After opening the season with six road matches, Fort Wayne FC returns home to face Charlotte Independence on May 2 for a major moment: the team’s first professional home match and the grand opening of Ruoff Mortgage Stadium, a new 9,200‑seat venue built for this era on Bass Road near Interstate 69.

Stepping up

The May 2 home opener becomes a marker in a city’s sports timeline, the moment when something small becomes something real.

“This is a professional league,” Chief Operations Officer Scott Sproat said of United Soccer League’s League One. “Guys are faster, bigger, stronger, better decision‑makers, and more experienced.”

To help fans understand the jump, Sproat frames it simply: “Think of it as a level comparable to the Komets in the ECHL… (Major League Soccer) at the top, then USL Championship, then USL League One at that same AA level.”

Only four players from last year’s USL2 roster, Aurie Briscoe, Tiago Dias, Anthony Hernandez, and Auburn’s Reid Sproat, made the jump. 

“That shows how big the step is from League Two to League One,” Sproat said.

This season also brings something Fort Wayne has never experienced: a real shot at measuring itself against the top of the USL pyramid. Established USL Championship clubs Indy Eleven and Detroit City FC will come to Fort Wayne for the Prinx Tires USL Cup. Indy visits Saturday, May 16, and Detroit is Saturday, July 11. 

These games are measuring sticks.

And it doesn’t stop there. 

Fort Wayne will also play two USL Cup games on the road, including April 25 at Louisville, giving the club four chances to test itself against higher‑level opponents in meaningful competition. 

For a first‑year professional team, that’s a big deal and a rare opportunity to accelerate the club’s growth curve. It’s the type of schedule that forces a team to grow up quickly.

World-class facility

Walking into the largest soccer‑specific venue in Indiana, fans will notice it the moment they see it. The 32‑acre site is built to feel instantly professional, with several features engineered to pull fans into the action:

Sub‑grade pitch: The field sits 7 feet below ground level, creating a natural bowl and allowing fans to see the field from anywhere on the concourse.

Massive videoboard: This 120-foot-by-35-foot screen above the south gate is the second‑widest in Indiana.

Steep grandstand: No seat is more than 87 feet from the field.

Pitch‑level suites: Fourteen field‑edge suites bring fans close to the game.

Acoustic canopy: The roof traps and bounces crowd noise back onto the field.

The project is also built to be a regional hangout, with a fan zone, patios, and a beer garden creating a 11/2‑acre space for concerts, festivals, and community events all year long.

“It will be a soft opening, and everyone will just have to keep coming back to see all the features that we’ll be adding as it continues to progress towards completion,” Sproat said of the season that runs through Oct. 24.

Even with all the new technology, the club wants the stadium’s culture to grow naturally. 

“A team’s identity can’t be forced,” Sproat says. “We’re listeners as much as we are presenters.”

Year-round entertainment

The vision stretches far beyond soccer. 

The club expects the stadium to become a year‑round gathering place, not just a match-day venue. Concerts, festivals, community events, and regional showcases are all part of the plan, the kind of programming that turns a stadium into a destination.

“There promises to be a plethora of non-soccer events,” Sprout said. “Something for everyone.” 

He’s not talking about a handful of offseason rentals. He’s talking about a place built to stay busy, built to draw people in, built to matter.

Sproat sees the project as part of something bigger, something that reaches past the city limits. 

“The world’s game … expanding in Fort Wayne in a way that will allow our area to catch up to the rest of the world,” he said.

That idea is the hinge point. It’s not just about a new league or a new stadium. It’s about Fort Wayne stepping into a global sport with real momentum behind it and doing it in a way that feels intentional.

And that’s the larger shift. Fort Wayne isn’t just joining a league, it’s falling in line with the global rhythm of the sport.

Sproat wants everyone to leave the stadium thinking, “I can’t wait to see what they’re going to do next.”

“I didn’t know anything, you know, ‘What’s a children’s zoo?’ Then (my wife and I) came out and, you know, medium-sized zoo, didn’t know much about Fort Wayne,” he said. “But when we walked through the zoo, oh my gosh, it was beautiful. The landscaping was gorgeous. The theming was fantastic, this beautiful space with these animals roaming around. It was really well done, and I loved the layout of this zoo. It’s just a great collection of animals and the team was really friendly. 

“We just agreed right at that moment that we could be a part of this zoo.”

As he enters his sixth year at the helm, the biggest change may be dropping the “Children’s” from the name last year, but that’s not all that’s changed.

Along with the name change, the zoo has worked to be an attraction far beyond day hours and warm weather.

