INSIDE THIS ISSUE Classifieds............................................................................A16 Community Calendar ..................................................B12-14 Discover Downtown .............................................................A9 Leo-Cedarville Freedom Festival .....................................A11
INfortwayne.com
Serving Northwest Fort Wayne & Allen County
June 26, 2015
Free Fridays music blends with play at riverside park By Garth Snow gsnow@kpcmedia.com
Terry Jo Lightfoot says the fifth season of the Free Fridays concerts features the variety and local connections that the audience has come to expect. The music continues at 7:30 p.m. each Friday through July 31 at Riverside Gardens, on the banks of the St. Joe River. Lightfoot, a member of the Leo-Cedarville Park Board, said planners envisioned the concerts 15 years ago during the design of the three gazebos. “I had been wanting to do this forever,” Lightfoot said. “But you really have to have the support of your park board and your town council in order to make that happen. I am just so thankful that they allow me to do this, because I really, really enjoy it.
10202 Coldwater Rd. 260-487-6336 ofdtotalhome.com See our ad on page A14
PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW
Toting lawn chairs and leading their dogs, audience members make their way to the gazebos for a Free Fridays concert at Riverside Gardens, on the banks of the St. Joe River in Leo-Cedarville.
“It’s a nice evening. It doesn’t cost you anything except a donation if you can. And it’s pure enjoyment.
“The river’s in the background, which is kind of pretty. The sun is usually setting when we’re getting ready for the
singing. It’s very relaxed.” The bands offer “some ’50s, some ’90s, some See FREE, Page A8
Branning Park in Arcola revs up for three-day pull By Mariah Martz mmartz@kpcmedia.com
Tractors, trucks and roaring engines – the Arcola National Truck and Tractor Pull will return to Branning Park this summer. About 3,000 spectators attend the event each year, said Matt Butts, a co-chairman for the event. Gates open at 5 p.m. each evening, Thursday-Saturday, July 9-11. The Michindoh pull fills the park Thursday evening. The National Tractor Pull Association action fills the park Friday and Saturday evening. Thursday admission is $10 for ages 13 and older, $5 for ages 6-12, and free for ages 5 and under. Friday or Saturday evening admission is $16 for ages 13 and older, $10 for ages 6-12, and free for ages 5 and under. Weekend passes will be available at the ticket booth Thursday evening. For spectator rules and
a breakdown of classes, visit arcolapull.org. There are no advance ticket sales. The pulling classes range from 5,500pound, two-wheel-drive, small-block machines to 9,500-pound tractors competing for the top spot. The most anticipated event of the competition features the mini-rod tractors. Don’t let the name be misleading, these machines pack quite the punch. “There are five different classes competing each night so it depends on what you prefer but one of the most exciting classes for the pulls is with the mini-rods, which are smaller tractors that have up to 1,400-1,500 horsepower,” Butts said. The object is to see which machine can pull the metal sled the farthest. Altogether, the competition is a test of the See PARK, Page A15
Past partners with today at Three Rivers Festival Executive Director Jack Hammer said the Three Rivers Festival will thrive by embracing both change and tradition. The 47th annual festival will be July 10-18. “We’ve brought back some things from the past,” Hammer said in an interview, “but we’ve retooled it so that we can address what would be a successful event today, vs. 25 years ago. “The festival over the years has tried to be responsive to the community, and what is in popular culture at the time. We continue to do that and to include new parts of our community. The International Village was around 20 years ago, but it was basically a place for people to sell food. We’re bringing it back as a mini-festival, where 10 groups represent many groups that live in Fort
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS July 11-18, Fort Wayne. Parade. 9:45 a.m. Saturday, July 11. Art in the Park. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 11 and 12. Visitors crowd the cultural district. The Fort Wayne Museum of Art hosts the chalk walk in Freimann Square. Bed race. Wednesday, July 15, 6-8 p.m. Race down Main Street between Lafayette and Clinton streets. Children’s Fest. Friday and Saturday, July 17 and 18, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., IPFW. Events and activities are free. Concessions are available for purchase. Brew Review. Saturday, July 18, noon-5 p.m. Hanning & Bean Festival Plaza, Headwaters Park. Featuring over 100 craft beers. Buy $30 pre-sale tickets at threeriversfestival.org. Raft race. Saturday, July 18, 1 p.m. Fireworks finale. Saturday, July 18, approximately 10 p.m. Find daily schedules at threeriversfestival.org.
Wayne. They do offer food, but they also offer handmade foods, and there’s always entertainment.” The festival has revived the raft races, and has brought back the bed race. “They have become some of the favorites. Those are the heritage events that people look forward to each year,” he said. Fort Wayne has celebrated the Three Rivers
Festival since 1975. Hammer recently marked his fifth anniversary at the job, and will be overseeing his sixth festival. Emily Maggart has been enjoying the festival for almost a decade, but this is her first year on the festival staff. The IPFW graduate signed on as volunteer coordinator in March. See PAST, Page A13
Times Community Publications
gsnow@kpcmedia.com
3306 Independence Drive, Fort Wayne, IN 46808
By Garth Snow
Father’s Day Special
$49 New Patient Exam & X-Ray Over $190 Value
*Call our office to schedule your appointment today!
260-637-5000 12714 Coldwater Rd. Fort Wayne, IN 46845 www.unionchapeldentistry.com