Festivals & Events
Current articles, as well as selections from our archives.
Music & Comedy
Art
Stage & Dance
Movie Reviews
Writers & Books
Whatzup Picks
Places & Food
Festivals & Events
Festivals & Events
Blue Jacket’s Fantasy of Lights
Various dates throughout December
The Fantasy of Lights was launched in Franke Park in 1995 by Anthony Wayne Services, which became Benchmark Human Services in 2015.
That was the year Blue Jacket Inc. took over the Fantasy of Lights.
Blue Jacket helps people overcome barriers to gain...
Read more|
Festivals & Events
Night of Lights
Thousands expected to wind through the streets
His title is events and programming manager for the Downtown Improvement District.
Santa’s Helper ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
The 2021 Whatzup Holiday Calendar
Last year at this time, COVID-19 behaved like Scrooge before the ghosts had visited him.
This year,... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Fort Wayne Komets 2021-22 Season
Komets look forward to a full season after two years of delays
Few things are as uniquely Fort Wayne as Komet hockey.
Win, lose, or overtime shoot-out, generation ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Fright Night 2021
From downright spooky to not-so-scary, this year is packed with events
When an event returns after having been away for a while, it is common for marketers to crow “It... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
2021 Hobnobben Film Festival
Hobnobben comes roaring back after 2020
The Hobnobben Film Festival migrated from Cinema Center to the Embassy Theatre last year to help mak... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Dead Convention
Fans of the paranormal will find plenty to do, see
In the eyes of many, Halloween is not just one night. It’s a month-long celebration and a lifestyl... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Nappanee Apple Festival
Fritter away your time with food and activities
Be thankful that Nappanee isn’t inviting you to bite into a caramel onion.
The Nappanee Apple Fest... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Theresa Caputo
Caputo invites audience to believe in own healing
Theresa Caputo knew she was different from a young age.
No, this isn’t about her love of big hair... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival
Festival opens doors to visitors Aug. 28-Sept. 4
The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival starts its engines on Saturday, Aug. 28, and cruises through the... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Rolling into Roanoke
Hundreds of classics will fill downtown area
Before cell phones, computers, and the internet, cars were even more integral for social interaction... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Fort Wayne Pride
No march this year, but big celebration goes on
Pride is returning to Fort Wayne on Friday and Saturday, July 23 and 24.
The Fort Wayne Pride Fest i... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Three Rivers Festival
Parade was canceled, but festival is a go
Despite rumors to the contrary, the Three Rivers Festival is happening this summer as scheduled from... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Fourth of July Fireworks
Exciting displays set for Northeast Indiana
There’s something about “rockets bursting in air” on Independence Day that ignites the senses ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Record Store Days 2021
Local stores braced for crush of customers
Audiophiles will once again gather together to celebrate music on Record Store Day.
Last year’s u... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
St. Paddy’s Day
Look over the four-leaf happenings in the Fort
A year ago, Saint Patrick’s Day was ostensibly canceled in Fort Wayne.
It was canceled pretty muc... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Human Agriculture Cooperative and Family and Friends Fund Telethon
Putting funds in hands of African-Americans
Fort Wayne has shown some remarkable growth in recent years. Downtown has become a hub of activity a... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Christmas on Broadway
Social distancing won’t detract from festivities
With so many of our traditional Christmas ceremonies and commemorations cancelled or curtailed into ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Hobnobben Film Festival
Embassy Theatre opens its doors for Cinema Center’s annual festival
In recent years, the Embassy Theatre has become known mostly as a place to see world-renowned musica... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Michiana Wine Festival
Festival is still on, but now with protocols
Nichole Thomas may have come up with an entirely new COVID-19 safety protocol.
“We are going to ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Record Store Day
Visit one of four places in Aug., Sept., and Oct.
