What’s Happening in the Parks
The week ahead
Fort Wayne, Ind. – The following events and programs are happening the week ahead:
Reminder:
McKinnie Commons Connections
Thursday, June 13 and July 11, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 30 and July 28, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Corner of McKinnie Avenue and South Anthony Blvd.
Join Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation on the second Thursday and final Sunday in June and July. The McKinnie Commons Connections events welcome the community to gather for entertainment, food and learning opportunities as well as to foster conversation.
City Pools are Open for the Season
Daily, 12:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Bob Arnold Northside Park Pool, East State Blvd. and Parnell Avenue
McMillen Park Pool, Oxford Street, East of Anthony Blvd.
Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation will open Northside and McMillen Pools for the season on Saturday, June 1. Public swim hours will be 12:30-5:00 p.m. A free swim for youth with disabilities will be held weekly on Sundays, from 5:15 – 6:15 p.m. at Northside Pool. For more information about special swim programs, lessons, punch cards, season passes and pool/pavilion rentals, visit www.FortWayneParks.org.
Father’s Day in the Garden
Saturday, June 15, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, June 16, 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Treat Dad, Granddad and Father Figures to a special outing at the Botanical Conservatory where they get in free on Father’s Day weekend. Make it a family outing with live butterflies and beautiful garden displays where the first 300 Fathers to visit receive a free plant! On Sunday from 12:00-3:00 p.m., make the day extra special while enjoying lawn games and live music from the G-Money Band in addition to beer and delectables available for purchase from Hop River Brewing Company and The Spicy Bird. Sponsored by: 96.3 XKE.
Registration for the Fort Wayne Senior Games continues
Until June 24
FWPR Community Center, 233 West Main Street and other locations in Fort Wayne
Since 1979, the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Community Center has hosted the annual Senior Games. The popular event has expanded over the past 45 years. It offers 40 fun and challenging sports and game events for men and women age 50 and above. The games promote the benefits of remaining active and physically fit and encourage all adults over age 50 to adopt a healthy, enjoyable lifestyle. Events are planned until June 27. Registrations are $2 per event. Fort Wayne Senior Games event registrations are accepted up to two business days prior to the event. Download the entry form on the www.FortWayneParks.org website, or stop by the Community Center to pick it up. Follow the instructions and join the fun.
Featuring:
(Break) Dance Promenade: Street Style
Tuesdays, June 18, July 2 and 16, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Park Foundation Pavilion, Promenade Park, 202 West Superior Street
Kids, teens and adults are welcome to participate in free breakdancing classes. ICNH is a professional dance crew that focuses on spreading an awareness and love of street dance and its many styles. Crew member Sockie Phommachanh will lead participants in a variety of forms like Krump, Breaking, Popping, Vogue, Hip Hop and many more. Please register by the Tuesday prior to classes online at www.FortWayneParks.org. Walk-ins are welcome if space is available.
National Pollinator Week
Tuesday – Saturday, June 18 – 23, public hours
Join us to celebrate National Pollinator Week at the Botanical Conservatory! Get a thrill out of the Conservatory’s Live Butterfly Exhibit and Observation Bee Hive both having returned for another season. In addition, explore the amazing world of pollinators and learn, too, the importance of pollinators in our world. Regular admission rates apply.
20th Season of the Salomon Farmers’ Market
Wednesday, June 19, 4:00-7:00 p.m. and continuing each Wednesday until Sept. 4
Salomon Farm Park 817 West Dupont Road
Find fresh produce, baked goods, honey and artisan crafts at this mid-week market as you take in the sounds of the New Horizons Band. Stop by and say hello to the herd members—Mickie and Frankie the Highland Coos, as well as the goats, miniature horse and sheep.
Paint with a Purpose: Family Art & Sensory Expo
Sunday, June 23, 12:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Park Foundation Pavilion, Promenade Park, 202 West Superior Street
Riverfront Fort Wayne and Mental Health America of Northeast Indiana have partnered to bring the Paint with a Purpose: Family Art and Sensory Expo event that combines family fun and wellness. This free and inclusive event features activities and booths hosted by organizations who facilitate education and sensory-friendly fun! Mark your calendars now for this day filled with art, play and access to resources in our community that offer sensory and adaptive services. While the expo is free to attend, additional activities may have costs.
Also Happening:
Color in Motion: Live Butterfly Exhibit
Until June 23, public hours
Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory, 1100 South Calhoun Street
Live butterflies have landed at the Botanical Conservatory bringing with them an array of natural beauty and wonder. Watch in awe, their wings in flight, as they flash with color pigments and refracted light. Observe exotic butterflies emerging from their chrysalides right before your eyes! An epic display of multicolored flowers and foliage elevates this annual spring exhibit. Sponsored by: the English Bonter Mitchell Foundation, “In memory of Jo Ann and William Wyatt,” the Fort Wayne Park Foundation, 97.3 WMEE and 21Alive.
Sweet Breeze Tours
Thursday, June 20, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. (60 minute tour), 7:15 – 8:15 p.m. (60 minute tour)
Saturday, June 22, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. (90-minute tour), 2:45 – 3:30 p.m. (45-minute tour)
Sunday, June 23, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. (90 minute tour), 2:45 – 3:30 p.m. (45-minute tour)
South Dock Promenade Park, 202 West Superior Street
Travel Fort Wayne’s rivers on Sweet Breeze, an authentic 1840 canal boat replica. This fully accessible tour provides an opportunity to learn something new about Fort Wayne through its riverfront. Choose 90 minute or 45 minute cruise options. Tickets are $30 per person for a 90-minute cruise, $23 for a 60 minute tour and $20 per person for 45-minute cruise. Reservations can be made online (until midnight on day prior to tour) at www.RideSweetBreeze.org, in person at the Parks and Recreation Offices (705 East State Blvd.) or by phone 260-427-6000 during normal business hours. Walk-ups are welcome at the dock as space is available by cash or credit card. Specialty tours are scheduled throughout the season. Visit the website to see all of the options.
Trek the Trails
Tuesday, June 18, Meet at 6:00 p.m.
Jefferson Middle School, 5303 Wheelock Road
The 2024 Trek the Trails season continues on Tuesday evenings. Meet for a 9.1 mile bike ride. There is no cost to participate. All experience levels are welcome and participation is at your own risk. Riders are encouraged to wear helmets. Trek the Trails is sponsored by UAW Local #2209, Three Rivers Velo Sport and Bike Fort Wayne and is presented by the City of Fort Wayne and Fort Wayne Trails. Follow the City of Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne Trails, Fort Wayne Running Club, and Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation on social media for weather-related updates. For a complete list of locations and dates, visit: https://www.fortwayneparks.org/trails/news-events.html
Dani Kiefer: Wild and Free
Until - June 22, public hours
Foellinger Freimann Botanical Conservatory, 1100 South Calhoun Street
Dani Kiefer is a teacher, graphic designer, illustrator and fine artist. She received a Bachelor of Arts in graphic design and photography from the University of Saint Francis in 1999. Upon graduation, she moved to Chicago and began designing exhibits and marketing materials for the Field Museum of Natural History. She continued her career in Chicago at the Chicago Botanic Garden and the Lincoln Park Zoo where her brand design for the Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo was awarded first place by the American Association of Museums. She currently teaches part-time at Concordia Lutheran High School, leads art workshops in her home studio and designs communication materials and illustrations for a variety of clients. "I’m drawn to wildflowers. They thrive in the most unlikely of circumstances. They are strong, resilient, patient, trusting, wild and free."
