Artists are once again being called upon to help raise awareness about keeping waste out of our storm drains, which in turn keeps our three rivers clean.

Clean Drains Fort Wayne is seeking artists to create murals as part of their nationally recognized Be River SmART initiative, which uses art to educate the community about river pollution. The initiative was created by City Utilities and Friends of the Rivers, a grass-roots nonprofit which serves to increase the value and importance of Fort Wayne’s three rivers. In the past two years, more than 70 storm drains have been decorated with creative murals to remind the community that only rain belongs in the drain.

Clean Drains Fort Wayne invites artists to apply by June 4 to paint murals at select locations throughout July and August. Artists will be provided with the supplies they need to install the mural, including paint, brushes, tape, a safety vest, instructions for installation, and a stipend for their work. Find the sign-up form at forfw.org.

Once the murals are complete, the public is invited to the Clean Drains Fest on Saturday, Sept. 23, at Promenade Park.

Trek or Tread the Trails this summer

Familiarize yourself with our many trails through Fort Wayne Trails’ scheduled Trek the Trails and Tread the Trails.

On Tuesday evenings through Sept. 26, Trek the Trails is held. Tread the Trails events are every other Thursday through Sept. 21, with a special night walk on Sept. 26.

The family-friendly Trek the Trail bike rides are 7-9 miles long with the average speed being 10-12 mph, but this is a “no one left behind’’ ride, and families are welcome. All participants should wear helmets, bring water bottles, and ride at their own risk. 

The May 30 Trek the Trails will begin at Franke Park.

Tread the Trails are guided walks/runs with 5K and 10K distances. This event is designed with all ability levels in mind and is family-friendly, and each group will have a “sweeper” to ensure no one is lost or gets left behind. 

Routes may be a loop or an out and back, and will have signage to mark the halfway points for each distance.

On Thursday, June 1, the Tread the Trails group will meet at Franke Park.

For more information, contact Fort Wayne Trails at (260) 969-0079 or james@fwtrails.org.

TinCaps hosting Pride Night on June 1

On Thursday, June 1, Fort Wayne Pride will kick off Pride Month at the TinCaps game. 

All ages are welcome to participate and join Fort Wayne Pride in the lawn seating. Fans are encouraged to wear red or a Pride shirt to show support.

Talented young writers honored by PBS

PBS Fort Wayne has announced the winners of its 2023 PBS Kids Writers contest.

The young authors/artists eligible for this annual contest competed by grade level through their local library or through their elementary school classrooms. In total, an estimated 350 local kids participated in this contest.

Kindergarten: 1st — Madalyn Craun of Fort Wayne, The Adventures of Mystery Girl; 2nd — Rowan Beitler of Berne, Three Little Bears; 3rd — Amelia Schwartz of Berne, At Jungle George’s

First Grade: 1st — Capri Romano of Valparaiso, Everybody is Different; 2nd — Ruben Cardenas of Waterloo, Super Diego Saves The City; 3rd — Kohen Litwiller of Berne, Max’s Mission

Second Grade: 1st — Brayden Hoff of Fort Wayne, The Ninja’s Surprise; 2nd — Leo Ortiz of Fort Wayne, The ABCs of Giraffes; 3rd — Maximus Anderson of Bluffton, Spaghetti and Peas

Third Grade: 1st — Lydia Wilhelm of Angola, The Mystery of the Missing Bird Feeder; 2nd — Evelyn Smith of Berne, The Dream; 3rd — Elizabeth Buckingham of Berne, Tiffany Saves The Day

Fourth Grade: 1st — Mason Craun of Fort Wayne, My Pet Dog Dragon; 2nd — Adelyn Bailey of Berne, The Great Escape; 3rd — Veronica Maxwell of Berne, The Clumsy Elephant

Fifth Grade: 1st — Amelia Brown of Huntertown, The Adventures of Little Flamingo and Ally the Alligator; 2nd — Kathryn Orr of Berne, Rabbits in My Room; 3rd — Vaeda Schwartz of Decatur, The Hummingbird

The first-place stories will made into videos and shown on PBS Fort Wayne as well as streaming on pbsfortwayne.org this year. 

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