The latest news & upcoming events in Fort Wayne Indiana

- Jenny Sumangid, Jordan Bechtel

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Good morning, Fort Wayne! Here is today’s update.

Today’s Weather

Wednesday, December 24
Hi 50° Low 42° | ☁️ Cloudy, Showers at Night
Expect mostly cloudy skies during the day with a high near 50°F and light ESE winds at 5 to 10 mph. Tonight, overcast conditions continue with occasional rain showers and a low around 42°F. Winds will be S at 5 to 10 mph with a 50% chance of rain.

In today’s edition:

🏠 Fort Wayne Mayor Prioritizes Homeless Shelter

🤖 Indiana Tech Receives $150K AI Grant

🐗 Annual Boar’s Head Festival Returns Monday

🍪 Holiday Baking Stroll Running Through December

🍦 Chillz Delights Opening Fort Wayne Location

👮 Police Athletic League Calls For Community Support

🎄 Christmas Tree Recycling Returns To Allen County

⚖️ Coroner Identifies South Fort Wayne Shooting Victim

Sports

🏒 Komets And ECHL Players Set To Strike

Events and Live Music Schedule

📰News

🏠 Mayor Sharon Tucker is urging the Fort Wayne City Council to move forward with a $3.8 million homeless services center rather than waiting for a state decision on a potential casino. The city plans to fund the project using $1.2 million from HUD, $2.1 million from local income tax distributions, and $0.5 million from cash reserves. While some council members suggested delaying the project to see if casino tax revenue becomes available, Mayor Tucker noted that a casino decision is uncertain and any resulting revenue would not benefit the city for four to five years. Council members Geoff Paddock and Michelle Chambers expressed support for acting now to address the immediate need for a day shelter. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🤖 Indiana Tech was awarded a $150,000 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to explore how artificial intelligence can transform teaching, learning, and faculty development. As part of a statewide initiative involving 35 institutions, the university will collaborate with partners to find innovative ways to prepare students for an AI-driven workforce. The funding aims to enhance educational outcomes and career preparation through the evolution of AI technology. Read more from WFFT here.

🐗 Plymouth Congregational Church will host its 49th annual Boar’s Head & Yule Log Festival on December 29 and 30. The production features music and storytelling that connects the tradition of the boar's head to the story of Mary and Joseph. Performances are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. both evenings to celebrate the holiday season through this long-standing community event. Read more from 21Alive News here.

🍪 "The Holiday Baking Stroll" is taking place in Fort Wayne through December 31 to support local bakeries during the festive season. Organized by Grayce Holloway of Icing for Izaac, the event aims to foster community spirit while highlighting various dessert shops throughout the Summit City. Participants are encouraged to visit local businesses before the stroll concludes at the end of the month. Read more from 21Alive News here.

🍦 Chillz Delights Fort Wayne Location is set to open a new location in the Times Corner shopping center on West Jefferson Boulevard, next to Cebolla’s Mexican Grill. The shop, which currently operates in North Manchester, specializes in hand-dipped ice cream, scratch-made mini donuts, and a signature "donut delight" combination. An exact opening date for the new storefront has not yet been announced. Read more from 21Alive News here.

👮 Leaders with Fort Wayne’s Police Athletic League (PAL) report that 2025 has been a difficult year due to unusually low attendance and increased competition from other local programs. Established in 1956, PAL offers youth mentoring through football, basketball, boxing, and volleyball to foster character development. To boost participation, the program is currently accepting registrations for its first-ever spring football season and seeking new volunteers and mentors. Read more from 21Alive News here.

🎄The Allen County Department of Environmental Management is offering a free Christmas tree recycling program from December 26 to January 16. Residents can drop off live trees at several locations, including the Biosolids Handling Facility and Metea County Park, provided all decorations and bags are removed. Trees will not be collected during regular trash pickup, and artificial greenery is not accepted. Read more from WANE 15 here.

⚖️ Coroner Identifies South Fort Wayne Shooting Victim as 29-year-old Andraias Marquel Marshall Curry as the man fatally shot Sunday morning at Fairfield Avenue and Paulding Road. Curry was found in a car and pronounced dead at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds. His death is ruled a homicide, and no suspect information has been released. Read more from WANE 15 here.

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Events

🎨 Art

  • Art of Hope
    9:00 am–5:00 pm @ First Presbyterian Gallery
    Free

  • Art for the Holidays
    10:00 am–6:00 pm @ The Orchard Gallery of Fine Art
    Free

  • Eat Well, Play Well
    10:00 am @ Science Central
    $10–$12

  • Good Vibrations: The Prints of Victor Vasarely
    10:00 am–6:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art
    $8–$10

  • Paper Made II
    10:00 am–6:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art
    $8–$10

  • Mimesis: The Natural World of Glass
    10:00 am–6:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art
    $8–$10

  • It Was a Time to Sew: A Sampler of Quilts from the Collection
    10:00 am–6:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art
    $8–$10

  • Kablam!: The Impact of Cartoons and Comics on Art
    10:00 am–6:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art
    $8–$10

  • The Art Farm Holiday Pop-Up Gallery

    12:00 pm @ The Art Farm
    Free

🎶 Music

  • Joe Justice
    10:00 am @ Ashton Creek Health & Rehab
    Free

🌃 Sightseeing & Tours

  • Christmas at Camp
    6:30 pm–9:30 pm @ Camp Chief Little Turtle (Pleasant Lake)
    Free

  • Blue Jacket Fantasy of Lights
    5:30 pm–9:00 pm @ Franke Park
    $20–$80

  • Parkview Field Holiday Lights
    6:00 pm–9:00 pm @ Parkview Field
    $12

🧩 Karaoke & Trivia

  • KARAOKE w/ "Big Country"
    8:00 pm – 1:00 am @ East Haven Tavern (New Haven)

🏀🏈Sports🏒

🏒 Komets And ECHL Players Set To Strike The Professional Hockey Players’ Association announced that ECHL players, including the Fort Wayne Komets, intend to go on strike this Friday, December 26. Negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement have stalled over compensation, safety standards, and working conditions. While the league recently offered a 16.4% salary cap increase and continued housing coverage, the players' association has filed unfair labor practice charges. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🗓️ Komet’s Schedule

Fri, Dec 26 🏒
Indy vs Fort Wayne — 7:35 PM EST

Sat, Dec 27 🏒
Toledo vs Fort Wayne — 7:35 PM EST

Sun, Dec 28 🏒
Kalamazoo vs Fort Wayne — 5:05 PM EST

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