Today’s Weather

Friday, June 13
Hi – 77° Low – 63° | 🌥️ Cloudy with a Few Showers | Wind E 5–10 mph (day & night)
Friday will be mostly cloudy with just a slight chance of a light shower. High around 77°F with light winds from the east. The UV index will be moderate, meaning some sun may break through, but it's still wise to wear sunscreen if you're outside for long. Friday night stays cloudy, with rain showers likely later on. Low near 63°F and a 50% chance of rain. Keep an umbrella handy if you're heading out late!

In today’s edition:

🔥 BBQ RibFest 2025 Heats Up Headwaters Park

📺 Fort Wayne Featured in New Apple TV+ Series “Stick”

🥪 Lunch on the Square Kicks Off After Rain Delay

🕯️ Vigil for Immigrant Justice Held in Downtown Fort Wayne

☀️ Big Turnout Expected for Allen County Solar Power Hearing

🚔 Second Arrest Made in Pikes Pub Beating Case

🏍️ Motorcyclist Seriously Injured in NW Fort Wayne Crash

👷 How Mass Deportation Could Impact Northeast Indiana’s Workforce

Sports

⚾ East Noble Grad Risedorph Shines in Cubs Win Over TinCaps

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📰News

🔥The 28th annual BBQ RibFest is happening now through Sunday, June 15, at Fort Wayne’s Headwaters Park. The festival runs 11:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, with free entry until 5:30 p.m. (after that, adults are $6; kids 12 and under are free). On Sunday, the fest goes until 7:00 p.m., and dads get in free all day. Enjoy award-winning ribs, brisket, chicken, and pulled pork from BBQ pros across the country. Live music includes tributes to Bad Company, ZZ Top, and more. Parking garages and a shuttle from Fourth & Calhoun make getting there easy. Rain or shine, the flavor is on! Read more from WANE 15 here.

📺A new Apple TV+ series, Stick, which premiered June 4 and stars Owen Wilson, is set in Fort Wayne. The show follows a golfer trying to revive his career after a dramatic meltdown. Though not filmed locally, the show features Fort Wayne details like police uniforms closely resembling FWPD gear. Creator Jason Keller, a Ball State grad with ties to Fort Wayne, called the series a “love letter” to Indiana. Four episodes are currently available, with new ones airing every Wednesday. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🥪Lunch on the Square is back for its 17th season in downtown Fort Wayne, officially launching Thursday, June 12, after rain postponed the original June 5 kickoff. Held at Friemann Square every Thursday through August 7, the event runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and features food trucks and live music. The Lunch Means More initiative also returns, with Barnes & Thornburg matching 15% of a featured food truck’s sales each week to benefit local nonprofits. This season's proceeds will go to Road to Recovery, a sober living home in Fort Wayne. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🕯️Community members gathered Wednesday night, June 11, at Plymouth Congregational Church in downtown Fort Wayne for a vigil calling for “immigrant justice” following recent ICE raids across the country. Organized by local faith leaders and immigrant advocates, the event featured personal testimonies, bilingual music, prayers, a candlelight reflection, and a call to action. Rev. Sara Ofner-Seals emphasized community support and safe spaces for immigrants, while Pastor Martin Garcia urged people to contact local lawmakers and stand up for their neighbors. Read more from WANE 15 here.

☀️The Allen County Plan Commission is holding a public hearing Thursday, June 12 at 5:30 p.m. at the Memorial Coliseum to gather feedback on proposed changes to local solar regulations. The location was chosen due to high expected attendance, with both pro- and anti-solar groups given 15 minutes each to speak. The amendments aim to define Commercial Solar Energy Systems, establish design standards, and update existing ordinance language. Topics include panel height, landscaping, and where solar farms can be placed. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🚔Two men have now been arrested in connection to the May 30 beating at Pikes Pub. Justin Wert was arrested in Lima, Ohio, and charged with criminal recklessness, strangulation, and battery resulting in serious injury. On Thursday, 52-year-old Jerrad Wade Impton was booked in Allen County on two counts of battery. Both are allegedly affiliated with the Outlaws. The incident, which went viral, showed a group of white men attacking James Simmons, a Black man, with racial slurs in the background. The FBI is involved, and community responses include rallies, petitions, and calls for stronger hate crime laws. Simmons has confirmed he will press charges. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🏍️ A motorcyclist suffered life-threatening injuries Wednesday night, June 11, after rear-ending another vehicle on Till Road near Coldwater Road. The crash occurred around 8:30 p.m., prompting Fort Wayne Police to block off the area. The injured rider was transported to the hospital, and police continue to investigate the incident. Read more from WANE 15 here.

