Haylie: Anything else to share there, PBS viewers?

I'm Haylie Robinson, and I'm a former fair queen full of wanderlust.

I explore arts, culture, community, heritage, history and more, one festival at a time.

I invite you to join me in finding festivals.

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Toledo.

More than you ever imagined.

Learn more at visittoledo.org.

Fort Wayne, Indiana is full of activities for the entire family, including the Three Rivers Festival.

Known as the Northeast Indiana Hub.

Fort Wayne is the second largest city in the state.

Since 1969, The city has come together during the annual Three Rivers Festival.

Traditional rides, food, and activities can be found at this annual event as well as helicopter rides, a marketplace, and many local businesses participating throughout the nine day festival.

While browsing through the Emporium, I ran into Joseph from visit Fort Wayne, who shared her love for the city.

Jessa Campbell: Annually, Fort Wayne sees around 7 million visitors a year.

Haylie: Wow.

Jessa Campbell: Isnt that incredible?

That's a lot of people coming to enjoy a tournament to our city and do festivals like this, coming to see our attractions, you know, getting away for the weekend.

We love that the number kind of really showcases what makes us special here and why tourism is important to our community.

Haylie: Did you always know you want to get into tourism?

Jessa Campbell: No.

I will be honest, I did not know tourism was a thing.

I thought that was hotels and attractions.

Until I found this job.

Visit Fort Wayne, did I know that there is another organization to help support those tourist aspects of our community.

Haylie: How has your perspective changed from being a local to now advocating for the destination?

Jessa Campbell: I think before I got this job, I knew I really loved Fort Wayne and wanted to stay here and support the community in some way.

Maybe it was a different job or whatever it might be, but it just has grown since I've had this job.

Grown the love that I have for this community, the pride that I have for the people that are here, the jobs that are been created through the work that we're doing at visit Fort Wayne.

Just so much more appreciation for what we have here and want everyone to know about our community and how special it is.

Haylie: I'd imagine you've been coming to the Three Rivers Festival for probably most of your life.

Jessa Campbell: Yes.

Haylie: Right?

Haylie: Exactly.

Haylie: What is your favorite tradition?

Jessa Campbell: Oh, it would have to be chalk block.

Going out to see that on that first weekend, the parade just ended, the whole crowd's coming to see chalk walk; enjoy the art in the park.

Kind of enjoy that and then move on to maybe going to the midway or going to Junk Food Alley.

That just whole experience of that first weekend is just so exciting and it's a buzz with so much life and fun.

Haylie: It's been a few days since the chalk walk event, but it's evident this street was once full of color.

Well, in this part of town, I explore the arts inside the Fort Wayne Museum of Art.

And I'm going to be honest, the glass wing is showing me a whole other side to glass art.

Oh, look, there's even some credit given to my backyard, The Glass City.

There's a lot of planning that goes into art displays, and Charles provides me some background on both the chalk walk and glass wing tourism process.

Charles Shepard III: Well, the chalk walk started maybe a year before I got here on a much smaller scale.

And someone who was volunteering at the museum, in their travels, saw a chalk walk done in another city and thought: “You know, what an interesting concept.

” Then, you've got probably as many as 200 artist now.

They're out, in whatever the heat is, laying on a hot street and doing the designs that they've usually laid out on some kind of drawing earlier.

And then the public is watching them do it right there in front of everybody.

There's your piece coming to life.

It's a living, breathing art--happening.

Haylie: And so we're currently in the gallery, and this is somewhat of a newer part of the museum, correct?

Charles Shepard III: Yes, it is.

Haylie: So what started the exhibit?

Charles Shepard III: Well, we started in here, in this sequence of three galleries, because the ceiling height turned out to be perfect for lighting the glass in the test runs we did several years ago.

Said: “Okay, let's do the first big glass show in here.

So that was called the Summer of Glass.

And we did three shows, one in each gallery.

And it was a huge success.

I mean, people came from everywhere to see it.

So people kept saying, Why can't we have glass in the winter?

Why can't we have glass in the spring?

Haylie: So this really started as just kind of a summer program.

But then the community spoke and you delivered their expectations and furthermore, they helped build this entire collection.

