What is a Busker and why is there a festival devoted to them?

A Busker is another name for a street performer, and there’s no better place to enjoy these talents than at a downtown festival! There are so many different types of street performers who are so talented with their unique skills – it is truly a sight to behold.

Pyrotechniq returns to BuskerFest with their flaming performances.

At BuskerFest you will see more than just singers and musicians. You will see chalk artists, jugglers, human statues, mimes, fire breathers, sword swallowers, magicians, aerialists, and much, much more. When you are at BuskerFest, you never know what you will see. It is always an exciting time.

The 3^rd Annual BuskerFest will be on Saturday June 30 from 4pm – 11pm. It will be held on the corner of Wayne Street and Calhoun Street. Admission is free, but tipping the performers is encouraged and greatly appreciated. Some artists will have booths set up for you to buy their art.

Many of the performers will have their own area on the streets, but there are two stages where acts will perform and show off their skills. The performances that start on the hour will perform on the Wayne St. Stage, while the shows that start on the half hour will be on the Corner Stage. For a list of the stage performances or more information visit the Downtown Improvement District website or Visit Fort Wayne.

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There are so many great family attractions in Fort Wayne, such as the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, Science Central and the TinCaps; but what else is there to do?

There are plenty of free or low cost options to keep the kids entertained (and hopefully give you a few minutes to relax and rejuvenate) this summer.

Mondays and Thursdays: Free children’s movies at Rave Motion Pictures and $2 movies at Carmike Cinemas (which includes popcorn and drink). Movies start at 10am.

Tuesdays: Check out the Allen County Public Library, Artlink, Cathedral Museum, Firefighters Museum, History Center and many others. You could even make Tuesdays “field trip day” and go to a different attraction each week!

Wednesdays: Free movie night at the Foellinger Outdoor Theatre. Movies start at 8:30pm and are rated PG. Need a snack? Check out the concession stand which is sure to satisfy your cravings.

Thursdays: Lunch on the Square from 11:30am-1pm at One Summit Square with live entertainment. Pack your own lunch or stop by one of our downtown restaurants.

Fridays: Friday Nites Live at Jefferson Pointe. From 6:30-8:30pm enjoy live entertainment while the kids cherish the balloon art, face painting and more from Sweetcakes Entertainment. Finish the night off with dessert at Culver’s or DeBrand.

Saturdays: Rock the Plaza at the Main Library from 6pm-9pm. Dance the night away or take a blanket for a more relaxing evening. Grab a bite to eat before or after the show. If you are kid-free for the evening, check out Fort Wayne’s Nightlife scene!

Sundays: Free admission to the Fort Wayne Museum of Art. Exhibits over the summer include Infinite Mirror: American Identity, Challenging the Figure: works by Loren Olson, Gwen Gutwein: Barns of Indiana, Outside the Circle: Indiana Woodturning and Step Gently Out.

Looking for other suggestions? Give us a call at the Visitors Center: 1-800-767-7752. We’d be happy to help!

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“So I took myself down to the fair in town/ On Independence Day.” Independence Day by Martina McBride.

Parkview Field, home of the TinCaps, is just one of the many places that is having a fireworks display.

If you would like to celebrate the Fourth of July by going to the “fair in town” and watching some great fireworks displays, Fort Wayne is the place to be. You can celebrate our Independence Day by enjoying America’s past time at a TinCaps baseball game followed by one of their spectacular firework shows. The TinCaps have home games on July 4, 5, and 6 – with fireworks concluding the games on the 4th and 6th.

In addition, you can head on over to the IPFW campus to watch the fireworks display in the evening. Fireworks will be shot off on the IPFW campus at dark.

If you want something that feels more small-town, many smaller cities in the area are also having their own firework displays.

Monroeville –in Allen County- is having their annual celebration throughout the day which includes lots of food, fun, and family time topped off with fireworks at dusk.

Bluffton –in Wells County- is having their community fireworks at Bluffton-Harrison High School at 10 pm

Angola –in Steuben County- is having their celebration at Commons Park with fireworks starting at dusk.

Garrett –in Dekalb County- is having their celebration at Eastside Park with fireworks beginning at dusk.

Hamilton –in Dekalb County- has fireworks beginning at dusk

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It had been a while since I had driven through Covington Plaza on West Jefferson Blvd. to peruse its shops. I was pleasantly surprised to notice the numerous high-quality shops and cafes and stores located within it.

While space does not permit me to mention each place in detail, I wanted to mention several by name, starting with the restaurants. Covington Plaza has some of the city’s best dining!