👷Recent ICE raids and nationwide protests have sparked concern about the potential effects of mass deportation, even in places like Fort Wayne. While no mass deportations have occurred locally, Rachel Blakeman of Purdue Fort Wayne’s Community Research Institute and Edmond O’Neal III of Northeast Indiana Works warn of serious consequences if undocumented immigrants were removed. O’Neal said some rural companies could lose the ability to produce daily-use products without migrant labor. Blakeman added that construction, food service, and landscaping sectors would also be affected, especially with existing labor shortages in the region. Read more from WANE 15 here.

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Events 

Friday, June 13th

🎨 Arts

• Charles Yang: Fermata
  8:00 am – 5:00 pm @ Honeywell Center – Clark Gallery (Wabash)
  Free

• PFW Summer Selections Exhibition
  8:00 am – 9:00 pm @ PFW Visual Arts Gallery
  Free

• Hubble and Webb Space Telescopes: New Views of the Universe
  10:00 am – 4:00 pm @ Science Central (Fort Wayne)
  $10 – $12

• Color in Motion
  10:00 am – 5:00 pm @ Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory (Fort Wayne)
  $5 – $7

• Grace Yencer: Gentle Turning
  10:00 am – 5:00 pm @ Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory (Fort Wayne)
  $5 – $7

• My PURSEonal Favorites
  10:00 am – 6:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art
  $8 – $10

• FAILE: A Riot of Existence, Wishing on You
  10:00 am – 6:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art
  $8 – $10

• Truthful Illusions: Realism in the Age of Abstraction
  11:00 am – 6:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art
  $8 – $10

• Highlights from the Collection
  5:00 pm – 8:00 pm @ Garrett Museum of Art
  Free

• Friday Night Live Outdoor Art Experience
  5:00 pm – 11:00 pm @ Junk Ditch PlayHouse (Fort Wayne)
  Free

🎶 Music

• Ron Rumbaugh
  2:30 pm @ Heritage Pointe Senior Living
  Free

• BigMeow (80s)
  5:00 pm – 9:00 pm @ Downtown Roanoke
  Free

• Janice Ann & Powertrain (Variety)
  6:00 pm @ Country Heritage Winery (LaOtto)
  Free

• Ivory Moss (Singer-songwriter)
  6:00 pm @ Churubusco Community Park
  Free

• Greg Reszel (Variety)
  6:00 pm @ Glendarin Hills Golf Club (Angola)
  Free

• DMC (Funk)
  6:00 pm @ Charlie's Place (Fort Wayne)
  Free

• Todd Harrold & Eric Clancy (Variety)
  6:30 pm @ Two-EE's Winery (Huntington)
  Free

• Sunny Taylor
  6:30 pm @ Hop River Brewing Co.
  Free

• Shannon Persinger (Variety)
  6:30 pm @ Club Soda (Fort Wayne)
  Free

• Minus One (Variety)
  6:30 pm @ Vinland Reserve Winery (Fort Wayne)
  Free

• That Arena Rock Show (Arena Rock Tribute)
  7:00 pm @ Sweetwater Pavilion (Fort Wayne)
  $25

• Sunglasses at Night (80s)
  7:00 pm @ Redwood Inn (Fort Wayne)
  No cover

• The Cold Hearts (Country)
  7:00 pm @ Huntertown Family Park
  Free

• The DeeBees (Variety)
  7:00 pm @ Lucerne Park (Warsaw)
  Free

• The Sweetwater All Stars (R&B/Soul/Funk)
  7:00 pm @ Riverside Park, Warren
  Free

• Joel Young Band (Country/Rock)
  7:00 pm @ American Legion Post 241 (Waynedale)
  No cover

• Jordan May (R&B)
  7:00 pm @ Churubusco Community Park
  Free

• John Potts (Variety)
  7:00 pm @ Nick's (Fort Wayne)
  Free

• Hillbilly Rockstarz (Country/Rock)
  7:00 pm – 9:00 pm @ Markle Fish & Game Club Park
  Free

• Hot Butter w/Gem (Variety)
  7:30 pm @ Fort Wayne Guitar Exchange
  Free

• Honeywell Arts Academy: Soundboard Live (Variety)
  7:30 pm @ Eagles Theatre (Wabash)
  $10 – $45

• Britnee Kellogg (Country)
  7:30 pm @ Fountain Park (Van Wert)
  Free

• Crush: Bon Jovi Tribute
  8:00 pm @ Kehoe Park (Bluffton)
  Free

• Casual Friday (Variety)
  8:00 pm @ The Club Room at The Clyde (Fort Wayne)
  No cover