That's right.

So it's really a community project.

Charles Shepard III: It is a community project.

Our goal that we're working on is to have the largest collection of glass sculpture in the entire Midwest.

Wow.

And actually, we're closing in on that goal.

Haylie: I want to go back to the kimono.

That is a statement piece in the gallery, to say the least Haylie: What's what was kind of the thought behind not only acquiring that, but even the artist.

They do it a weaving technique.

Charles Shepard III: the they were glass artists that specialized in stained glass windows first.

And then they got the notion that if they took the pole.

So you take a blob of glass when it's hot and you pull it and cool it.

So now you have a stiff thread.

Now, if you reheat that thread, you could give it shape.

Well, by putting some stiff threads together and heating them very carefully in the oven, they will weave together, they'll melt together.

And so they spent 18 months just figuring out how to do it.

And they they've created four kimonos for the seasons, one for every season.

And they're the only kimonos in the world in existence.

They're extremely valuable now for their rareness.

And they're all in private hands.

Except this one, which was in private hands.

And the owner decided to donate it to us.

And given the public's reaction to it, she did the right thing.

So what she's in.

Haylie: Is this kimono representing.

Charles Shepard III: This is called Spring Dawn.

Haylie: I was very much admiring the piece and I did get a spring feel.

But the dawn part was shocking to.

Me because the purples made me feel like it was more twilight.

Charles Shepard III: Yeah.

Haylie: I love it, but I love the colors, so.

Oh.

Charles Shepard III: They're beautiful colors.

Haylie: What do you love most about the festival?

Charles Shepard III: Well.

I love the art in the park, but that that would be number one for me.

Number two, the going, you know, to the food alley and and indulging in something that I probably shouldn't eat.

Haylie: I always say happiness has no calories, so it's okay.

Charles Shepard III: Well, I'm with you did I'm going to use that phrase.

Haylie: Junk Food Alley is a crowd favorite at the Three Rivers Festival.

And I can see why there are so many options.

Have chocolate.

Caramel, strawberry cheesecake off to die for.

It's so good.

While exploring the eats, I ran into Jarred, the festival president who shared more about the event and what goes into planning this nine day festival.

It was started in 1969 to really get people to come down to Fort Wayne to celebrate the Fort Wayne businesses as well.

What downtown has to offer.

And here and still in 2023, we're still having, you know, great parks and great businesses and that we support.

Haylie: So in 1969.

John Nichter: That's incredible.

The actual the first the parade that year was actually on the river, which right here at Headwaters Park where we are now.

This wasn't always the the location had was part.

It's changed over the years.

But the last 20 years or so, we've been and Headwaters Park and then right here, the Three Rivers where the the Saint Mary's, Saint Joseph and the Maumee River all convene.

Haylie: What's the preparation look like for that?

John Nichter: We actually start in June of moving into this park.

So over almost two weeks, we actually start setting up in the park, getting different vendors, setting up our stage, our our midway ride.

And then we have to tear it down.

And three days we have over 400 individuals that help during this festival.

Haylie: So you've been president for the past three years, which means one of those years you dealt with a very hard time for our country, which is the pandemic and the shutdown.

What was it like from that time that we shut down to coming back for the first time?

John Nichter: Absolutely.

Taking the, you know, canceling a year of the festival, really for our community and not just the festival world, but the whole country was going through some difficult times of not being to go out.

And one of those things is during the summer when in July everyone knows the Three Rivers Festival comes around.

So as things started clearing up with regulation and we knew more about COVID.

We were able to have the festival in 2021 and it was really exciting to see everyone come back down and start get back to some normalcy.

We had a record number of attendance and everyone was excited to come out and support the community and kind of get back to something that's normal and fun.

Haylie: So kind of touch on that.

What are some traditions that make the theme of this festival unique?

John Nichter: Well, I mean, we have our the Elk River Excursion, so we give out free boat, pontoon boat rides on the river.

We have our waiter waitress competition.

So that's where a lot of local restaurants actually get the rundown and start setting up tables.

And, you know, if you spill water or spill some salad, you get points deducted.

Back in 1969, the river remedy festivals, also Three Rivers was where you canned riots and riots getting Elephant Ear and I come down to downtown Fort Wayne.

