garden is sure to bring out the romantic in everyone.

Tulips in bloom at Freimann Square in Downtown Fort Wayne

Freimann Square, located in Downtown Fort Wayne is a local favorite.  With the beautiful fountains, lush green grass areas, and thousands of spring bulbs and annuals, it’s sure to make you smile.  Attending a meeting downtown while you’re in town? Sneak over to Freimann Square for a few zen moments between meetings.  You’re sure to be refreshed.

Tower Bank as seen through beautiful blooming trees on Berry St. in downtown Fort Wayne

Downtown Fort Wayne is also in bloom throughout the spring with beautiful flowering trees and plants.  Take in the gorgeous, historic Allen County Courthouse while enjoying the beautiful blooms planted in the Courthouse Green.  These are sure to provide a sense of peace during your stay in downtown Fort Wayne.

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As if we needed another good reason to attend TinCaps ballgames at Parkview Field (besides the fun action on the field and the opportunity to relax in a beautiful ballpark!), now there’s something new to entice us there!

A new hospitality area called The 400 Club is being built in the center field. Its called 400 Club because it overlooks the field and is 400 feet from home plate.

This area will accommodate parties of 20-150 people. The enclosed area will have a grill, bathroom facilities, heat and, perhaps more importantly for summer games, air conditioning.

Catering for the hospitality area will include the best of the park’s best concession goodies— mini burgers, pork sliders, grilled burger with onions, nacho bar, burritos, boneless wings, waffle fries, jalapeno poppers, fried macaroni and cheese bites and more. Plus there will be a build your own ice cream bar with hot fudge toppings that is not offered elsewhere in park.

According to Brad Shank, VP of ticket sales for Parkview Field, beer and wine are included in the ticket price of $40 per person for groups of 20 or more. “It is an all-you-can-eat buffet that will begin 30 minutes before the game,” he said.

The hospitality area will open May 22. Already, Shank has been blown away by the interest in booking the hospitality area by various groups. “We’ve already sold more than half of our available dates for the hospitality area,” he said. The hospitality area can be used for special events such as wedding receptions, class reunions, rehearsal dinners, holiday parties.

If you need a place to meet with family or friends for an upcoming special event, consider the new hospitality area at Parkview Field. It promises to be an unforgettable experience!

Learn more at www.tincaps.com.

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Time flies! It’s hard to believe The Fort Wayne Derby Girls are gearing up for the 5^th Annual Spring Roll. As a former member of the Roller Derby league, I remember planning the first back in 2008. The tournament has grown tremendously since then. In 2008, it featured only a handful of women’s leagues from our region, and today, it features men’s, women’s, and junior roller derby leagues from across the country.

Mark your calendar. This year’s Spring Roll will feature three days of hard-hitting, heart- stopping, roller derby competition from May 17-19 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Spectators will enjoy two tracks of action, featuring 25 teams from as far away as Jacksonville, Florida, and Fargo, North Dakota, competing in one of the largest roller derby tournaments in the world. For a full list of teams competing in this year’s event, visit the Spring Roll Website.

The fun gets underway on Friday at 5PM with a Men’s Roller Derby Association sanctioned event featuring Harm City Homicide taking on Milwaukee Blitzdkrieg. The women’s tournament kicks off at 5:30, featuring Fargo Moorehead Derby Girls against Hammer City Roller Girls from Hamilton, Ontario. And once the train starts moving, there’s no stopping until Sunday evening. For a full schedule of bouts, visit the Schedule page on the Spring Roll website.

Never been to a Roller Derby bout before? Spring Roll offers you the perfect opportunity to get acquainted with the fastest growing sport in the world. Tickets are $13 per day (plus Ticketmaster fees) or $29 for a three-day pass. Get yours today at Ticketmaster.com or from the Coliseum Box Office.

I will be there and I hope to see you too.

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This post is one in a series of Fort Wayne’s favorite celebrities: the Bad Apple Dancers! Click here to meet the rest of the bunch!