“What you’ve been seeing over the last five years is that we are a world-class zoo, we have fantastic animals, but one of the things I like to talk about is that we’re more than a zoo,” Schuiteman said. “There’s an opportunity to come back to see beautiful lanterns during Glo Wild. There is an opportunity to come back and see Christmas lights during Christmas. It’s a chance to come back with your buddies and your friends or a date after hours with adults only at night for Rock & Roar (concerts).

“We’re trying to give these opportunities to come back to the zoo. Yes, you can still see animals. Yes, you can ride the rides, but there’s other things you can do at the zoo as well.”

But even with opportunities outside the regular zoo schedule, those animals are still the main attraction. And on Friday, April 24, you’ll get a chance to revisit those, as well as some new ones, including a Sumatran orangutan born Jan. 11, when the zoo opens for the season, running through Oct. 31.

New Faces

When the zoo reopens to the general public on April 24, there will be plenty of new animals to check out, including the aforementioned infant Sumatran orangutan, Raya.

Raya, which is derived from the Indonesian word for “grand,” was born to Tara, 30, and father Tengku, 39. She is joined in the troop by her 11-year-old sister, Asmara, as well as the 41-year-old Melati.

“I’m very proud of the Fort Wayne Zoo’s efforts in the conservation of orangutans,” Senior Animal Care Specialist Angie Selzer said in a press release at the time. “Every single orangutan birth is significant to the survival of the species, and our group at the zoo is very important in the greater picture.”

Along with the addition of Raya, the zoo also welcomed births of a Victoria crowned pigeon, a Luzon bleeding heart dove, and a white-throated ground dove.

Other new faces include three Mandarin ducks and a 2-year-old reticulated python. Bubba the harbor seal will also get a full season at the zoo after arriving in Fort Wayne in November. 

There are other animals expected to join the 1,500 at the zoo this season, including a male wildebeest, a California sea lion, zebra, and a few more surprises.

Learning while being entertained

With all the new animals, the zoo has also been updating habitats, which have helped transform the zoo the last few years.

From the updated habitats for the North American river otters and capuchin monkeys to Coastal Cove and Red Panda Ridge, the zoo is continually turning heads. In fact, Red Panda Ridge was No. 6 on USA Today’s list of 10 Best Exhibits for 2024.

“They’re so adorable,” Schuiteman said of the red pandas. “We’ve also created a breeding space for them, so hopefully we’ll have some cubs sometime soon. That will be great. The red panda cubs are so cute. So that’s in the future, hopefully. 

“We’ve brought binturongs back to the zoo, which is a really cool-looking animal. They’re up there as well. It’s a multi-species space, so there’s a muntjac in there with the red pandas. It’s ended up just revitalizing and making that space look really great.”

Just across from Red Panda Ridge is Bamboo Forest Adventure Play and Marketplace, where folks of all ages can climb on the two-story ropes-style course.

Last year saw the opening of Coastal Cove, which has proved to be as much of a learning opportunity as an entertaining one.

“That’s the home of our California sea lions and harbor seals,” Schuiteman said. “We started talking about that early on because it’s just an educational message because most guests get confused between seals and sea lions. They would see the sea lions and say, ‘Oh, look at the seal.’ Well, no, it’s a sea lion. ‘Well, what’s the difference?’ So, we wanted both species there, so we brought seals to the zoo. 

“We have both species so people can see the difference. They interact fine. They live together in harmony, but it’s fun to have them together so people can see them.”

Educating people is an important component of Fort Wayne Zoo, where Keeper Chats are conducted throughout the day at different locations. 

“We’ve done a much better job, I think, of really trying to let people know when those are,” Schuiteman said. “We actually have the times on the park map now so people know when they are. They can meet the keepers and learn more about the animals, because we want to share their passion and share the stories, and guests always love to hear about the animals. Any time you get to meet a keeper and hear about their cool life and what they do at the zoo, it’s really special, and kids, especially, love to hear that stuff.”

Learning and being entertained has been the goal of the zoo since Earl Wells was the executive director from 1965-1994, followed by Jim Anderson’s run from 1994-2020 after which the keys were handed to Schuiteman.

“Earl and Jim really believed in families and kids in interacting and having fun and seeing the animals and being able to have both,” Schuiteman said. “That it’s OK to learn and have fun at the same time, that was so brilliant.”

More opportunities to visit

Building on the legacy of his predecessors, Schuiteman has worked to make the zoo a nearly year-round attraction.

“When I got here, we were a six-month operation, and boy, everybody, I talked to said, ‘We love the zoo. We love the zoo.’ Every time I’d open people would show up,” he said. “I remember the first time was just an experiment and we opened and there was a line of people coming in. It was freezing cold, they’re in blankets and I’m like, ‘They love the zoo. They want to come to the zoo. So, let’s give them a reason to come back to the zoo.’ 

