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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I used to have a hard time resisting the pretty flowers and vegetable starts grocery stores and hardware stores display this time of year. But now I know better. Quality is extremely important when it comes to plants, along with a large assortment. Choosing colors is half the fun! So, on Mother’s Day weekend each year, I line the back of my SUV with blankets and head out to the McMillen Ice Rink for the Mother’s Day Plant Sale.

The plant sale is extensive – and so much fun!

The experts who provide the plants are the same gardeners who landscape Fort Wayne parks, the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo and the Botanical Conservatory downtown. I buy my herbs, tomato plants, vegetable starts, hanging flower baskets, my annuals and my perennials there. I even picked up a few house plants last year. There are over 600 different plants to choose from! And there’s always someone nearby, ready to answer my questions, and to load my car when I’m finished.

I’m really looking forward to the “Do It Yourself” presentations on Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm. This year butterfly gardening will be covered. And I’m going to listen in on the shade gardening presentation before I shop so I can figure out what to do with the shadowy corner of my backyard. I can learn how to make compost and why it’s so important, and how to grow herbs to use in my cooking.

The Mother’s Day Plant Sale is 4 – 7 pm on Friday, 10 am – 5 pm on Saturday and noon – 4 on Sunday. If you’re a planner, like me, you might want to take a look at the complete plant list at www.botanicalconservatory.org.

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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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The newest addition to the Fort Wayne arts scene is the Wunderkammer Company’s downtown gallery.

Wunderkammer Company is a nonprofit organization led by Dan Swartz, a Fort Wayne native and independent curator. Dan has been described by some as an “art instigator,” and that may be true, but at his core he is a driven and dynamic force of nature. You cannot be in Dan’s presence and not be inspired to do or create something. Therefore, it isn’t surprising that the mission for his project is grand and important: to revitalize communities through contemporary art. So far, he is succeeding. The gallery opened in January 2013 and has hosted a number of shows, including Fort Wayne Fringe featuring dance and other performance art.

Wunderkammer Company’s next trifecta of exhibitions includes, “Three Ladies”, “Texted Riot”, and “Not Tara Donovan.”

“Three Ladies” is a historic and educational exhibition honoring the lives and accomplishments of Margaret Ann Keegan, Helene Foellinger, and Madolon “Madge” Rothschild. These three women made crucial and lasting positive contributions the Fort Wayne community during their lives and through their continued charitable spirit once passed.

“Texted Riot” is a group exhibition featuring five artists focusing on text, or written language, in art and “Not Tara Donovan” is as described in the gallery’s release “an installation produced by W< questioning the validity of an art piece when the audience is immediately queued into the processes which took place to create it.” The public is encouraged to contribute to the installation, and is “let in” on the “inside jokes within the contemporary art world.”

Wunderkammer Company is an extraordinary member of the Fort Wayne art community; it will challenge, entertain, and educate all who are open to it. Check out these shows or visit Wunderkammer Company’s Facebook page and learn more.

These three exhibitions opened on Saturday, April 20th, and will continue through May 19th (Texted Riot until May 26th). Wunderkammer is located at 3402 Fairfield Avenue in Fort Wayne. Suggested donation is $2.00.

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Have you ever sat back and realized how important seeds are? It may seem trite at first, but without plants and the oxygen they bring we would not be breathing right now! Artist Jerrod Tobias takes a closer look at agriculture, seeds and the importance of nature in his latest exhibit “Seeds of Symbiosis” on display now at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art.

According to Tobias, “This body of work continues an inquiry into agrarian traditions. Through a variety of drawing and painting processes, I strive to reveal rhythms and patterns found in nature.  These harmonies with natural living systems offer a glimpse into a symbiotic relationship between man and nature. These ‘seeds of symbiosis’ seek to preserve the wisdom of the past while searching for economic and agricultural sustainability in the present.”

Get in touch with the natural world and visit this amazing display today!

“Seeds of Symbiosis” is on display now through May 12. 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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