Chappell’s Coral Grille (260-456-9652) is known for its fine seafood dishes. After being located in downtown Fort Wayne for several decades, it secured a convenient location in this spot in which thousands of people drive by daily. Plan to stop in soon.

Catablu Grille now serves lunch from 11 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Evening meals are served from 4:30 p.m. until 10 p.m. 260.456.6563.

The Olive Twist sells olive oil and balsamic vinegar condiments to enhance your home cooked culinary experiences. (260.436.3866). Visit their second location in Auburn or order online at www.theolivetwist.com.

Taj Mahal and Yen Ching both offer delicious Asian influences with moderately priced menus.

As for fashion, Covington Plaza has it covered. Ha! Jophiel Style is well-known for offering fine women’s clothing in Fort Wayne for many years.

Susan’s was voted by participants of the Fort Wayne Newspapers Reader’s Choice Awards as the #1 Best Women’s Clothing Store and Boutique in Fort Wayne!

B. Mitchel Fine Jewelry and Merle Norman and Sizzorworks Style Studios add accents to a great appearance.

After an afternoon of shopping, skip just a few steps away to Woodhouse Day Spa. Just looking at the website for this place helps me relax! Indulge in a detoxifying seaweed wrap, organic sugar scrub pedicure and a rejuvenating Shirodhara scalp massage. Ah!

From high fashion stores to international cuisine restaurants and a day spa, the stores at Covington Plaza offer a plethora of services and pleasures,

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The Summit City is home to many historic buildings and landmarks. Here is a guide to some of the most well-known and impressive:

• The History Center:  The History Center, located in the former  Fort Wayne Old City Hall Building, has served as headquarters for the Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society since 1980. The sandstone building was built in 1893 in the  Richardsonian Romanesque architecture. The History Center has three rooms available to rent for special events including weddings, wedding receptions, business dinners, fund-raisers, class reunions, retirement and anniversary parties, and cocktail receptions.
  

  The History Center is an attraction, as both a historical building and museum.

• Allen County Courthouse:  While the exterior is impressive, the inside is what gets national recognition. The interior is a case study in color, decorative details and finishes, especially scagliola. More than 15,000-square feet of scagliola, or faux marble made from plaster, adorns columns, walls, pilasters and moldings.  Visitors are encouraged to tour this National Historic Landmark with a trained docent or as a self-guided tour. The informative presentation covers a history of the courthouse, the community leaders behind preservation efforts, interpretation of the artwork and a discussion of the techniques and processes used in restoration. The tour lasts approximately one hour and a donation of $2 per person is recommended. To schedule a tour, contact the Allen County Courthouse Preservation Trust office at (260) 449.4246 or email.

• Well Street Bridge:  A site on the National Register of Historic Places, the metal Wells Street Bridge is famous for its ornate and decorated Whipple truss style. Allen County boasts several Whipple truss bridges, but this truss style is otherwise a rare and significant design. Upon its completion in 1884 by the Wrought Iron Bridge Co, it was an “artistic and technological marvel,” according to Todd Pelfrey, executive director of the Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society.

• Chief Richardville House:  The Chief Richardville House, at his original site at 5705 Bluffton Road, bears several monikers, including the oldest Native American dwelling in the Midwest, the first Greek Revival Style house in northeast Indiana and the oldest house in northeast Indiana. Perhaps most notable is the fact that it was home to the wealthiest man in Indiana at the time of his death in 1841.

• Embassy Theatre:  This Spanish Eclectic style movie palace and hotel was designed by A.M. Strauss with consultation by nationally known theater architect John Eberson. Original interior details of the theater include walls of French marble in the outer lobby, black and white Italian marble in the inner lobby, a marble grand staircase, and motifs in Spanish, Moorish, Indian and Oriental designs. Restoration work completed in the 1990s recreated the original carpet, lace curtains, and light fixtures. The lobby of the hotel, closed since the 1960s, was also returned to its original grandeur. Most of the hotel space was also used to make way for an improved stage system. Also housed at the Embassy is a Grande Page Organ.

• Engine House No. 3:  This Romanesque Revival style fire house was designed by the architectural firm of Wing & Mahurin. Noteable  details include arched doorways and stall openings in brick, and a stone belt course above a row of brick dentils on the main façade. At one time, it was the largest and best-equipped fire station in town, and also served as a testing site for new equipment and firefighting methods.  It was last used as a fire station in 1972.  It currently houses the Fort Wayne Firefighter’s Museum and the Old No. 3 Firehouse Café.

Hungry for more? Stop by the Visitors Center, and request a Heritage Trail Map. There are many treasures waiting to be discovered!

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