The City of Summer Festivals - Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne is known for summer festivals. Every conceivable ethnic group is represented in a number of festivals starting in May and going through October. Many people from all over the country make it their business to visit the city during the summer and take in these enjoyable parties filled with international foods, entertainment from all over the world, and well-know celebrities. In summer, Fort Wayne rolls out the red carpet for the world at large.

These are the seven best summer summer festivals in Fort Wayne each year. Come, enjoy them.

1) The Three Rivers Festival - This annual celebration of the Fort Wayne community began in 1969 and was attended by 100,000 people. The goal that year was to promote business and industry in the area and advance the historic image of the city. Today, TRF, enjoys and attendance of well over 500,000 and is the 2nd largest summer festival in Indiana each year. This year the festival will be held from July 14 and end on July 22. Local residents will enjoy Junk Food Alley, now known as Sprint PCS Food Alley, vendors, wonderful entertainment, and international celebrities and bands from all over the world. Time a Midwestern vacation and take in Fort Wayne's most pleasurable summer festival.

2) German Fest - In 1981 a slice of the German heritage of Fort Wayne became a part of the city's gala of summer festivals. Germanfest requires all visitors to "Essen, Trinken, and Gemutlichkeit" (eat, drink and be merry). This writer's most enjoyable activity is the polka dancing and bands that are an important ingredient of the festival. Held from June 3 through June 10, Germanfest celebrates the rich German history of the Fort Wayne area. Germanfest also helps partygoers enjoy the bratwurst, sauerkraut, and beer that is so much a part of the festivities.

3) The Johnny Appleseed Festival - Each year in the early fall, the Fort Wayne area gathers to celebrate the life and times of Johnny Appleseed. The festival is in the period of the Civil War, so Civil War Reenactments, Abraham Lincoln, and period costumes can be seen and sampled throughout the two days of fun and entertainment. Of course, food with apples as the main ingredient are a staple part of the festival as well. Note: September 15 and 16th are the dates for this years' 2007 merriment.

4) Kekionga Gathering of the People - The Native Americans all over the world rejoice through dance, music, arts, crafts and Indian stories in a large pow wow each year. This is a celebration not to be missed by those of all cultures. The people of peace are here to display to the world and each other what is an important area of American history. Date, 2007: TBA.

5) The ChiliFest - This Chili Cookoff and MusicFest, as it is commercially called, is fun and raucous, and pretty fresh in the Fort Wayne area. The organizers have been able to create the atmosphere of a big backyard party, and that is exactly how it feels. Held each year at Headwaters Park in downtown Fort Wayne, it is sponsored by area media, and beverage organizations. The ChiliFest will be held this year on August 31 and September 1. Bands, super celebrities and great chili will make it a festival worth taking in this summer in the city.

6) The Greek Festival - If you are dying for a gyro and some baklava, the Greek Festival in Fort Wayne is the place to go in late June. Greek wine and beer, live music, the traditional dance and costume, and the fragrance of the food is enough to bring you to your knees. The kids are happy too, when treated to games, rides, and activities designed just for them. This is this writers' favorite festival of all of them each year.

7) The BBQ RibFEST - Mid-June in Fort Wayne brings bbq and the blues. Known as the biggest family picnic in Fort Wayne, napkins are plentiful and the pounds of meat slathered in the best barbeque sauce anywhere is heaven on wheels. Teams from around the United States take part in Critic's Choice Awards each year to see which one makes the best sauce ever. Just writing about them is making me hungry. Late June, Fort Wayne, be there! Also, don't forget the bar area for adults, and the Kidfest for the rest of the family.

So, there you have it, the seven most fun and exciting summer festivals in Fort Wayne, every summer. Now, that is not all of them. There are plenty more. This list of seven is also not in order of best or worst, either. For many, it just depends on what kind of atmosphere you like, and what kind of food. Fort Wayne, in summer, has a festival for anyone.