Attendees will notice some differences in the structure of the Three Rivers Festival, which begins today and runs through July 20.
Due to construction on the Lofts at Headwaters Park project, festival organizers needed to find a new home for Junk Food Alley, says director of operations Keri Roby.
In past years, the collection of food vendors has been set up south of the Headwaters Park East pavilion, which serves as the festival plaza and houses the main entertainment stage. This year, vendors and more than 500 seats will be located in the larger open space on the north side of the pavilion.
This space was previously home to the city center. The center will now be located in Lawton Park, near the corner of Fourth and North Clinton streets. This intersection is where the festival parking lot is located.
Junk Food Alley is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. The midway will be open from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. today, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and July 19; noon to 11 p.m. on Saturday; 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday; and 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Wednesday and July 17.
The Headwaters East pavilion will be open for seating at lunch, but in the evening it will be used exclusively for entertainment at the Fort Wayne Newspapers Concert Series. A few other events are being relocated, such as the Waiter & Waitress Contest, which is moving to Freimann Square.
Roby says it has been a challenge in recent years to have an event on the festival square that ends just before the music starts. Festival-goers have had to leave the square so organizers can change the space, creating a hassle for staff and attendees.
“We’re just trying something a little different and seeing how it goes,” says Roby.
Also moving is Children’s Fest (10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 19 and 20) and International Village (5 p.m. to 9 p.m. July 19 and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. July 20), which will be located at Purdue University Fort Wayne. One benefit of moving the events to PFW is the availability of on-campus parking at 2101 E. Coliseum Blvd., Roby says.
PFW hosted Children’s Fest for over a decade before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Festival Highlights
The concert series includes Sugarhill Gang tonight, Hinder for Rock Night on Saturday and Sanctus Real for Christian Night on Sunday. Monday is Ladies Night with headliner Lita Ford, Tuesday is Comedy Night with Kam “Snacks” Coleman, Wednesday is EDM Night with Slushii. Last Call is headlining Heart & Soul Affair on Thursday. Bon Jovi cover band Crush leads the entertainment for 80s Night on July 19. Country Night on July 20 includes headliner Rodney Atkins. Entertainment starts at 7 p.m. each night; tickets range from $10 to $30 per night at Etix.com.
The festival parade runs from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, starting at the intersection of Rockhill and West Wayne streets. It continues on Wayne and turns left onto Fairfield Avenue. It turns right onto Berry Street, continues onto South Calhoun Street, where it turns left. It ends at Superior Street. The theme is “Celebrating 200 Years of Allen County.”
Art in the Park will take place from 10am to 7pm on Saturday and 10am to 5pm on Sunday at Freimann Square.
The Emporium Market featuring arts, crafts, food and other vendors will be open from 4pm to 10pm today, 11am to 10pm on Saturday and July 19, 11am to 9pm on Sunday and July 20, and 4pm to 9pm Monday through Thursday at Headwaters Park West.
The Annual Waiter and Waitress Competition takes place from 6pm to 8pm on Mondays at Freimann Square.
Young at Heart, an event featuring activities such as bingo for people aged 60 and over, takes place from 10am to 2pm on Tuesday at Promenade Park.
The free Family Fun Day takes place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday at Freimann Square, with activities such as vendors, games, face painting and balloon animals.
Pedal, Paddle, Play will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 20 at Promenade Park featuring a local history scavenger hunt in honor of Allen County’s bicentennial.
The festival concludes with a fireworks show from 10 to 11 p.m. on July 20. The fireworks will be launched from the top of the Indiana Michigan Power Center in downtown. In an affiliated event, the Fort Wayne Community Band will perform from 8:30 to 11 p.m. at Freimann Square prior to the fireworks.
Other events
Other affiliated events include the Fort Wayne Museum of Art’s Chalk Walk, which begins at 6 p.m. today after Main Street is closed between South Clinton and Lafayette streets. It will continue through the weekend.
The Runners on Parade 5K downtown starts at 8 a.m. on Saturday. The start/finish line is on Calhoun Street, just north of Superior Street.
The History Center will host its annual TRAIN model train show throughout the festival with regular museum admission. It is also offering a Gingerbread Art Experience from 1 to 4 p.m. on July 19, where participants can decorate edible displays. Registration is required for the gingerbread event by emailing education@fwhistorycenter.org; it costs $10.
The History Center is also partnering with the American Guild of Organists for a tour of the city’s pipe organs Tuesday through Thursday. “Follow the Pipes” is free. It begins at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Concordia Theological Seminary’s Kramer Chapel, 6600 N. Clinton St. On Wednesday, organists can be heard at 1 p.m. at First Wayne Street United Methodist Church, 300 E. Wayne St.; at First Presbyterian Church, 300 W. Wayne St.; and at 3 p.m. at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 917 W. Jefferson Blvd. Thursday stops are at 7 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 1122 S. Clinton St.; and at 8 p.m. at the Embassy Theater, 125 W. Jefferson Blvd.
Heartland Sings will perform free concerts of arias and short pieces for Opera in the Park from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday and July 19 at Promenade Park, 202 W. Superior St.
For a map of festival locations and a full calendar of events, visit ThreeRiversFestival.org.