“That’s why we’re trying to do these things, and I really appreciate the support of the community. 

“We are now a nine-month operation. We’re closed January, February, and a little bit of March, but we still do a Valentine’s dinner.”

This past holiday season, the zoo joined in on Blue Jacket’s Fantasy of Lights next door at Franke Park, hosting their own Fort Wayne Light Fest, which included nearly 1 million lights, dance parties, and nightly tree lightings with Santa.

A couple of months later, following the Valentine’s dinner in The Reef, the zoo opened March 5 for the second annual Glo Wild, a lantern festival that extends throughout the venue.

“There’s a couple hundred of these things, all different shapes and sizes,” Schuiteman said of the lanterns, which are on display from 7:30-10 p.m. until May 2 when times are 8:30-11 p.m. until May 31. “We’ve got a humongous dragon, it’s like 131 feet long. There’s a T-Rex. There’s just all these incredible lanterns, and it’s just so cool.”

When it comes to rides, one of the favorites got a technological upgrade this offseason.

“We got a new train,” Schuiteman said of the Z.O.&O. Railroad. “The old train, she was 60 years old, and had about 50 percent downtime. We had a lot of people showing up frustrated because the train was closed, in the shop being repaired. We got frustrated. The mechanics were frustrated. The guests were frustrated. So, we just decided we got to do a fundraiser, we gotta raise money for a train. The community rallied. We raised over $400,000 to get a new electric train. No more gas, it’s an electric train. It was built by Chance (Rides), they’re located in Wichita, Kan. 

“The engine is new, but the cars are old. We’ve repainted all the cars. So, it’s still the same cars, but they’re all repainted so it looks new.”

Also new this year will be Fun Fridays from June 12-Aug. 28 when the zoo will reopen from 4-7 p.m. with $15 admission for all.

For the adults

The zoo has always been, and will always be, most popular among the kids. However, mom and dad and others without children have opportunities to enjoy the venue as well, with the biggest being the annual Rock & Roar concert series.

“We decided, let’s do a date night at the zoo, where you keep your kids at home, come back to the zoo after hours,” Schuiteman said. “So, the zoo would close at 5 p.m., we’d reopen at 6 or 7, and you come in with your friends, your family, your date and just enjoy the zoo without the kids. There’s adult beverages. There’s specialty food. The rides would be free, so you wouldn’t have to worry about all that kind of stuff — just come and enjoy the food and the rides and the animals.

“The adults loved it. They just drank and socialized. They walked around and would see the animals, but really, they just wanted to hang out together and hear the music.”

That series begins June 26 with yacht rock act Yacht Party, followed by the anime band Spirit Bomb on July 10, Whoa, Man! on July 24, The Sweetwater All Stars on Aug. 7, Tribute, an arena rock tribute band, on Aug. 21, and Decade Divide for the Halloween party Oct. 24.

“We’re gonna probably rebrand that to a different name instead of Rock & Roar,” Schuiteman said of the Halloween celebration. “We’re trying to make that the biggest Halloween party in Fort Wayne, because the last two years, it’s just gotten bigger and bigger. Everybody’s showing up in costumes and they’re just having so much fun in the zoo. It’s dark. We do these train rides with zombies that show up on the train ride. And, again, it’s only adults, but it’s really a fun party, so we’re trying to expand that and make it even more of a thing for Fort Wayne.”

Another popular after-hours event at the zoo is Zoofari, a fundraiser that allows patrons 21 and older and wander around while sampling food and drinks from more than 50 local and regional establishments along with live music.

“That always sells out,” Schuiteman said of the event in which tickets go on sale May 4 for Safari Society members and 9 a.m. on May 11 to the general public. “It’s so popular.”

In the end, all of these events, from admission, to tickets to Zoofari, Glo Wild, Rock & Roar, and others is to help out the day-to-day operations.

“There are hundreds of zoos in the country, and we are only one of 10 that does not receive taxpayer support for our general operation, which is unbelievable,” Schuiteman said. “We have to rely on admission dollars, we have to rely on memberships, and we have to rely on donations to run our operation at the zoo.

“When somebody buys that membership, that’s huge for us. When somebody shows up for a fundraiser, that’s huge for us. When somebody buys a ride ticket that helps support the zoo. Those things are so critical. 

“So, whenever we do those special events, if it’s a Mother’s Day Brunch (on May 10), a special Rock & Roar event that we’re doing, you name it, that helps fund the zoo and helps support our mission.”

Eiffel Tower in Paris, The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, and Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco have remained stationary fixtures. But Cindy’s Diner deserves the superlative designation of “landmark” rather than mere “fixture,” despite its being relocated three times and renamed another three times in its 74-year history.

