Fort Wayne Magazine

07/04/2024

It is difficult to celebrate life when life is hard. And life may be hardest when a loved one is gravely ill or after a loved one has passed away. Inside our Celebration of Life issue, you will read true-life accounts from area people who learned to celebrate life during and after the worst times of their lives. Hospice workers share the astounding and moving things that have happened to them while they cared for the dying and their families. An oncologist recounts the journeys of some of her cancer patients and what everyone learned in the process. Elizabeth Henry-Guevara recalls the last days of her father, Mayor Tom Henry. fortwayne.com Photography by

06/26/2024

TLC: Our June Service issue is not only about helping your fellow men and women. It is also about learning to ask for help and learning to accept it when it is offered. It is about what people come to understand about themselves while helping others and what people come to understand about themselves while they are being helped. Fear and misunderstanding are common reasons that help is not asked for and help is not given. Asking and giving are skills that can be developed and this issue can be a guide. Inside, you will also find Jen Dodds Fox’s Fashionably Speaking column, featuring Olivia Fabian, and a preview of some of the more unusual summer events in Indiana. Find our digital version at fortwayne.com

05/21/2024

Spring is a time of rebirth and rejuvenation. Perhaps your spring cleaning regimen will make you wish you could sweep the whole house into a dustbin. Perhaps it will make you love your home even more. Perhaps it will make you think, “What changes could I make that would help me love my home even more, instead of feeling like I need to sweep it into the dustbin?” That’s what our annual Home issue is all about. In it, you will be taken inside some wonderful homes in the region. Hopefully, you will come away with inspiration for sprucing up your neck of the woods. Or the courage to trade one neck of the woods for another. We also have a poignant essay from our Carroll High School intern, Anna Layden, about leaving home for college in the fall. Photo by Sarah Shields

04/19/2024

Two of the finest guitarists in popular music, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, will perform at the Embassy Theatre on Saturday and our intern, Anna Layden, has an interview with both axemen. 🎸

Playing Their Hearts Out By Anna Layden, Carroll High School intern Friday, April 19th, 2024 After decades of friendship, the iconic guitarist duo, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, will be taking the stage together on their first ever tour as a duo. Joe Satriani and Steve Vai have known each other since....

04/01/2024

Fort Wayne magazine’s City Guide just hits different. I have no idea what that means, but it sounds cool. City Guide is our annual look at everything going on in Fort Wayne and everything that is likely to go on in the foreseeable future. We generally steer away from politics, of course. Not our baileywick, you understand. Inside you will find in-depth cultural and restaurant listings, guides to outdoor adventures and to stores owned by women, a status report on area building projects and a preview of all the exciting construction happening on Pearl Street. And much more. Whether you are an extrovert, an introvert or something in between (an exhibashfulvert, perhaps), there is something in here for you. There are more than 250,000 of you out there and we consider all of you influencers and tastemakers. Unless you don’t want to be called either of those. Better Google them just to be sure. Go to fortwayne.com to see the full digital issue, just click the link in the preview text. Cover photography by Jared Christiansen Images

03/15/2024

Our Carroll High School intern, Anna Layden, has put together a fabulous list of area Saint Patrick’s Day activities for our enjoyment and edification. Click below to get all the deets about one of the Summit City’s most dynamic holidays. 🍀

Stand Pat By Anna Layden, Carroll High School intern; Photo from Visit Fort Wayne Friday, March 15th, 2024 While the weather can’t make up its mind about the Summit City, the Summit City can make up its mind about one thing: Saint Patrick’s Day. Saint Patrick’s Day is a holiday that most, if n...

03/02/2024

People tend to want to start the renewal process in January, but that is a bad month for it. That is a month for doing whatever you need to do to get to a month that gives you more reasons for feeling hopeful. Like March, for example. That is why we waited until March to give you our Renewal issue, which is filled with stories that shed light on almost every conceivable definition of renewal: everything from new jobs to new perspectives to new leases on life. There is also a Fashionably Speaking column featuring the sartorial splendor of the Fort Wayne Museum of Art’s president & CEO, Charles Shepard, and an article about the Allen County Public Library’s new artistic library card initiative. On newsstands now!

