With Memorial Day Weekend fast approaching, it’s time to make plans for celebrating the holiday.  You may have family visiting Fort Wayne, or may be taking advantage of the long weekend and are visiting from another city.  Either way, we found some of the best free activities around the city to honor those who have served our country.  If you are planning to visit other attractions around the city, be sure to check to see if they will be open or have different hours of operation.

In the morning, show support for the community and veterans by bringing the family to a Memorial Day Parade, beginning at 11 a.m. at Parnell Avenue and State Boulevard.  The parade route ends at the Memorial Coliseum, at which time there will be a memorial service.

Baer Field Heritage Air Park

For the plane enthusiasts, the newly-opened Baer Field Heritage Air Park has planes from the 122^nd Fighter Wing from 1947 to today.  Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the park that shows the history of Baer Field as well.  There is a picnic area and free parking.  Other memorials in the area are the Korean War Memorial on 2122 O’Day Road and the WWI Memorial on Randall Street east of Glasgow Avenue.

In the evening, attend a free screening of Honor Flight at Parkview Field at 6 p.m.  The film describes the creation of honors flights, free trips to the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C., for veterans.  Five hundred veterans have been invited to attend a special screening of this moving film at Parkview Field.  The premiere of the Honor Flight was also in a baseball field, and attendance at the event broke the Guinness World Record for amount of people at a film opening.

You can also read more about other fun ways to spend your weekend here. Enjoy!

The unofficial kick off of summer, Memorial Day weekend, is right around the corner.  You’re planning to enjoy a little time away from work, celebrating what it means to be an American.  Bring on the brats, beverages, and burgers! In between those cookouts we have some great events for you to check out that weekend.

Start your holiday weekend a little early with these events on Friday:

“Hotel California: A Salute to the Eagles” at Foellinger Outdoor Theater.  You’ll be singing along with your favorite hits like “Get over it”, “Take it Easy” and “Hotel California”.  Tickets are just $13.

Tincaps take on South Bend Silver Hawks.  Go for the game and stay for the fireworks that light up the downtown sky. The first pitch will be thrown at 7:05 at Parkview Field.  Tickets start at $5.

“Wild Minds: What Animals Really Think” will give you and your kids insight into what your pets are thinking. This exhibit takes place at Science Central and runs from April 19 – September 8.  Admission starts at $7.

Enjoy the first day of your long weekend with these events on Saturday:

Fort4Fitness CycleFest provides a family-friendly environment for bicycle riders to enjoy the sights of Fort Wayne. Events will start from One Summit Square and will offer 3 different distances for riders to choose from.  Cost is $30 for adults and $15 for children ages 7-12.

Take in the arts with exhibits at various museums and galleries around Fort Wayne.  The 33^rd Annual National Print Exhibition and the HALO Project and Ceramic Wall Work exhibit will both take place at Artlink Contemporary Art Gallery.  Additional exhibits include Live2Love at Northside Galleries and Afros: A Celebration of Natural Hair by Michael July at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art.

Honor our troops and veterans at the Amateur Radio Military Appreciation Day (ARMAD) “A Tribute to Those Who Serve” at Parkview Memorial Regional Hospital Park.  The event will take place from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.  The public is welcome

If you’re not exhausted from Friday and Saturday, check out these events on Sunday:

Butterflies with an African Beat is at the Botanical Conservatory.  This event runs from April 13-June 7 and is sure to mesmerize visitors.  Admission starts at $3

And of course, be sure to celebrate Memorial Day with a Parade on Monday.

The Memorial Day parade and Ceremony will begin at the corner of State and Parnell at approximately 11 a.m. and end at the Coliseum.  Enjoy this great parade and honor those who have served our great country.

For information on these events, and many more, please check out our detailed Calendar of Events online!

ACT NOW!
AS OF PRESS TIME, ONLY A FEW SINGLE SEATS REMAIN FOR THIS SOON-TO-BE SOLD OUT SHOW!

Fort Wayne’s War Memorial Coliseum continues to feature the best that popular country music has to offer. If you missed Jason Aldean or Zac Brown you can make up for it by catching country music star Carrie Underwood. On April 14, 2013, at 7:30 p.m. the coliseum will be rocking to the sounds of five-time Grammy winner. Ms. Underwood is touring in support of her fourth studio album, Blown Away.

Blown Away features fourteen new songs ranging from the rocking anthem “Good Girl” to the message piece “Blown Away,” as well as tropical tunes such as “One Way Ticket.” This album is characterized the singer’s most “ambitious.”

Ms. Underwood has sold more than 15 million albums and is known for her talented vocals and high energy performances. Her awards are many and include three Country Music Association female vocalists awards, the two Academy of Country Music entertainer of the year trophies, and she is a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

The tour also features Hunter Hayes whose tune “Somebody’s Heartbreak” is moving up the Billboard Hot 100 country music chart. Mr. Hayes was the Country Music Associations’ best new artist in 2012.

Get your tickets and cowboy boots ready for an evening of country music at its best! Visit www.ticketmaster.com to snag one of those few remaining seats!

Get ready to let your hair down and take your shoes off. The artist known for his laid-back, summertime-loving anthems returns to Fort Wayne, Indiana once again this spring. The one and only country music star — Kenny Chesney.

Chesney brings his “No Shoes Nation Tour” to the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum on Thursday, May 16. The show includes special guests the Eli Young Band and Kacey Musgraves.

Showtime is 7 p.m. Chesney’s tours are incredibly popular and most of his shows do sell out! Don’t hesitate to buy tickets now for the best seats available! Tickets start at $25 each and go up to $79.50 each, depending on seating. They can be purchased in person at the Memorial Coliseum Ticket Office or online via Ticketmaster.com or at any Ticketmaster outlet.

Chesney’s national tour kicked off this week in Florida and is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Due to the popularity of Chesney’s shows they are only held at very large venues. Fort Wayne is fortunate to be one of the few chosen cities for this 2013 tour! The Memorial Coliseum and box office are located at 4000 Parnell Avenue on the city’s northside. For more information call 260.482.9502.

Over the last couple years, I’ve written about a number of musical acts who have performed here in Fort Wayne, acts I was really excited to see. Most recently, I’ve covered Journey, Matchbox Twenty, the Avett Brothers,  Kid Rock, and Carrie Underwood. But I have to tell you, the show I am – out of all the shows I’ve written about – the most excited to see is Barry Manilow. He’ll be performing live at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum on Thursday, April 18, 2013.

Awesome.

Whenever I write event posts, I like to include enough information for the reader to make an informed decision about whether to attend, like a personal experience or some historical context. I try to make a case for why someone should go to this concert or that festival. I don’t have a particular logic for this one, though. I just think Barry Manilow is awesome. Genuinely, unironically awesome. Always have. Seriously, show me someone who’s written a better song about a crazy drunken former showgirl whose boyfriend was murdered. You can’t, can you? I didn’t think so.

It’s funny. In my Kid Rock post, I noted that I’m at the tail end of the “TRL generation” (read: old). For this show, I’m at the other end – I’d guess I’ll be one of the younger fans in attendance. And I think that movement along the musical spectrum really speaks to the beautiful agelessness of music. I’ve never let my age steer me toward or away from a particular kind of music. Because of that, some of the music I listen to makes me feel old. Some of it makes me feel young. But it always makes me feel alive.

Barry Manilow is truly one of the greatest living performers. Don’t miss your chance to see him. Tickets are still available and range in price from $7.99 (that’s not a typo) to $127.99 (additional fees may apply). Check out www.barrymanilow.com or www.ticketmaster.com for more information.

AND – YOU CAN WIN TICKETS! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TO WIN!