3RF Fort Wayne Newspapers Three Rivers Festival
Favorite event? Parade tops list
Everyone has a favorite Fort Wayne Newspapers Three Rivers Festival event. Some people – we’re not saying who, just “some” people – like to drag unsuspecting relatives on giant, scary Ferris wheels and watch them scream from 50 feet up, for instance.
Others, like the local celebrities we interviewed, take a kinder, gentler view of the annual weeklong festivities.
We talked to a politician, a clown, a journalist and a zookeeper.
Here are their three favorite things about the Three Rivers Festival:
Tom Henry, mayor of Fort Wayne
The parade: “As mayor, I have the opportunity to participate in the parade. I like seeing people of all ages along the route, from some of our oldest residents to some of our youngest. But they all enjoy the sights of Fort Wayne’s largest parade.”
The bed race: “You just never know what the clever minds of our city will come up with. (There is) such a diversity of creations going down the street.”
Fireworks: “My family and I love the creativity of the annual fireworks display downtown, which closes the festival. They always seem to have something new every year.”
Sweetcakes the Clown, Sweetcakes Comedy Entertainment Co.
The parade: “It is incredible. The people are yelling, ‘Hi, Sweetcakes!’ from the beginning of the parade to the end of the parade. The first year that happened I had a lump in my throat. I couldn’t believe it. It almost brought tears to my eyes.”
Children’s Fest: “I love it because there are just thousands of people between the two days. It’s so funny, because some of the children I did birthday parties for a long time ago now have children of their own. And I like seeing the people I haven’t seen for a while. They always say ‘hi’ and remember all the details of their birthday party, even if it was years and years ago.”
Food Alley: “It’s a tossup between the fireworks and the food. But since I can taste the food and can’t taste the fireworks, I’m going to have to go with the food. I always have to get the cheese sticks and an elephant ear. And I always try to go with someone else, so I can share.”
Jim Anderson, director of the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo
The people: “The thing I like best about Three Rivers Festival is simply seeing so many Fort Wayne people out and about in the community, enjoying the many venues and activities available. Fort Wayne is a great town.”
The parade: “A couple years ago, I got to march in the parade along with the zoo director from our sister-city zoo in Plock, Poland. He was amazed by the hospitality and enthusiasm of the big crowds lining the parade route.”
Food Alley: “That same year, my Polish guest and I also went to junk food alley, where we sampled a Polish sausage, which, he regrettably told me, was not really Polish!”
Melissa Long, TV anchor at Indiana’s NewsCenter
The parade: “We participate in the parade, and so it’s always really fun to see people come out, even in the rain sometimes. It’s nice to see so many people participate in that event. And it kicks off the festival, so it’s significant.”
Rides at Headwaters Park: “I like that it’s a smaller setup than the midway. I love upside-down rides – that Pharaoh’s Ship that goes upside down. Nobody else except my younger son will go with me. Everyone else gets sick to the stomach.”
Food Alley: “I love the atmosphere at Food Alley. I don’t buy a lot of the junky stuff, but it’s a great people-watching experience. So, I always hit that, hopefully after I go upside-down.”
Mayor Tom Henry and the Allen County commissioners will welcome the award-winning Voices of Unity Youth Choir back to American soil in downtown Fort Wayne today.