Record Store Day is the one day audiophiles look forward to every year. It’s a day when they make ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Savor Fort Wayne
Visit Fort Wayne preps delectable treat for city
In a year of steady cancellations, it’s time to anticipate a new event that is happening only beca... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Harvester Homecoming
2nd annual gathering set at proving grounds
Ryan DuVall’s love affair with the International Harvester Scout begin when his dad made an automo... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Rolling into Roanoke
This year’s ‘show’ is a gift to the car owners
Classic automobiles and car shows are very popular in northeast Indiana, drawing people from all ove... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Wabass Institute
Summer music camp went virtual this year
Now in its 13th year, the Wabass Institute has become a place where bass players can hone their skil... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
2020 Fireworks
Check out the details for this year’s celebrations
There are a few changes to our annual Fourth of July celebrations this year, but there’s still som... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
GearFest 2020
Including Parsons, Rundgren, Rodgers
Here are just some of the performers and presenters who are scheduled to participate in this year’... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
GearFest 2020
Same excitement, but everything is streaming
In the summer of COVID-19, there are three strategies for dealing with the pandemic’s effect on lo... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
GearFest 2020
Meeting the challenge took preparation and testing
The process of moving GearFest online involved setting up a temporary video production and broadcast... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
The Harlem Globetrotters
Memorial Coliseum to host on February 2
The world-famous Harlem Globetrotters are going to be pushing the limits more than ever on their new... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Winterval
Happenings all over town on January 25
Now in its ninth year, Winterval in downtown Fort Wayne provides a day of activities and events whic... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
A-Maze-d
Science Central brings A-MAZE-D to town
In addition to the permanent exhibits and hands-on interactive activities, Science Central brings in... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Classic Restaurants of Fort Wayne Lecture
Hear the authors speak at upcoming presentation
While Fort Wayne has earned a reputation as a City of Churches, it is just as accurately called the ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Winterfest
Local ice skating rises with Lunin’s hard work
Every four years, fans of the Winter Olympics await with great anticipation the beginning of figure ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Holiday Fest ft. Night of Lights
This year’s event rekindles traditions
The big news about Night of Lights this year has to do with the return of Wee Willie Wand.
It may no... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Festival of Trees
A rich holiday tradition in Fort Wayne is back for its 35th continuous year. The annual Festival of ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Christmas on Broadway
Join the Broadway Plaza festivities on Nov. 22
For decades Fort Wayne had one significant community holiday experience: the downtown Night of Light... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Fright Night
Organizers hope the centerpiece of Fright Night shuffles along
Almost one year ago, the unthinkable happened.
Fright Night’s Zombie Walk was canceled because of ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Fort Wayne Komets
Beloved Komets drop the puck on October 12
Fort Wayne has established a national reputation for being a loyal, successful home to minor league ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Johnny Appleseed Festival
200,000 expected at heritage celebration
A modern-day event celebrating Fort Wayne’s heritage will once again bring hundreds of thousands o... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Hogwarting for charity
Fundraiser is magic for Salvation Army
It’s a common challenge for the dozens of non-profit agencies in the Fort Wayne area: finding a cr... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Brewed in the Fort
Brewed IN the Fort taps locals at Headwaters
An ever-growing list of local breweries and cideries are apparent when considering the enormous grow... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Be a Tourist in your Own Hometown
Fort Wayne venues open doors for locals
Despite the popularity of the “staycation,” wherein people take time off and hunker down at home... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival
ACD Festival revs up for week of events
For car enthusiasts of northern Indiana, the annual Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival is an exciting o... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Taste of the Arts
Storytelling, STEAM, and samples of beer
As summer wanes, one of the highlights of the season is still ahead of us.
Taste of the Arts, which... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Northern Indiana Brew Trail
Spirit of cooperation sparks brewery renaissance in the region
Fort Wayne and the surrounding counties have seen a tremendous growth in the interest in local craft... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Harvester Homecoming
New event will highlight trucks made at Fort Wayne factory
Ryan DuVall’s fascination with International Scouts started back in 1987, when he was still in hig... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Summer Community Celebration
When several community leaders got together eight years ago to launch a campaign focused on getting ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Fort Wayne Pride Festival
More than two decades after the first Fort Wayne Pride festival, organizers are hoping to welcome a ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Three Rivers Festival
Summers are pretty busy in downtown Fort Wayne thanks in no small part to Headwaters Park which make... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Whatzup Fireworks Guide
The Whatzup guide to fireworks displays and other patriotic activities in Northeast Indiana.