So.

So we have a lot of different things have come and gone and we try to, you know, reflect what the community wants and bring that to the festivals.

Haylie: With over 235 restaurants in Fort Wayne, it's no surprise judges are extra critical during this ever competition.

One restaurant that has come out on top actually started out as a food truck.

Johnny Perez: Yes.

And luckily, we've started with the food truck.

So we got to journey around Fort Wayne and build kind of a community and like the southwest side of town up north.

And we ended up downtown with our, like I may say, our flagship location.

So that's kind of allowed us to be able to take some of that.

I would say exposure from earlier months in the food truck and to be now in like the new density, almost like a big food core of downtown on the land.

And here we've been awesome.

Haylie: What is what is the landing?

I mean, it's clearly a food hub, but how long has it been part of Fort Wayne?

Johnny Perez: So it's pretty much like the oldest street, right?

The landing was literally where everyone arrived, like back in the day, and that's what made it pretty much so popular.

But it recently got renovated and redeveloped over the past.

I'd say now five, seven years it's been a big project, so it didn't look like it looks like now.

And there's just a lot more investment and trying to get some local entrepreneurs on on the first floor.

And there's a lot of living spaces above where they try to preserve as much as possible as they could to keep the historic feeling on the block.

Haylie: So would you say, because you're not a native here, you're actually from California, moved to the Midwest, is that really what inspired your menu?

Because it's not it's not a menu that we're used to seeing in this market.

Johnny Perez: Yes.

So I was born in California, but came here a really young age.

So I would consider myself like a midwest person in a sense.

But there's so much things that we've been able to taste that we visit family members over there that there's just like a different seasoning over there.

Right.

And what I think is like a lot more generations have been built from like Mexican-American culture.

So you have your deeply rooted in traditional ingredients, but there's like a new perception of how this ingredient supposed to be used, which led us to think like there's no real Cali Mex food in Fort Wayne.

There's a lot of Tex-Mex right?

And you've got different sauces, heavy cheeses.

I just think Cali makes was something that hadn't been really leaned into in this market and we thought it would be great because this resonates at a personal level.

Haylie: I, I have to acknowledge that when you walk in, it is really a gorgeous space.

What was kind of your vision with some of the art that we can see here at the restaurant?

Johnny Perez: I'd say pretty much my wife responsible for all that.

And because most restaurants end up just being, you know, just drywall and maybe some wood paneling where you kind of want it to be an expression of the city and other arts that are in the restaurant.

Right.

Luckily, we get to be the ones doing the food and the cocktails.

But to be surrounded by that sort of I would say that real local community, that's not just local food, it's a local destination.

That's what kind of mom would add it to, like the intent of why we wanted it to look the way it does.

Haylie: Okay.

There you go.

That's really fun.

International Village celebrates the diversity found within Fort Wayne.

The vibrancy and movement of these skirts are captivating, but got me wondering how are they able to.

Haylie: Flow like that?

Margarita Walley: These materials are between polyester and cotton.

Haylie: Okay.

Margarita Walley: Which is why material like the red skirt is.

I think it's polyester, so it is more heavy.

So you can see them more waves and the skirt has the heaviness.

Haylie: I love watching it.

Margarita Walley: You look like it's like a wave that way.

Haylie: Yeah, it's it's.

It's an extension to the body movement.

Yeah.

Yeah, it's part of it.

Yes.

Beautiful.

Now, the final dance there was.

There was a pairing of both a girl and a guy, and there was a hat.

What?

What, what solid dance was that?

Margarita Walley: That is the *Spanish *.

Haylie: Yeah.

What do you love most about teaching the youth?

Margarita Walley: This style of dance, the learning, the learning experience, the capacity they have, they think they have, and they start moving the skirts the girls and the guys with their feet and hands with the head and everything is like, Wow, I can do this.

So they know.

They know they can do it.

Haylie: The International Village is one of many special events throughout the nine day festival.

Gary has been a longtime board member and has seen how the Three Rivers Festival has evolved to be as inclusive as possible so all can enjoy the event.

Jerry White: We look at it and we try to cover the diversity of a community, and that way everybody feels part of that community.