Community vibe

Before the tiny house that sits at 230 W. Berry St. became a thing, Cindy’s might have pioneered the “tiny diner” concept. Although, instead of tiny, let’s use the word “cozy,” or even “intimate”: 15 seats, in the form of round, red vinyl-covered fixed but swiveling stools with back supports, lined up along an L-shaped red countertop in a galley-style narrow expanse. Think dining car on an Amtrak train, but with the cook in the middle of the action, serving up the sass as well as the food.

Take a seat anywhere, if there is indeed one available. With only 15, they do fill up, and then empty again, frequently — and be prepared to have someone on both sides of you, an elbow’s length away. 

Anticipate casual, relaxed conversations will mingle together. It’s not exactly a single conversation, but there is a strongly communal aspect to the experience regardless of how full or empty (rarely) the diner may be. 

It’s a place you come not just for a hearty breakfast or super-fresh, hot coffee, but for instant community, making conversation that somehow feels real and more meaningful than mere small talk, but also makes no demands on you. It’s the kind of place where you just might find that another diner has picked up your check. That happened to me on my first visit (and another thank you, by the way, to my unknown benefactor).

From Dishwasher to owner

The atmosphere in Cindy’s is somewhat reminiscent of the bar in the sitcom Cheers, but, if you can believe it, it’s even more relaxed and pleasant than what was portrayed on television. 

Here the owner/cook Angie and server Sheila, and possibly some of the other diners, probably do know your name, especially if you are a regular, which nearly two-thirds of their customers are. 

How fitting, then, that sitting on one of the stools feels almost like being in a home kitchen, shooting the breeze with your dining neighbors while Angie “Brat” Rowedda cooks on the flattop grill in plain view of all.

What’s “Brat” about? It’s the nickname bestowed on her by previous longtime owner John Scheele and which was emblazoned on the back of the T-shirt she wore while working.

“I was young. I could definitely give people a hard time,” Rowedda said. “I was pretty sarcastic. I’ve chilled out being here 30 years.”

She started at Cindy’s in 1996 when John and Cindy Scheele owned the diner, then named Marge’s, that they had bought at auction in 1990. Rowedda’s first job was dishwasher — “my first ‘big girl’ job,” she said —from, ironically, a temp agency. 

“I don’t know that I intended to stay forever,” she said. 

But when the Scheeles retired, she bought the business because “it was the only job I had ever known as an adult,” explaining she moved into the server role when Cindy Scheele had to step away for health reasons. 

By the time Rowedda took over in May 2016, she already had the experience she needed because she had run the diner the year before when John was out following back surgery.

Partnership

The very concept of multi-tasking has been challenged and purportedly debunked. But anyone who has watched Angie cook and Sheila serve patrons would have to conclude multi-tasking is the only viable explanation for how they function together so efficiently and smoothly, handling the continual flow of hungry customers — sometimes a trickle, sometimes a stream, and sometimes a flood. 

And they do so with sass or compassion, and sometimes a mixture of both, as the situation or the customer warrants. 

Tucked away

The diner itself is a wholly unexpected sight in Fort Wayne’s vibrant downtown, where tall and taller buildings dominate the skyline and overlook the 10-foot-by-40-foot prefab building. 

There at the corner of Berry Street and Maiden Lane sits Cindy’s, the 1950s throwback, which looks charmingly out of context, much like Dorothy’s house dropped at the beginning of the Yellow Brick Road in Oz. 

The context becomes crystal clear when you open the menu: familiar diner fare, breakfast and lunch offerings, with breakfast heavily centered on eggs.

Rowedda estimates she uses about 15 dozen eggs every day the diner is open (6 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday), which posed a challenge during last year’s bird flu outbreak. Unlike other restaurants, she did not impose a “surcharge” on menu items with eggs. 

“I was running all over town, trying to buy eggs cheaper,” she said.

Fresh coffee takes on a new and literal meaning because Sheila estimates she brews at least 20, perhaps as many as 25 pots every day, which means a fresh pot is started about every 20 minutes. 

“People love it,” Rowedda said. “It’s the Cadillac of coffees.” This is another instance of “literal”:  their coffee is supplied by the nearly 140-year-old, Fort Wayne-headquartered Cadillac Coffee Company.

Did you know?

One curious bit of historical trivia associated with Cindy’s Diner: there used to be a stoplight in the window. That was a signal specifically for the police “because there were only two or three uniformed officers allowed in here at a time,” Rowedda said. 

So, if the signal was green, two could enter; if it was yellow, then one; and if it was red, that meant any officers who wished to come in to eat had to wait until one had departed.

“I’ve got lots of stories over 30 years,” she said, then qualified, “but I don’t know if they’re all accurate.”