Bad Apple Dancer Austin Allen

Play Ball!

It’s that time of the year again! Time for ballgames by Tin Caps at Parkview Field!

If you’ve not yet attended a ball game at Fort Wayne’s outstanding ball field, please consider doing so this year. Not only does the team offer a beautiful place to sit and watch baseball, they offer some fascinating local entertainment between innings. The name of that entertainment is the Bad Apple Dancers.

These are four guys whose main function is to smooth out the dirt on the field. While pulling a big rake, they add their own moves on the route around the diamond.

To help you get to know the Bad Apple Dancers we’ve asked them to contribute some personal information about themselves. First up is Austin Allen who also works as Ticket Sales Manager for the Tin Caps.

Name: Austin ‘Flava A’ Allen
Hometown/State: Owosso, MI
Position on the ball field: Bad Apple Dancer
Years playing for the Tin Caps: 2013 will be my third season with the team, second season as a Bad Apple Dancer

1. Favorite Fort Wayne restaurant? Pint N Slice
2. Favorite place to go to relax in Fort Wayne? I like to run on the trails or play disc golf at Shoaff Park.
3. Favorite thing to do in Fort Wayne—other than dance on Parkview Field? I play volleyball a couple times a week. I enjoy the different festivals throughout the summer as well.
4. Favorite store/shop? The Orchard at Parkview Field
5. Favorite Fort Wayne park? Shoaff Park or Swinney Park
6. Favorite Fort Wayne summer festival? RibFest
7. Favorite place to go for a burger and fries in Fort Wayne? Dash In
8. Favorite concert venue in Fort Wayne? The Embassy
9. Favorite place to go for ice cream in Fort Wayne? Yo-Yo
10. Likes most about Fort Wayne? There is a lot going on, and it is easy to keep myself busy. I can always find something to do or somewhere to go.

To order tickets for Fort Wayne TinCaps Baseball at Parkview Field call 260.482.6400 or learn more here.

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This post is part of a series highlighting the Your Story. Made Here. videos recently produced by the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership. These videos share the stories of Northeast Indiana, and our many strengths. Click here to view the rest of the series.

The crack of a bat, the cheering crowd, the taste of a ballpark hotdog and an ice-cold beer, it’s all waiting for you!

Locals love Parkview Field because it’s about so much more than baseball. The addition of Parkview Field to the downtown landscape generated a sense of community. Cheering on the TinCaps to their numerous victories has brought a sense of pride and togetherness to the community. The success of the community collaboration that brought Parkview Field to downtown Fort Wayne has continued through such events as Taste of the Arts and Buskerfest.

Opportunities to meet up with friends, network, or simply relax on the lawn are endless.  Whether you’re a young fan or a seasoned armchair pitcher there’s plenty to enjoy at Parkview Field. Young professionals are drawn to Thirsty Thursdays to network with peers, meet up with friends, and enjoy dollar beer night. Fireworks nights are great for a casual yet romantic date night or for families who enjoy looking up at the stars. Suites are available for those looking to entertain large groups or host business colleagues. The Homerun Porch and the Picnic Pavilion make great places to bring your employees for a fun activity away from the office.

3 Rivers Federal Credit Union Employees enjoying a night off with Johnny TinCap at Parkview Field

Be on the lookout for “theme nights” at the ballpark as well. Love getting dressed up for Halloween? Why not celebrate on May 10 with “Halfway to Halloween” night at Parkview Field. Several “Decade Celebrations” are planned for the 2013 season with nights honoring every decade from the 50’s-90’s. There’s even “Star Wars Night” for you to sport your Darth Vader costume and a “Social Media Night” to give you an excuse to be on your smart phone throughout the game.

Great minor league sports aren’t limited to downtown Fort Wayne. Experience the Mad Ants Basketball, Komets Hockey, and the Derby Girls at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.  There’s something for every sports fan throughout the year.

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