We don't see that often in a lot of other activities in a community where that's our goal is to bring everybody together, have fun for the greater enjoyment of their life.

It's just like today we had a sensory day and just see those people be able to enjoy, you know, this environment.

Haylie: Now impact that for me.

What is sensory day.

Jerry White: Is for those that have a disability and some of them and it allows them those that where loud noises will cause problems, all the road noises are all shut off.

And you know, we had probably over 300 plus, you know, young adults here.

Haylie: That's incredible.

I mean, what we've come to learn so far is that the Three Rivers Festival really is dedicated to bring the community together.

And you even take that extra step and accommodate and try to include everyone even having this special sensory day.

Yes.

Do you have a favorite must get food item from Junk Food Alley?

Jerry White: Well, I've been in charge of junk Food Alley for 30 years and there are a couple I have.

One is the sort derby meat on the stack.

And then sirloin tips with the potatoes and mushrooms.

Haylie: Oh, so you're like a meat and potatoes kind of guy, is what I'm hearing.

Jerry White: I guess I would say that.

It's not the Three Rivers Festival, but that a pontoon boat where visitors can board down by the riverfront at Promenade Park, which is one of many throughout the city.

Exploring the parks is a great way to get moving.

Eden Lamb: So we just added the new park.

But it's 88 total.

Haylie: Wow.

Yeah.

All throughout the Fort Wayne region, correct?

Eden Lamb: Yep.

Haylie: So we're here and salmon Farms, which is unique because we're actually, you know, here in Fort Wayne, it's a city, but kind of hidden.

Is this farm which has all kinds of walking paths, animals.

I mean, how did the city Come together and decide this plot of.

land needed to be preserved as a farm?

Eden Lamb: So actually, there was a family the Solomon family came to America, purchased this land, and in 95 actually decided that they wanted to donate it to the Parks Department in the city of Fort Wayne.

So what they saw that this area was becoming more developed and they had 170 plus acres here.

And they felt like with new housing additions, additions going up, all sorts of businesses going up in the area, they felt like there's a need for green space.

So the city and the Fort Wayne Parks Department is grateful for their donation.

But the property was actually donated to the city.

Haylie: It goes beyond people being able to visit, but you actually host programs throughout the year.

Eden Lamb: We do.

In the summer.

We have a six week day camp, so we have about 145, 160 kids here for six weeks in the summer.

We have a farmer's market and typically that's every Wednesday night we do cooking programs as well.

Oh, yeah.

So come here.

Learn how to cook, get a feel for that farm to four sort of experience.

So it just gives people a feel of Solomon and Fort Wayne and farming and interacting with animals and lots of great stuff.

Haylie: So of course, and of course the Highlander calves, right.

Highland Cat.

Eden Lamb: Highland Highland Cats.

Haylie: Highland cats.

Yes.

They're so cute.

Yes.

Yeah.

I just want to give them a big hug.

Hi, baby.

Hi.

Oh, you're so cute.

Yes, I bet my dog even love you.

Yes, he would, I guess.

Share.

Got to share.

I got one hand, guys.

Okay.

Okay.

Here you go.

Oh, maybe that will work, huh?

Yes.

Well, we're making this.

I'm clearly having fun with the cows.

I mean, how could I not?

Frankie and Mickey are so adorable.

I could stay here all day, but my hands are slimy, and there are more farm friends to meet.

It's better.

than nothing.

Right, fellas?

You're like, three.

I'm sorry I don't speak fluent.

Go.

I don't know what that means.

I'm assuming.

No.

If you're in here.

Larry shares a similar passion for the animals on the farm.

Larry Hicks: The highland cows are amazing.

They're one of the most easy going cow breeds.

I mean, they're.

They're a very docile breed.

They love humans, and they're so cute.

The goats have grown on me because they're just you have no idea what to when you go with the goats, you have no idea what's going to happen.

Oh.

Haylie: We know who's the adventurous one.

Larry Hicks: I mean, they're going to know on something.

They're going to be chewing on your shirt or they're gonna be jumping on.

You are new baby goats.

If you kneel down, they're going to be jumping on your back, you know?

So there's so much fun.