One story to greatly anticipate: the possibility next year of a “garbage-eating contest,” which is the name of the most popular dish on the menu — a blend of eggs, potatoes, cheese, onions, and bits of ham — in celebration of the diner’s 75th anniversary. 

Rowedda has not yet committed, but in response to a booster’s pressure, she is entertaining the idea.

Sunday, May 3, will be an exciting step forward for fans of acoustic folk and classical music, because Warren & Flick are teaming with the 60-member Manchester Symphony Orchestra and conductor Dr. Debra Lynn to debut their first orchestral work, the self-composed concerto, The Flock.

No ordinary instrument

Warren plays the upright bass. Flick plays the violin, tenor guitar (which is tuned like a viola), and his signature instrument, the nyckelharpa, which is well-known in Norway but rarely heard on these shores. 

“Imagine an elongated violin, and then you have four bowed strings and 12 extra strings called sympathetic strings, which sit beneath those,” Flick said. “And then on the side, where the neck is, there are these keys that move these small wooden posts to stop the strings in different places to get different notes.”

In essence, it’s like a cross between a violin and a keyboard. The sympathetic strings ring out with acoustic reverberation, like a grand piano.

“The instrument is originally found in Scandinavian fiddling and early Baroque music in different forms,” Flick said. “Both of us originally heard this instrument in a group (from Sweden) called Väsen. We heard a couple of recordings of them and I was like, ‘Wow, that is a crazy sound!’

“Eventually I found a nyckelharpa in Northern Illinois for sale. This would’ve been 2018, I think, and I instantly fell in love with it and started from there.”

Crossing over

Warren and Flick met during a seminar at the Savannah Music Festival in 2015. Warren was in grad school at the University of Michigan, and Flick followed him as an undergraduate. 

They’ve been a duo ever since.

Interestingly, they benefited from Michigan’s Excel Lab, which teaches entrepreneurship for classical musicians. Kari Landry, clarinetist with the Akropolis Reed Quintet, who played Pearl Street Arts Center on March 12, is a professor in the program.

Warren & Flick have three albums: Kestrel (2019), Waxwing (2022), and Cormorant (2025). Americana and bluegrass fans will be right at home, but will enjoy the exotic Scandinavian flourishes, and that crazy nyckelharpa.

They also perform with two bluegrass/classical/jazz crossover groups, Kittel & Co. and Westbound Situation.

The duo’s connection to Wabash comes from Warren’s years as a scholar in the Wabass Institute of Honeywell Arts Academy, with bassist Ranaan Meyer and Time for Three. Flick joined Warren in the Resonance program for acoustic bands, and Warren has gone on to teach at Wabass. 

The Honeywell Academy’s Fellowship program provides the duo with support for showcases, and together with the Manchester Symphony Orchestra, they’ve enabled this world-premiere concerto.

“Obviously, it’s going to be Warren & Flick as soloists for the whole piece,” Warren said. 

“Grant’s going to be playing the first movement on nyckelharpa, the second movement on tenor guitar, and the final movement is violin and bass. You’re going to get exposure to all of these different instruments and their unique sounds. 

“For the orchestra itself, it’s a pretty standard instrumentation. It’s full strings, doubled winds. There’s quite a lot of featured moments for harp and three multi-percussionists doing their thing.

“It’s in three movements, a fast-slow-fast formula. So, traditional in that sense. I would say it also draws inspiration from some of the structures of typical concerto writing. Although given our musical backgrounds, you’ll definitely hear themes that reach into other genres throughout.”

On the program, Lynn and the orchestra will perform more contemporary works: Inventing Flight by William Bolcom, A Small White Cloud Drifts Over Ireland by Seóirse Bodley, and the ever-popular, ebullient “Flying Theme” from the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial by John Williams.

And here’s a bonus. The week before the orchestra gig, you can catch Warren & Flick as a duo at the Parkview Ballroom at Eagles Theatre, on Wednesday, April 29.

Influences

When asked about their influences, Flick named groups that came on the scene in the 1970s and still perform today: the all-star bluegrass band David Grisman Quintet, and their new-age violinist Darol Anger, whom he studied with at fiddle camps.

Warren explained that unlike most bass players these days, he never played electric bass guitar or rock music.

“The main difference in what we’re doing, if anything, is because we existed in a technologically globalized society since we were conscious.

“My earliest memories of learning to play bass have been on YouTube and being able to hear what people were doing in Korea and being able to hear what people were doing in Germany. And there was not as much of a barrier there in terms of the speed that that information has been traveling.”

He also has influences from the previous generation: bassist Edgar Meyer and mandolinist Mike Marshall. Then there’s jazz electric guitarist Julian Lage, who came on the scene in 2000.

Alongside that, he credits his teacher at Michigan, Diana Gannett. 