Saturda... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Taste of the Arts
Although they provide assistance to a large number of local arts organizations like the Fort Wayne C... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
BuskerFest
Now in its 10th year, BuskerFest — or just busking in general — was something of a novelty when ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Gearfest 2019
Fort Wayne’s contribution to the arts has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, and a big par... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
BBQ Ribfest
When Mark Chappius attended a rib festival in Toledo more than two decades ago, he was immediately h... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Fort Wayne Air Show
For those who watched last February’s Super Bowl, Gladys Knight’s stirring rendition of the Nati... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Fort Wayne Germanfest
Fort Wayne’s German community knows how to throw a party! And they should, since they been hosting... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Lunch on the Square
Remember those days back in January when wind chills were 40 below and the only thing you could do w... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Arab Fest
Obviously, camel rides are a big draw. But the big reason for Arab Fest is to introduce area residen... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Beatlefest
There are few things more universal in our fractured world than love and respect for the Beatles.
M... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Last month, American society was stymied by a quandary that required the mobilization of one of our ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Miami Indian Heritage Days
It’s easy to drive by a historic house on Bluffton Road without a second glance, overlooking its s... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Sol Fest
CANCELED ON ACCOUNT OF FLOODING
In 2017, Sol Fest was cancelled due to flooding on Fox Island.
The c... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Michiana Wine Festival
Necessity is the mother of invention, and that little pearl of wisdom is apparent when talking about... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
PFW summer camp
Having a large university in any city is a plus, but that advantage goes well beyond providing educa... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Jeff Corwin
I interviewed Jeff Corwin in 2001 when he was experiencing his first wave of fame, thanks to the Ani... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Record Store Day
It’s the day we celebrate the independent record store. It’s the day we celebrate music and comm... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Maumee Mary & Joseph Comedy Festival
As the third Maumee Mary & Joseph Comedy Festival is about to get under way, it is remarkable to con... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Fort Wayne TinCaps
One of the surprising things about all the activity in the front office of the Fort Wayne TinCaps is... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Dancing with the ARC Stars
With its instantly recognizable hook, referencing one of the most popular competitive shows on telev... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Under the Big Top
After years of black-tie fundraisers, the Community Harvest Food Bank decided to try something diffe... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Arts United Center
Local historic preservation organization ARCH is shining its spotlight on the Arts United Center, a ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
FAME Festival
It’s the one time a year when more than 6,500 pieces of art are on display and 2,000 students show... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Plan your St. Paddy's celebration
In 2017, Fort Wayne came in at number 26 on WalletHub’s list of the best places to spend St. Patri... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Spring Forward Fest
It was a festival whose time had come.
In fact, it’s a festival that was long overdue.
Sure, the f... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Turnstone Casino Night
There are few activities more intergenerational than visiting casinos. Whether it’s a weekend in L... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Fort Wayne Home & Garden Show
At the end of the month, a semi will dump 20 tons of sand inside the Memorial Coliseum. That’s 40,... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Another Bazaar Evening on the Maumee
One of the many organizations dedicated to keeping the local rivers vibrant is Save Maumee. The orga... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Down the Line 13
What’s better than a whole night that showcases local musicians? One that features those same arti... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Weather the Fort
Four years ago, a group of community-minded young leaders worked to come up with a new way to bring ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
John Cusack plus High Fidelity
Last year, the notoriously insular actor John Cusack was offered the chance to preside over public s... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Festival of Trees
When Cindy Friend decorates a Christmas tree, she tends to shy away from traditional ornaments and g... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Christmas on Broadway
If the heart of Christmas celebration lies at home with our families, it’s community celebrations ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Cirque Dreams
When Cirque Dreams returns to the Honeywell Center in Wabash, bringing with it the seasonal spectacu... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Fright Night
On Saturday, Kinta Dowdell will transform himself into a zombie for the ninth time when he attends F... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
whatzup Pick
With the huge rise in popularity of craft beers and microbrews over the last decade, we have seen a ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Middle Waves
When passionate volunteers come together with a vision, great things can happen. That’s what the o... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Brewed IN the Fort
Mad Anthony’s first craft beer festival happened 20 years ago under a tent in a parking lot behind... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Whatzup Pick
When lists of the best neighborhoods in Indiana are made, Fort Wayne’s West Central Neighborhood r... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival
As the City of Auburn progresses into the future, the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival invites the co... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Tri-State Bluegrass Festival
If it’s Labor Day weekend, it must be time for some serious pickin’, with acoustic string instru... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Taste of the Arts
As if hours of family fun, entertainment, arts, and cultural pleasures weren’t enough, the 10th ed... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Fort Wayne Pride
Having seen Pride celebrations throughout the month of June, which is officially Pride month, it’s... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Three Rivers Festival
This year’s Three Rivers Festival is the 50th annual edition, but executive director Jack Hammer h... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Buskerfest
There's at least one thing that makes busking more difficult than any other kind of performing.
