Our Favorite Festivals With Something New
Middle Waves
June 6, 2026, at Headwaters Park
Get ready for a high-energy day of live music in the heart of downtown Fort Wayne! Passion Pit will headline the festival with their late 2000s indie-pop favorites, including “Sleepyhead,” “Take a Walk,” and “Little Secrets.” Fans can also catch performances from Beach Bunny and The Paradox, with local artists Los Aptos and Man of the Flood kicking off the day.
This all-ages festival takes over Headwaters Park’s Lincoln Pavilion on June 6. Gates open at 3 p.m., and the music starts at 4 p.m. Beyond the stage, festival-goers can enjoy art, vendors, local food partners, and a lively summer festival atmosphere.
GermanFest
June 11-14, 2026, at Headwaters Park
The atmosphere at GermanFest is unforgettable! The authentic music, food, outfits, hands-on activities, and crowd engagement are unlike any other festival experience. This year, this element is expanded with double the activities and more opportunities to learn about Fort Wayne's German roots through fun and engaging games like a scavenger hunt, learning about travel abroad experiences, and a chance to find out if your genealogy ties back to your local roots. The beloved Bier Flights is coming back with flexible redemption options and new give aways to those who vote on their favorite bier(s).
FamilienFest, a full day of family-oriented activities and entertainment on June 13, will be back at nearly double the size of past years with more entertainment, hands-on activities, educational experiences, games, and vendors! What could make this event even better? Entry and all games and activities are free! This is a unique element of GermanFest as they are the only festival that offers an affordable or no cost experience to families of all sizes. To continue that trend, they offer $1 hot dogs and chips to make even the food budget friendly. And make sure you don't miss the Weinerdog Nationals happening that day!
Fort Wayne Pride
July 24-25, 2026, at Headwaters Park
Fort Wayne's biggest party and celebration of the LGBTQ+ community it back! The two-day event includes entertainment, a vendor market, a nonprofit resource fair, beer tent, food, Pride March, KidSpace, tournaments, and a great day with the community. Admission is $5/day with 12 & under free.
Fort Wayne Pride have continued to extend their Friday hours from 5 p.m. to midnight in order to get the party started sooner! They will be returning to both sides of Headwaters Park for Saturday 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. This festival is unique because it is the largest LGBTQ+ celebration in the surrounding area, bringing together the LGBTQ+ and straight ally community in a celebration of love and diversity. Pride is a welcoming space that has something for everyone!
New Festivals
Pickle Palooza Food and Drink Festival
August 1, 2026, at Parkview Field
Parkview Field will host the nationally sold-out Pickle Palooza Food & Drink Festival on Saturday, August 1, 2026. Created by Outlier Events, the festival brings its record-breaking tour to Fort Wayne for its grand finale celebration.
Guests can enjoy pickle-themed food samples, craft beer, ciders, cocktails, non-alcoholic drinks, live music, games, contests, mechanical pickle riding, and micro wrestling. Every ticket includes food and drink sampling tokens, a commemorative lanyard, and a sampling cup.