“She’s just an amazing player,” Warren said. “Her mother was an opera singer, and she plays bass as lyrically as a singer.”

In addition to touring and selling albums, Warren & Flick have had success getting their music performed by other artists. Though their music started out improvised and played by ear, they have transcribed them and sell the sheet music on their website. 

“Now that we’ve published these arrangements for bass and violin, or bass and guitar, we’ve started to see people performing them,” Warren said. “We’ve had people from London Symphony, I think, the Boston Symphony doing them on chamber concerts, and recitals in schools.”

World Premiere

After this debut, Warren & Flick hope to perform The Flock with other orchestras around the country. But it’s going to start in Wabash, and you can witness it.

“This is our first time writing for orchestra and something this large,” Warren said. “To us, it’s exciting that this performance is going to be unique, because we’re going to be hearing the process.

“And so the audience is going to get to experience it the same way in some sense that we’re experiencing it, for the first time.”

Indiana’s longest-standing professional ballet company, Fort Wayne Ballet, presents Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, April 24-26 at Arts United Center. 

With its multilayered look at love and its complexities, Midsummer Night’s Dream has long been one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays. The ballet version adds another dimension as it is presented with beautiful costumes donned by the same cast of colorful characters we have come to know and love over the years. 

Rounding out the experience is a score performed by the world-class musicians of Fort Wayne Philharmonic helping to make this a show the whole family can enjoy.

Peach Jam are a collective of Chicago musicians who gather together on occasion to pay homage to the music and legend of The Allman Brothers Band. 

When they hit the stage of Baker Street Centre on Saturday, April 25, expect a celebration of the works of the legendary Jacksonville-based Southern rockers with songs performed by stellar musicians that love the music as much as you do. 

In the most honorable way, Peach Jam pay tribute to the hot jams, tight grooves, and iconic vocal harmonies of hits like “Ramblin’ Man,” “Crazy Love,” and “Straight From the Heart.”

The Last Farewell Tour marks the beginning of what the band describes as the “process of retiring” from touring and is also a tongue-in-cheek nod to their 1975 album, The Last Record Album. The band recently released an expanded edition of the LP to celebrate its 50th anniversary. 

As for their latest album, their 18th, Strike Up The Band came out in May. 

In any event, the band are taking a bow after being on the road in one form or another since 1969 and want to close the chapter with you. 

Tickets go on sale Friday, April 24, at 10 a.m. online at clydetheatre.com, by phone at (800) 514-3849, and in person at The Clyde box office and at the Sweetwater concierge desk.  

Country Heritage stacks concert series lineup

County Heritage Winery and Vineyard has announced the lineup for their 2026 Summer Concert Series, and it’s a good one. 

Set against the backdrop of scenic vineyard views, the series has become a staple for guests across the region. 

The series runs from May 15 all the way up to Oct. 29 mostly on Friday and Saturday evenings, featuring a top-notch list of local acts.

Among those performing this summer and early fall will be The Hubie Ashcraft Band (May 22, Aug. 28, Sept. 25) Sunglasses at Night (June 6, Aug. 29, Sept. 19) Cougar Hunter (June 12, Sept. 12) Decade Divide (July 24, Oct. 2), Trevor Hunt & The Sleepers (May 15, Aug. 7), We Are Checkmark (July 4), Summit City Honey (June 5), Joel Young Band (July 31), Weird Science (July 18), The Sweetwater All Stars (June 19, Sept. 18), and Whoa, Man! (May 30, Aug. 1, Sept. 5). 

Country Heritage will also have some themed events throughout the duration like The Rylie Lynn Band with fireworks on May 23, Car Show Cruise-In with music by The Jukebox Heroes on June 20, Arena Rock Tribute Band on July 25, Whoa, Man! with fireworks on Sept. 5, and Halloween Bash with #IYKYK on Oct. 24. 

New this year  are Food Zones throughout the property that are designed to reduce wait times and enhance the guest experience. 

Hey, but before all that, Country Heritage will be celebrating its 15-year anniversary Wednesday, April 29, from 5-9 p.m. with complimentary tasting stations, small bites along the way, 15 percent off food, and live music. Come out and raise a glass and celebrate. 

Grab a chair for Auburn concert series

Speaking of concert series, DeKalb Outdoor Theater will host its Friday Night Performance Series from May-August. 

These shows begin at 7:30 p.m. and free to the public. The schedule includes Big Caddy Daddy (May 29), Auburn Community Band (June 5), Fort Wayne Funk Orchestra (June 12), Weird Science (June 19), Fort Wayne Philharmonic Pops (June 26), Whoa, Man! (July 10), Rekt ( July 17), The Bulldogs (July 24), Mason Dixon Line (July 31), Hoosier Hill (Aug. 7), and Old Crown Brass Band (Aug. 14). 

