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.

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Today’s Weather

Friday, January 2
Hi 24° Low 19° | 🌤 Partly Cloudy
A mix of sunshine and clouds will bring a high of 24°F with WSW winds at 10 to 15 mph. Enjoy some bright spots during the day despite the cold. Tonight, skies remain partly cloudy with a low near 19°F and light SW winds at 5 to 10 mph under the Full Moon.

In today’s edition:

🏀 Harlem Globetrotters Coming To Fort Wayne On Saturday

❄️ Fort Wayne 54th Annual Polar Bear Swim

🌉 Pufferbelly Trail Bridge Over Coliseum Construction Set For 2026

💛 New Mercies Ministries Receives $10K Grant In Support Of Main Program

🚨 FWPD Looking For Information After Woman Found Dead

Sports

🏈 South Side Grads Raise Star Wideout Omar Cooper Jr. With Hoosiers

Events and Live Music Schedule

📰News

🏀 The world-famous Harlem Globetrotters are visiting Fort Wayne on Saturday as part of their ’100 Year Tour.’ The game will be held at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum at 5 p.m. Fans can purchase tickets online. Read more from WPTA here.

❄️ Hundreds of participants welcomed 2026 by plunging into the Saint Joe River for Fort Wayne’s 54th Annual Polar Bear Club Swim. The icy event, hosted by the Saint Joe Athletics Club, is a long-standing community tradition emphasizing fun, endurance, and a fresh start to the new year. First-time plunger Larry Hughbanks joined longtime participant Steve Hernandez, who has attended for over 20 years. The Fort Wayne Fire Department dive team ensured safety throughout the event. Read more from WPTA 21Alive here.

🌉 Fort Wayne officials plan to build a pedestrian bridge over Coliseum Boulevard in 2026, carrying the Pufferbelly Trail across a busy road. Named the Vann Family Crossing, the project has a $5 million donation from Jim Vann and the Vann Family Foundation. Permits and INDOT approvals are required before construction. Engineering and design are nearing 90% completion, and land appraisals are underway. The bridge will connect the Golden Spike section of the trail to downtown River Greenway, spanning between Mission BBQ and the west side of Bob Thomas Ford. Read more from WFFT here.

💛 The St. Joseph Community Health Foundation awarded a $10,000 grant to New Mercies Ministries to support its Hosting Ministry. Led by Mindy Theard, the program recruits volunteers to help vulnerable families with meals, transportation, and childcare, aiming to prevent children from entering foster care for avoidable reasons. The organization also plans to launch a Supportive Housing Ministry to provide stable housing for up to 17 families. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🚨 The Fort Wayne Police Department is investigating after a woman was found dead early Wednesday morning behind the BP gas station at Clay Street and East Washington Boulevard, near The Rescue Mission. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Police are collecting evidence, and anyone with information is asked to call FWPD at 427-1201, Crime Stoppers at 436-7867, or use the P3 Tips App. The woman had been at The Rescue Mission the night before and left against staff advice. Further details will be released by the Allen County Coroner’s Office. Read more from WPTA here.

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Events

🎨 Art

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

  • Eat Well, Play Well
    10:00 am–5:00 pm @ Science Central
    $10–$12

  • Good Vibrations: The Prints of Victor Vasarley
    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–6:00 pm @ The Art Farm (Spencerville)
    Free

  • A Tribute to Terry Pulley
    5:00 pm–8:00 pm @ Broadway Corridor
    Free

🎶 Music

  • Eric Clancy – Piano
    6:30 pm @ Club Soda
    Free

  • Adrienne Frailey – Variety
    7:00 pm @ Sylvan Cellars
    no cover

  • Friday Night Vibes – U.R.B. (Funk)
    8:00 pm @ The Club Room at The Clyde
    Free

  • Davis Ray – Variety
    8:30 pm @ Deer Park Irish Pub
    no cover

  • Loveseat! w/Chaepter, Thinning (Midwest Gothic)
    9:30 pm @ The Brass Rail
    $7

🌃 Sightseeing & Tours

  • Fort Wayne Zoo’s Wild Lights
    5:30 pm–11:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Zoo
    $10–$12

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

🎭 Comedy

  • Craig Conant
    7:00 pm & 9:45 pm @ Summit City Comedy Club
    $26.99–$35.99

🥾 Recreation

  • Headwaters Ice Rink
    4:00 pm–9:00 pm @ Headwaters Park
    $7

🏀🏈Sports🏒

🏈 Omar Cooper Jr., son of Fort Wayne South Side grads Omar Sr. and Vnemina Cooper, has emerged as a star wide receiver for Indiana University. He made a historic touchdown catch against Penn State, helping the Hoosiers secure their first undefeated regular season and Big Ten championship since 1967. Omar Jr. leads the team with 804 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns this season. His parents, both former South Side Archers standout athletes, coached and guided him through his youth, fostering his competitive talent. Cooper hopes to play near full strength in Indiana’s Rose Bowl game against Alabama. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🗓️ Komet’s Schedule

Fri, Jan 2 🏒
Kansas City vs Fort Wayne — 8:05 PM EST

Sat, Jan 3 🏒
Kansas City vs Fort Wayne — 7:05 PM EST

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