02/14/2024

Our Carroll High School intern, Anna Layden, has a preview of Weather the Fort, a downtown event that has (over the years) become like a beacon in the fog or a beacon in the Stygian gloom or a beacon in a blizzard. I hope I didn’t jinx all of us by writing that last one. This is just a convoluted way of saying that Weather the Fort is a great opportunity to chase away the winter blues, not to mention, blahs. Fort Wayne

Snow Foolin By Anna Layden, Carroll High School intern Wednesday, February 14th, 2024 In the middle of the dark and cold winter, there is a bright light shining in the community. It’s Weather the Fort, a family-friendly winter festival happening on Saturday. This annual event is a great way to emb...

02/12/2024

Our Carroll High School intern, Anna Layden, interviewed the cast and crew of Fort Wayne Civic Theatre "The Color Purple," and you'll be glad she did. The production earned raves and huzzahs during its opening weekend. If you haven't seen it yet, you'll have three more chances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 🎭

True Colors Anna Layden, Carroll High School intern Monday, February 12th, 2024 In January, Fort Wayne magazine visited Fort Wayne Civic Theatre as the cast and crew of “The Color Purple” were preparing performances of this musical. Many people are familiar with some version of “The Color Purp...

02/06/2024

In our February issue, we explore the connections between food and romance. Many of the region’s most prominent chefs and restauranteurs weigh in on the topic. As to whether some sort of consensus was achieved, you’ll just have to read it. We will also have a substantive preview of the 2024 Fort Wayne Home & Garden Show, an extensive look at some of the area’s most eye-catching kitchens, Jennifer Dodds Fox’s shopping column called Shop Talk and a recipe from Sonia Checchia. Cover photo: Dae Gee’s Chocolate Mousse. Photography by Emma Milledge

01/06/2024

Innovation comes easy for some and not so easy for others. But having the courage to innovate is important in all our lives, even if you are not an inventor of futuristic automobiles. We all contend with problems and situations in our lives that require creative solutions and bold leaps forward. People associate the word innovation with technology, and we have technology in our annual Innovation issue, including considerations of the looming AI revolution and the future of solar energy. But we also have articles on innovation in the world of non-alcoholic beverages, innovation among Fort Wayne’s immigrant population and what one might learn about innovation by observing the natural world. Some of Fort Wayne’s movers and shakers also tell us about their innovation role models and about the books that inspired them to greater heights of innovation. You can find it all in our digital edition at fortwayne.com, just click the link in the paragraph.

12/02/2023

Over the years, Fort Wayne magazine’s “People of the Year” issue, in which we pay tribute to the movers and shakers who moved and shook things in the Summit City throughout the calendar year about to end, has grown to be one of our most popular annual volumes. This year, we asked friends and colleagues of the titleholders to tell us why and how they made such a difference in the city in 2023 and the resulting stories were full of surprises for our editorial staff. We think you too will be surprised…surprised and gratified. You can read the digital edition by clicking the link in the copy at www.fortwayne.com. Cover and cover story photography by DJ E-Clyps.

11/03/2023

The holiday season is a time when people revisit perennial traditions and start new ones. In our November Traditions issue, we explore the hows and whys of the traditions that local people hold dear. We learn about the traditions that people brought to Fort Wayne from other cities and countries and how they incorporated local traditions into the mix. We learn about how people found new ways to love enduring traditions. We learn about how Fort Wayne traditions got their start. You can read all about it in our digital edition on fortwayne.com

10/26/2023

10/06/2023

Our interview with Jane Seymour, who is in town today for the annual meeting and awards ceremony of Aging & In-Home Services of Northeast Indiana.

Jane Says By Steve Penhollow Friday, October 6th, 2023 At the present time, Jane Seymour is not allowed to talk about her movie and television career.   She is prohibited from doing so by SAG-AFTRA, an organization that launched a strike action against Hollywood studios on July 13.   Seymour is th...