The theater is located at 301 S. Center Street, adjacent to the DeKalb County Fairgrounds. Bring your favorite lawn chair and let the fun begin!

Berens brings Midwest sensibility to Embassy

Embassy Theatre has announced that on Saturday, Nov. 21, they will bring to town comedian, New York Times best-selling author, Emmy-winning journalist, musician, and author of the viral sensation, The Manitowac Minute, Charlie Berens. 

Berens, a native of Wisconsin, will focus on themes of Midwestern culture, stoicism, and “passive-aggressive” humor, delivered through stand-up, music, and audience interaction. 

Tickets can be purchased at fwembassytheatre.com or in person at The Embassy box office.

Out and About covers Northeast Indiana’s most interesting music and arts events. Send your announcements to info@whatzup.com.

From 10 a.m.-noon and 2-4 p.m. on the first floor atrium at Citizens Square, members of the Northern Darkness Garrison, northern Indiana’s Star Wars costuming group and part of the international 501st Legion, will be on hand to make the day memorable. Costumes are welcomed, but not required.

Couples must obtain a valid Indiana marriage license from the Allen County Clerk of Courts, Room 201, Allen County Courthouse, before the ceremony; the license fee is $25 for Indiana residents. Officiation is free. 

Wedding parties are limited to the couple plus four guests and ceremonies will be scheduled in 20-minute increments. Call (260) 427-1221 to schedule. 

Catch a live community theater production

On Friday, April 24, Three Rivers Music Theatre opens Gypsy, considered one of the most “perfect” American musicals. The story of stage mother Momma Rose and her daughter Louise runs through May 10.

Fort Wayne Youtheatre brings a beloved children’s book to the stage this weekend with Corduroy at the downtown Allen County Public Library. The show runs Saturday-Sunday, April 25-26.

All for One productions continues the run of its medical drama The God Committee Friday-Sunday, April 24-26, at PPG ArtsLab. Tickets are at artstix.org. 

Fourth of July parade planned downtown

Mayor Sharon Tucker announced that Fort Wayne will host a Fourth of July parade this year, tied to the 250th anniversary of the United States.

“It was important for me to be able to host a meaningful celebration for the residents of Fort Wayne and visitors to our great city to enjoy,” Tucker said. “We’re blessed each day by the freedoms and opportunities we have to make a positive difference. I’m hopeful that this special parade will give individuals and families something to look forward to, and inspire a bright outlook for the future.”

The parade begins at 10 a.m. along South Calhoun Street, traveling from Creighton Avenue to Main Street. 

The theme is Celebrate America, 250 Years United. Volunteer spots and parade participation applications are available at engage.cityoffortwayne.org/parade.

Free workshops from Dance Collective

Fort Wayne Dance Collective is hosting back-to-back free professional development workshops May 16 at Turnstone Center, open to service providers, educators, community artists, and anyone interested in designing inclusive movement programs. 

The Diverse Abilities Workshop runs 1-3 p.m., led by Yaro Carpenter and Gloria Minnich. Carpenter holds certifications in the Dancing Wheels Method, Kidding Around Yoga, and Rhythm Works Integrative Dance; Minnich brings more than 30 years of experience teaching individuals with disabilities. 

The Creative Aging Workshop follows from 3-5 p.m., led by Ashley Benninghoff and Liz Monnier — a founding FWDC member and artistic director from 1985-2016 — and focuses on movement for adults 55 and older. 

Register for the workshops at fwdc.org.

News and Venues covers Northeast Indiana’s music and arts organizations, venues, and colleges, from large to small. Send your news items to info@whatzup.com.

To celebrate the anniversary, the restaurant held a private dinner and closed the dining rooms for the night. 

The five‑hour meal was a tribute to its history — quiet, intentional, and built around the dishes that carried the restaurant through five decades. 

The Caruso’s story traces back to 1976, when Joe and Barb Caruso left Fort Wayne to purchase Doc Caccamo’s Pizzeria. Joe, who also worked at Hobby House on North Anthony, cashed out his savings and left his job at a Fort Wayne steel plant to make the deal happen. 

The anniversary celebration will go on all year with a series of giveaways.

Farm-to-table concept at ex-Pint & Slice locale

The downtown space that housed Pint & Slice at 816 S. Calhoun St. is the latest to be acquired by Salvatori’s Restaurant Group, which also owns Salvatori’s, Powers Hamburgers, Shorty’s Steakhouse, Paula’s on Main, El Azteca, and Acme.

The building will be leased to Chef Marcus Daniel, who plans to open Bridgeport, a farm‑to‑table concept built around local sourcing. 

