Summer is festival season in Fort Wayne! From June through September, there is a festival almost every weekend to celebrate local heritage, great food, or entertaining arts. Many festivals are free, and all have a variety of activities for all ages. If you’re having a hard time deciding which weekend to visit Fort Wayne, picking a week with an interesting festival is a great addition to all the Fort Wayne attractions open all year long.
Junk Food Alley at the Three Rivers Festival
A good festival has to have good food—many festivals focus on delicious eats in Fort Wayne and the surrounding areas. Junk Food Alley at Three Rivers Festival is open during from July 12- 20 and has classic carnival favorites and other festival food. St. Joe Pickle Festival, a celebration of all things pickle, is August 8-10 in St. Joe, Indiana. If pickles aren’t your thing, Taste of the Arts on August 24 allows visitors to learn more about arts and food in Fort Wayne. Our city has so many arts groups and performers representing local and international art, so come to Fort Wayne for a taste of Northeast Indiana and other places around the world. Check out performances and food in various locations around Arts United all day. A few weeks later, Mad Anthony’s Oktobeerfest has beer, dining, golfing, and other great activities from September 6-8.
Fire takes center stage at BuskerFest
Other festivals celebrate performance, music, and entertainment. Buskerfest on June 29, 2013 from 4-10 p.m. is free! Street performers are scattered around Wayne and Calhoun Streets downtown, so wander around the area to see mimes, drummers, musicians, balloon artists, and more. Food trucks and other downtown restaurants will be open for a quick food break during the festival. IPFW RiverFest shows the great resource Fort Wayne’s rivers are to the city. Learn more about rivers with food, art, music, and the cardboard regatta on June 22 from 9 a.m. to midnight. A month later, stop by the Allen County Fair from July 23-28 has music, fine arts, crafts, animals, and more for people of all ages.
Summer festivals are even more reasons to visit Fort Wayne. While you’re here, you can visit the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, see a TinCaps baseball game at Parkview Field, or learn about the world around us at Science Central. Be sure to look at our festival information page for the full listing of festivals and activities.