The Three Rivers Festival is an annual festival held in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The festival's run spans nine days in mid-July, starting on the first Friday after Independence Day. It is a celebration of the heritage of Fort Wayne, established during the French and Indian War at the confluence of three rivers, the Maumee, St. Marys, and St. Joseph. Events include a community parade through downtown, a food alley, amusement rides, a bed race, art and craft shows, children's and seniors mini-fests, an International Village, a shopping marketplace, Rivergames and a fireworks finale.
History
At the first Three Rivers Festival in 1969, an estimated 100,000 people attended a grand parade, and 60 events on the Columbia Street Landing. The festival in 1973 attracted one million visitors. Among its highlights was the air show by the Navy's Blue Angels. In 1976, the Nation's Bicentennial, the festival included an international beer cancollectors convention. That year attendance topped 2 million. In 1977, the festival added fireworks for the first time, and its opening day parade was the second largest in the state. When the festival opened in 1979, seven hundred balloons were released from the top of a city building. By 1980, the festival has grown to 206 events across the city. The following year, the festival introduced a children's parade and attempted to set a record for the World's Longest Hot Dog, at long. Two years later the festival featured the World's Biggest Pretzel, at in diameter. The festival has continued to grow and add new attractions and fun events. In 1991 a $20,000 Arts United grant expanded Sunday in the Park to art events at Seniors Day and the Children's Festival. By 1999, the Art in the Park was expanded to include Main Street, featuring a juried show of 85 national artists. That same year, the Three Rivers Festival enjoyed crowds in excess of 500,000, maintaining its position as the second largest event in Indiana. 2020 saw its first cancellation as the COVID-19 pandemic was to blame. The 52nd was deferred to 2021.
Financial
Three Rivers Festival is a 5014 not-for-profit organization, founded in 1969, and funded entirely by vendor participation fees, souvenir sales, refreshment sales, entertainment ticket sales, and the sponsorship and support of area businesses. For 2009 and 2010, Fort Wayne Newspapers was the Festival Title sponsor. National Serv-all was the 2010 sponsor of the Fireworks Finale. PNC, Sweetwater and STAR 88.3 were other major 2010 sponsors.
Three Rivers Festival Events
As the second largest festival in Indiana, the Three Rivers Festival has family-friendly events, centered in Headwaters Park in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana. Many affiliated events are featured throughout the Fort Wayne area.
The first weekend of the Festival features "Art in the Park", a juried fine arts show & sale, located on Freimann Square, Main Street and Barr Street, adjacent to the Arts United Center and the Fort Wayne Museum of Art in downtown Fort Wayne. Over 100 talented artists from northeast Indiana and across the country offer oils, watercolors, photography, sculpture, pottery, and more.
Opening Day Parade
Beginning in the historic West Central neighborhood, the two-hour parade fills winds through downtown Fort Wayne. A local musical group typically opens the parade with the national anthem, followed by many parade units, area high school marching bands, local celebrities, the "Queen Bee" Helium Balloon from Vera Bradley, and approximately 100 other entries. The Parade is broadcast live on Indiana's NewsCenter, with a repeat broadcast in early evening. The Parade route distance is approximately two miles, winding through the West Central Neighborhood and downtown. The first Parade unit steps off at approximately 9:45 a.m., and arrives at the downtown broadcast point shortly after 10:00 a.m. The Parade ends at Calhoun and Superior Streets.
Fireworks Finale
Tens of thousands of area residents eagerly await Northeast Indiana's largest pyrotechnic show, marking the close of nine days of Three Rivers Festival.