10/03/2023

Hugh Syme achieved great renown in the world of rock and pop music and then moved to Indiana. Usually, it's the other way around. Syme has illustrated dozens of legendary album covers including most of Rush's releases. On Wednesday, he will host a public reception for an exhibit of his work at the Honeywell Center, For an interview with Syme, click below...

Rush Hour By Steve Penhollow Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023 When the headmaster strode into the classroom and called his name, he knew he was in trouble.   No, this isn’t AI plagiarizing Harry Potter.   This was an actual person’s life. Hugh Syme’s life.   Syme, who would go on to a career as a...

10/03/2023

Most people, even if they are inveterate couch potatoes, would admit that the natural world is beautiful. But can it be healing? In our October issue, nine writers make the case that silence as it is found on trails, in forests and in the sky, is essential for our mental health and our cognitive clarity. They believe that time spent in the silence of nature makes us better workers, family members and human beings. You can find the complete digital issue by going to www.fortwayne.com and clicking “here” in the introductory copy. Cover photography by Ray Steup

09/01/2023

Every September, we devote an entire issue to northeast Indiana’s créme de la créme, which is a French phrase meaning, “They’re mad lit on god no cap. Drip drip.” Well, “the votes are in,” and the selections have been enshrined herein. Voting for our Best Of issue took place entirely in Steve Penhollow’s head, a dangerous place to try to complete anything in an orderly fashion. But he does know a thing or three about the people, places and things that make this region special. He has honed in, in the manner of an expert honer, on the attributes that are most deserving of expert honing. Inside, you will also find several explorations of the AI phenomenon, a section celebrating Arts United and Jennifer Dodds Fox’s local shopping guide. You can start perusing like you have never perused before at the link in our bio. Cover photography by DJ E-Clyps cover story photography by DJ E-Clyps and Jared Christiansen Images

08/02/2023

August, our annual Savor issue, is ready for you to devour. Not literally, of course. Magazine stock is not ideally digestible. In August, we highlight where we’re eating and what we’re eating. Spoiler warning: We’re not eating magazine stock. We have a roundup for you of some of the most enticing dishes being produced at northeast Indiana eateries and an in-depth look at the al fresco phenomenon. We also have a comprehensive list of places to go and cuisines to try in the region. So, strap in. Strap into what, you ask? Well, strap into whatever you strap into whenever you are putting your heart and soul into enjoying food. Photography by Matthew Owen Photographer

07/04/2023

In her book, “The Speed of Darkness,” poet Muriel Ruckeyser wrote, “The universe is made of stories, not of atoms.” When we share personal stories with others, we immediately bring them into our world and give them an understanding of our perspective that could not be as effectively achieved with bullet points. In the July storytelling issue of Fort Wayne magazine, area authors share the importance of storytelling in their lives. This importance is not limited to their careers. The importance may have to do with curing societal ills. It may have to do with mending a broken self-image. It may have to do with improving mental health. It may have to do with increasing empathy. It may have to do with nurturing spiritual growth. Dive into the July issue of Fort Wayne magazine and let our storytellers remind you of the beauty and power of storytelling. On newsstands now.

06/01/2023

There is much that has happened, is happening and will soon happen in Fort Wayne that is worth getting excited about. But it is all too easy, amid all the razzle and the dazzle, to ignore real, lingering problems. What does prosperity mean for a city on the rise? Is everyone experiencing it? Are there cracks in this flashy facade? To answer these questions, we recruited Rachel Blakeman to be our guest editor. As director of the Purdue University Fort Wayne Research Institute, Rachel is an expert at getting under facades. Inside, you’ll also find essays by people who followed unconventional routes to prosperity and found alternative definitions of it. Cover photography by Jared Christiansen Images

05/22/2023

For more than three decades, Frank Ferrante has toured the world in shows where he has played the late Groucho Marx with such exactness and bravura that he has impressed even people who knew the comic legend. Ferrante will bring his show, “An Evening with Groucho,” to the Eagles Theatre in Wabash on Tuesday. We have an interview.

High Marx By Steve Penhollow, Photography by Michael Doucett Monday, May 22nd, 2023 When I was a kid growing up in the 1970s, the Marx Brothers were still a conspicuous part of popular culture.   The Marx Brothers’ films were frequently shown at odd hours of the day by local TV stations.   Chara...