Wit... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Voices of Unity
In recent years Voices of Unity have put Fort Wayne in the musical spotlight through their successes... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Gearfest
Sweetwater Sound’s Gearfest is not only unusual among music industry trade shows.
It is unusual a... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Fort Wayne Germanfest
Long time Fort Wayne residents know that once summer time comes to northeast Indiana, it is time to ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Hobnobben Film Festival
It's time once again for the Hobnobben Film Festival, the gathering of filmmakers that has put Fort ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Arab Fest
The 4th annual Arab Fest kicks off the summer festival season with a lineup of world-renowned perfor... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Embassy Theatre Community Celebration
The opening of the Emboyd Theatre on May 14, 1928 was a pretty big deal, as one can imagine when rea... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Northern Indiana Bluegrass Festival
The mission of the Northern Indiana Bluegrass Association is simple: to introduce and promote bluegr... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Cherry Blossom Festival
Fort Wayne is fortunate to have a diverse community which in turn provides everyone the chance to ex... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Fort Wayne Pride
If you traveled back in time about two decades and told people that an LGBT pride festival in Fort W... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Three Rivers Festival
By
Just one year removed from its 50th anniversary year, Three Rivers Festival has once again bec... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
GearFest
There may not be another event in the world quite like Sweetwater Sound's GearFest.
Most showcases... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Buskerfest
Launching an event called Buskerfest was a brave thing to do in Fort Wayne in 2009.
Busking, both ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Festival of Gingerbread
For more than three decades the Fort Wayne History Center has been making local history of its own t... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Fright Night
People may love their Christmas trees and their Labor Day cookouts and their dinner out for Valentin... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Hysterium
By the time that local haunted attraction impresario Brett Molitor acquired the Haunted Cave in 2013... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Brewed IN the Fort Craft Beer Fest
duction and letting the music seek its own path. He says "check this out." If you like it, great. If... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Fort Wayne Pride
When the Fort Wayne Pride festival debuted modestly in Freimann Square in the mid 90s, the Summit Ci... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Three Rivers Festival
Each year as Fort Wayne anticipates the biggest week of a very busy festival season, the upcoming sc... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Three Rivers Festival
The concert schedule in Fort Wayne this summer has been jam-packed with a remarkable lineup of class... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Buskerfest
A funny thing happened on the way to last year's Buskerfest. Rain. And lots of it. While that in its... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
GearFest 2016
It only lasts two days, but Sweetwater's GearFest is the kind of event people talk about for weeks, ... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Fort Wayne Germanfest
Suggestions anyone? It seems that Germans have a word for every complex emotion known to humans. You... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Cherry Blossom Festival
The Cherry Blossom Festival, now in it's 11th year, has its roots in a neglected garden.
The Japane... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Michiana Wine Festival
Nichole Thomas, Cristal Reader and Lisa Beber are three wine-loving friends who are willing to trave... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Record Store Day
Ten years ago Bob Roets was more than a little concerned about the financial viability of his busine... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
8th Annual Northeast Indiana Playwright Festival
By Steve Penhollow
The Northeast Indiana Playwright Festival, in its eighth year, happens all day S... Read More |
|
Festivals & Events
Fort Wayne Home & Garden Show
What is the surest sign that spring is coming? It's not the mobs of people lined up for a pre-Florid... Read More |