• Chris Worth & Co. (Variety)
  8:00 pm @ American Legion Post 47 (Fort Wayne)
  No cover

• Star69 (Rock)
  8:00 pm @ Mitchell's (Fort Wayne)
  $5

• Mighty Morphin Wackness + others (Rock)
  8:00 pm @ Piere's (Fort Wayne)
  $20 – $25

• Bad Money (Bad Company/Eddie Money Tribute)
  8:30 pm @ Headwaters Park (Fort Wayne)
  Free

• Alfie Jean & Fella Jack (Ukulele/Bass)
  8:30 pm @ Deer Park Irish Pub (Fort Wayne)
  No cover

• Extinction Agenda + others (Metal)
  8:30 pm – 1:00 am @ Carl's Tavern (New Haven)
  $10

• C3 Worship (Contemporary Christian)
  8:45 pm @ Churubusco Community Park
  Free

• Funayurei w/[melter], Runner and Bobby (Electronic)
  9:00 pm @ The Brass Rail (Fort Wayne)
  $7

• 2000’s Rave (DJ)
  9:30 pm @ Piere's (Fort Wayne)
  $15 – $18

• #IYKYK (Rock)
  9:30 pm @ Latch String Bar & Grill (Fort Wayne)
  No cover

🐾 Tours

• Fort Wayne Zoo
  9:00 am – 6:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Zoo
  $22 – $24

• Black Pine Animal Sanctuary
  1:00 pm – 4:00 pm @ Black Pine Animal Sanctuary (Albion)
  $10 – $17.50

 🎉Festivals

• BBQ Ribfest
  11:30 am – 11:00 pm @ Headwaters Park (Fort Wayne)
  $5 – $30

• Fridays at McKinnie Commons
  5:00 pm – 8:00 pm @ McKinnie Commons (Fort Wayne)
  Free

• Turtle Days Festival: Day 3
  5:00 pm – 10:00 pm @ Churubusco Community Park
  Free

• Vineyard Vibes w/Janice Ann & Powertrain
  6:00 pm – 9:00 pm @ Country Heritage Winery (LaOtto)
  $20

• All Things Open Mic
  6:30 pm – 9:30 pm @ Visions Event Hall (Fort Wayne)
  $5

• Final Fridays Outdoor Concerts w/Sweetwater All Stars
  7:00 pm – 9:00 pm @ Riverside Park, Warren
  Free

🎭Theater

• The Dinner Detective: True Crime Murder Mystery Show
  6:00 pm @ Courtyard by Marriott Downtown (Fort Wayne)
  $59.95

• Big Fish: The Musical
  6:45 pm @ Arena Dinner Theatre (Fort Wayne)
  $50

• Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
  8:00 pm @ Wagon Wheel Theatre (Warsaw)
  $21 – $51

🎶 Special Events

• David Lucas (Comedy)
  7:00 pm & 9:45 pm @ Summit City Comedy Club (Fort Wayne)
  $27 – $57

• Dicky’s Wild Hare Karaoke
  9:00 pm @ Dicky's Wild Hare (Fort Wayne)
  Free

🏀🏈Sports🏒⚾

⚾ Brayden Risedorph, a 21-year-old East Noble High School alum, pitched a scoreless ninth inning Wednesday night to seal a 5-0 win for South Bend over the TinCaps at Parkview Field. Risedorph struck out one, walked one, and allowed no hits. Since being called up to High-A, he’s thrown 5.2 scoreless innings. Previously, he posted a 0.60 ERA over 15 innings with Myrtle Beach, striking out 18 and earning 2 saves. Risedorph was drafted in the 20th round by the Chicago Cubs out of Indiana University last year. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🗓️ Tincaps Schedule

Fri, June 13
⚾ vs South Bend— 7:05 PM EDT

Sat, June 14
⚾ vs South Bend— 6:35 PM EDT

Sun, June 15
⚾ vs South Bend— 1:05 PM EDT

🗓️ Fort Wayne FC Schedule

Sat, June 14
🏈 @ Kings Hammer FC - Cincinnati— 7:00 PM EDT

A Message from The Fort Wayne Update

Members make it possible.

The Fort Wayne Update helps readers like you stay in the know quickly and clearly.

If you love what we do, becoming a Member is the best way to support it.

You will help us cover more of the city, and give back to the community.
Members also get exclusive perks along the way.

👉 Become a Fort Wayne Update Member