05/07/2023

It’s time for our May Food issue and we know that the mere mention of the word food kindles cravings, reveries and stratagems. We can help you with that. Our cover story explores the progressive dinner phenomenon and provides suggestions for how you may construct your own multi-locale meal in Fort Wayne. There is also a guide to all the new restaurants that have opened recently or will open soon. And be sure to check out Sonia Checchia’s essay about how meals can nurture conviviality and Jennifer Dodds Fox’s Mother’s Day-themed reminiscence. On newsstands now! Cover photography by Matthew Owen Photographer

03/31/2023

A quarter of a century ago, the only thing a newcomer to Fort Wayne had to figure out was why so many streets had multiple names. These days, Fort Wayne is a city so bursting with amazing restaurants and activities that rookies need help navigating it. If you are just such a rookie (or a veteran who wants to help a rookie), you have come to the right place. Our City Guide has massive listings guides devoted to eateries, museums, galleries, theaters, clubs and sports teams and venues. It also has articles on artisan markets and marketplaces, on unprecedented challenges confronting area colleges and universities, on the history of faith in Fort Wayne and on municipal projects in the works. You can also read first-hand accounts from recent city settlers. Cover photography by John McGauley

03/03/2023

March: Our annual Education issue isn’t just about educating children and teens. It’s also about what we can all learn, no matter our age. It isn’t just about what can be learned in schools. It’s about what can be learned in life. Our cover story features words of wisdom from some of the most prominent people in Fort Wayne. You will also get a look at revolutionary changes in vocational education locally and statewide. And publisher John Christensen shares what he learned on an immersion trip to the Dominican Republic. Cover photography by

02/01/2023

People who are thinking of updating their living spaces or of trading in their old living spaces for new ones know to pick up Fort Wayne magazine’s annual Home issue. It is filled with design and decor “inspo” (which is decorator-speak for “inspiration”). Inside this issue, you will find gorgeous photographs of actual Fort Wayne spaces and Jennifer Dodds Fox’s guide to ways you can spruce up your home (and local businesses that can help you in this quest). There is also an article by author and Fort Wayne native Sharon Tubbs, who discusses what inspired her to write her new book, “They Got Daddy: One Family’s Reckoning with Racism and Faith.” The home improvement and design information shared in the Home issue is sure to leave you musing and to start your mental wheels spinning. You can find it all in our February issue. On the cover: Photography by:

01/27/2023

For several years now, William Shatner has been touring the country with a copy of his film, “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,” and answering questions after screenings. He will visit the Embassy Theatre on February 9 and Fort Wayne magazine has an interview.

William Shatner By Steve Penhollow Friday, January 27th, 2023 After “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” was greeted with critical and commercial indifference, Paramount execs made an unusual decision in their effort to save the nascent film franchise. “They decided to give it to the television dep...

01/23/2023

“Candid Camera,” featuring hidden camera pranks, debuted on ABC in 1948. Since then, it has rarely been off the air. Peter Funt, the son of the show’s creator, will bring “Candid Camera Unmasked” to the Eagles Theatre in Wabash on Thursday. Fort Wayne Magazine has an interview.

Peter Funt By Steve Penhollow Monday, January 23rd, 2023 Long before wives pranked husbands on TikTok (long before there was a TikTok, long before there was an internet and long before there wasn’t a home computer that weighed less than 16,000 pounds), an unlikely TV host named Allen Funt debuted ...

01/05/2023

“We have the technology,” actor Richard Anderson intoned every week in the mid-1970s during the opening of “The Six Million Dollar Man.” In Fort Wayne magazine’s annual Innovation issue, we too have the technology. We have news on cutting-edge medical technology that is being used and will soon be used in Fort Wayne. But innovation is about more than technology. It is about innovative thinking. It is about coming up with new strategies to deal with old problems. It’s about innovation in architecture and interior design. It’s about innovative ways to worship. It’s about innovative approaches to economic development. It’s about innovative ways to think about incarceration and the incarcerated. It is about innovations in energy. All this and more await you in January’s Innovation issue.