It was recently announced that the Indiana Pacers and city of Noblesville have entered an agreement to send the NBA team’s G League affiliate, the Mad Ants, to the Indianapolis suburb.

The move comes as Noblesville plans to build a 3,400-seat, 85,000-square-foot arena. Until the arena is ready in time for the 2024-25 season, the Mad Ants will play at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. 

The Mad Ants came to Fort Wayne in 2007, joining what was then known as the D League. The Pacers purchased the team in 2015.

“The G League is world-class basketball, and PS&E is proud to bring that to Noblesville as we strengthen our basketball operations and enhance player development in one of the state’s most vibrant and growing communities,” Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Rick Fuson said in a release.

The team will remain the Mad Ants for the 2023-24 season before a new mascot and team name is introduced for the 2024-25 season.

Sweet Breeze set to launch May 27

Another sign that summer is just around the corner was the launch of the Sweet Breeze canal boat replica into the St. Marys River recently, with tours slated to begin on Saturday, May 27.

There will be a kickoff open house for the Sweet Breeze season from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, May 26, at Promenade Park.

Tickets are on sale for tours of the city’s rivers that include colorful lore stories, history, and muddy water tales. There are also more specialty tours and events planned this year.

Docked at Promenade Park, the Sweet Breeze can seat up to 38 passengers and the season runs into October.

For more information or to sign up for a tour, call the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department at (260) 427-6000 or go to FortWayneParks.org.

Celebrate Mom with downtown shopping

Downtown Fort Wayne boutiques and restaurants will celebrate Mother’s Day weekend, May 13-14, with 48 retailers within the 99-block district and surrounding Broadway, Main Street, and Wells Street corridors and more than 50 food and beverage establishments. 

On Saturday, May 13, five vehicles will transport people around downtown and the three gateway corridors from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Among the vehicles will be a CTN bus providing accessibility to riders, a larger shuttle bus, and three trolleys. All five modes of transportation will run a continuous route with 12 event stops.

Audition for Civic Theatre’s Something Rotten!

The Fort Wayne Civic Theatre has a handful of audition slots for their season opening show for the 2023-24 season, the musical comedy Something Rotten!

Set in the 1590s, brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom are desperate to write a hit play but are stuck in the shadow of “The Bard.” When a local soothsayer foretells that the future of theater involves singing, dancing, and acting at the same time, Nick and Nigel set out to write the world’s very first musical. 

 Auditions are Monday, May 15, the Arts United Center with callbacks on Tuesday, May 16, from 7-10 p.m. Sheet music will be provided and auditionees should prepare a song from the show. The show runs July 21-30 with rehearsals from June 5-July 14.

For more details and a copy of the audition selections, go to fwcivic.org.

Cinema Center hosting director of Greyland

On Saturday, May 13, at 2 p.m., Cinema Center will present a free screening of Greyland. Following the screening, Fort Wayne Media Collaborative will hold a discussion with director Alexandra Sicotte-Levesque.

Set in Youngstown, Ohio, Greyland is a 2022 documentary about young people struggling to create change in the poorest and fastest shrinking city in the U.S. 

Seating can be reserved at bit.ly/Greyland_CC.

Disabilities Expo returns to Coliseum

AWS Foundation and Northeast Indiana Disabilities Expo will hold the 12th annual Disabilities Expo from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, May 13, at Memorial Coliseum.

The free expo will have more than 120 vendors with products and services for people with disabilities and their caregivers. There will be adapted sports demonstrations and activities through Turnstone and a main stage hosting performers with disabilities.

For more info, go to disabilitiesexpoindiana.org.

News and Venues covers Northeast Indiana’s music and arts organizations, venues, and colleges, from large to small. Send your news items to info@whatzup.com.