New  in Fort Wayne

There are always new things to see and do in Fort Wayne! Take a look at a few of the exciting new additions below.

The Fort Wayne Zoo celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2025 with the opening of Coastal Cove, filled with delightful seals and sea lions. In addition, Tasmanian Devils have made their return, and the Zoo will welcome new events to their annual lineup. This summer, you can also glide across the pond in Central Zoo with a paddle boat ride! Don’t forget to check out the recently added Red Panda Ridge and 2-story Bamboo Forest Adventure Play.

Science Central’s Planetarium is anticipated to be open in late 2025 – it will be the only public planetarium in the region! The planetarium will simulate the cosmos using a Digistar digital projection system and a classic Spitz starball projector. 2025 also marks Science Central’s 30th anniversary! Celebrate with exciting new exhibits like the Hubble and Webb Space Telescopes: New Views of the Universe through September.

The Pearl Street Arts Center is the newest beacon of the Fort Wayne arts community. Formerly an industrial bakery, the Pearl Street Arts Center features a Music Academy, a 400-seat flexible performance auditorium, two fully accessible education classrooms, and more. Next door at The Pearl, new restaurants including Amore, Crescendo, and Ducky’s Duckpin Bowling add to this vibrant new downtown development.

Near Parkview Field and Electric Works, The Fairfield brings a three-story active social entertainment venue to downtown Fort Wayne. The Fairfield's three floors include: 

• Pinhouse Social — Duckpin bowling, indoor cornhole, and extensive food and drink menus
• Urban Golf — Golf simulator bays featuring 85 courses, delicious food, full bar, pro shop, and more
• The Fairfield Wedding and Events venue on the third floor!
   

New events fill our calendar with fun, including:

The Fort Wayne Museum of Art will celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Chalk Walk with a new exhibit in 2025. This family-friendly event is based on an Italian tradition of street painting that dates to the 16th century, and typically draws 40,000 people to experience the largest community art project in the region.

Celebrate Big Fort Fest at Headwaters Park, July 10-12! The festival features three nights of music from Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Breland, and Theory of a Deadman. Each day, fun for the whole family awaits with kid-friendly performances and free activities. Enjoy local food trucks and shop the vendor market for local art and vintage finds.

Johnny Appleseed Festival is celebrating its 50th anniversary in September 2025. Celebrate with pioneer-era crafts, foods, activities, and fun!

A walk-thru Holiday Lights display at Parkview Field  will add to the downtown festivities for 50 nights from November to January. The display will feature more than 1 million lights choreographed to holiday music, and feature train rides, s’mores stations, and more.

Accessibility is a top priority for Fort Wayne, and many of our attractions are centered around being accessible for people of all abilities, including the Fort Wayne Zoo, Pearl Street Arts Center, and the  Fort Wayne Curling Club. The Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA) will soon complete its $122 million renovations featuring universal design as a top priority throughout the terminals, check-in, baggage claim, and new onsite restaurant.

This article was originally published on page 14 of the Visitors Guide. Click here to view the guide online or order your FREE copy by mail.