I mean, Junebug, which is our mini horse, only when we have out here, he was actually given to us by someone that had them in their backyard in Fort Wayne.

So I'm not sure how big this backyard was, but.

And he is a sweetheart and you can put a carrot in your mouth and just come out to take it out of your mouth very gently and.

Haylie: What is your favorite part about bringing the youth out onto this property?

Larry Hicks: Probably seeing some of the kids has never been on a farm experience spending time with animals, you know, I mean, some of them be a little hesitant, but as the week goes on, they get a little more comfortable with the animals.

And I mean, animals, I think, are important to all of us.

I mean, I, I think that's pretty cool seeing them adapt to them and becoming more comfortable with them as the week goes on.

Haylie: The animals at Solomon Farm Park are sweet, but you know what else is sweet?

Chocolate?

I took a tour of two brand fine chocolates and sampled some of their treats.

Caffeine and chocolate signed me up.

I have to stir it a little bit to get the chocolate in there.

Some chocolate.

I was inspired to explore.

The chocolate confections of the kind of super collection is.

Three are part of the consumer line.

They are hand designed and they are the most adventurous in flavor.

This is called The Passion Cute little chocolate sticker on There is a passion romance.

I'm excited.

The ganache inside is actually a white chocolate with passion fruit.

So while you get the sweetness of the milk chocolate, you're met with almost like a sweet tartness inside and it's a great flavor experience.

Melissa shared some of her favorite creations at the brand Fine Chocolates.

Mellissa Fuller: Probably our Caramel Pretzel bar.

It's our rich, buttery, caramel surround, salty, crunchy pretzels.

And then that's all surrounded in our sweet milk chocolate.

So it's chewy and crunchy.

Sweet and salty.

Haylie: mouthwatering.

Yeah.

All of the flavors in one, right?

Mellissa Fuller: Yes.

Haylie: When it comes to the tour, I mean, what can people expect when they explore the chocolate process?

Mellissa Fuller: Yeah, when they come in and check in for a tour or the Three Rivers Festival or any to a really, we start with a brief little presentation and then we'll stop briefly in our shipping department to explain how we handle our shipping year round in the summer months and in the winter.

And then we move on to our three production kitchens where they'll learn about each kitchen, what they prepare for us, and of course try the things they prepare as well.

And that is the best part.

That is the best part.

That's why I'm here.

So I just you just give me the chocolate.

That's right.

Haylie: How many tours do you see throughout the nine day duration of the Three Rivers Festival?

Mellissa Fuller: Great question.

We do five tours a day and to this point, obviously not including today.

Tomorrow we've had about 530 people on tour.

Haylie: Wow.

Thats incredible.

Mellissa Fuller: And Friday and Saturday is always busy towards the end of the festival.

So we'll see.

Haylie: So it's still ticket at this it, right?

Mellissa Fuller: Yes.

Yes.

Haylie: What is your favorite part about your job?

Mellissa Fuller: Probably interacting with our customers.

I just have a lot of regulars.

I've gotten to know them over the years and introducing them to our product because, you know, if you come in, I'm happy.

You're always happy because chocolate makes you happy.

Haylie: Yes.

Smelling it I'm already in a better mood.

Yeah.

A traditional festival with a dedication to inclusion and diversity is what makes the previous festival in Fort Wayne, Indiana, a standout.

I look forward to the next festival.

We find you can visit finding festivals dot com to learn more about the series, get updates through the digital newsletter and connect with me on social media where you can access more content on festival fun.

They also have helicopter ride and water spa during the festival, so you have great here's a fly.

Haylie: Part of your world!

What are your plans for Sunday at least for flying wont let me finish my question.

Excuse me.

Yeah, we're filming.

Jessa: Got a moment, please?

Haylie: Silence is what we mean.

Yes, it's.

That was not going to be a bite.

Will he peck me?

No you are fine..

I so bad want to jerk but then I'm afraid you'll never hold another chicken.

Finding festivals is brought to you in part by Find some Lake Erie Love?

It's a SHORE thing!

Learn how at SHORESandISLANDS.com and start an adventure today.

Toledo.

More than you ever imagined.

Learn more at visittoledo.org.