Steak ’n Shake tossing out microwaves

Steak ’n Shake is waving good-bye to its microwaves. 

The company is framing it as a return to “real food” and traditional cooking methods. It’s part of a broader quality reset that began last year with a switch to beef tallow for frying and a push toward less processed foods. 

For Fort Wayne diners, the change applies to all three local stores: 6019 Illinois Road, 5303 Coldwater Road, and 5402 Meijer Drive.

Sip & Shop returns to Union 12 on April 26

Union 12, just west of county line road at 7563 Lincoln Way Road, is bringing back its spring Sip & Shop on April 26 from noon-4 p.m. 

The event happens twice a year.

Girls only at The Fairfield’s brunch event

Good Girls Gone Brunch returns May 3 at The Fairfield, 2301 Fairfield Ave., from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. 

The format is simple: throwback hits, a brunch buffet, and one complimentary mimosa or mocktail. 

The event is intended for women, and attendees must be 18 or older.

Enjoy top-shelf bourbon at steakhouse

Bourbons with Bob is scheduled for May 1 in the library space at Auburn City Steakhouse in Auburn. 

The 6-7:30 p.m. session features Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel and Elijah Craig 18‑Year, two bottles that rarely show up in casual tastings.

Off the Eaten Path is the Whatzup weekly column that covers Northeast Indiana’s restaurant and food news. Send your news items to info@whatzup.com.

Author Chris Schroeder is set to appear at Bricks & Minifigs at Apple Glen Crossing on Saturday, April 25. 

Writer of All About the Details: Room by Room, Schroeder will sign his highly acclaimed book detailing hundreds of step-by-step instructions on building Lego minifig-scale furniture, appliances, lighting, and fixtures to add tons of detail to your interior builds. 

He will also oversee several hands-on workshops during his stay that will teach new building techniques, unique part usage, and ideas from pre-built scenes. 

Books will be available for purchase at the event, and the workshops include building sessions with a kit from Schroeder’s book along with the meet and greet.

“Don’t touch that!” is a phrase you will not hear nor say at Touch-A-Truck, taking place Saturday, April 25, at Ivy Tech’s Coliseum campus. 

Fun is the theme of the day when you bring the kids and let them loose to explore and touch a variety of vehicles including fire engines, police cars, ambulances and other fun, interesting, and possibly noisy vehicles. 

Speak with the drivers to find out the secrets to operating the vehicles and plant the seed in the kids that may become a future career choice. — Chris Hupe

Discovered by country star Jake Owen while playing in Nashville bars, Larry Fleet has risen to stardom with a sound that expands the borders of the genre but, at its heart, is still rooted in country storytelling. 

A thoughtful songwriter with a knack for sharp one-liners, Fleet combines sturdy hooks and a powerhouse voice that cuts straight to the truth and resounds with listeners. 

With Another Year Older, his fourth studio album released this year, Fleet takes an honest look at life’s changes and continues to broaden his horizons. 

Hear some of the songs from that album, like the introspective “5:25,” a tribute to his father and the sacrifices he made, along with past hits “Where I Find God” and “Things I Take for Granted” when Fleet brings the Another Year Older Tour to Niswonger Performing Arts Center in Van Wert on Saturday, April 25, with special guest Dasher.

Easterseals of Northeast Indiana presents 2026 Dancing with the Arc Stars on Thursday, April 30, at Grand Wayne Convention Center. 

A shining example of how business and local leaders can make a difference, this event features community volunteers in a dancing competition with Easterseals clients. These volunteers get the opportunity to step into the spotlight to show off their dancing skills — or lack thereof — all in the name of raising funds to help remove financial barriers for those in need. 

Fun outweighs form as the competition is (mostly) friendly, and the ultimate prize is given to the people supported by Easterseals.

Middle Waves was created to showcase a diverse annual lineup of music to the Summit City. 

In that vein, the 2026 lineup of Middle Waves, taking place Saturday, June 6, will have Passion Pit as the headliner along with Beach Bunny, The Paradox, and local favorites Los Aptos and Man of the Flood. 

To build momentum toward that highly anticipated day, the festival is offering a night of local music that will highlight even more diversity in the Fort Wayne scene. 

The Middle Waves Hype Fest at Embassy Theatre features Latin rock and psychedelic cumbia band Los Electro with indie rockers The Indigo Society on Thursday, April 30. 

Co-sponsored by Indiana Tech, this event is the perfect chance to experience the city’s music scene and kick off the road to Middle Waves 2026.

The fan-favorite event, Bach in the Barn, is back for another year. 

Offering a variety of listening experiences in unique settings each year, Fort Wayne Philharmonic checks both boxes with this show as the orchestra presents treasured works of classic composers at the Joseph Decuis Farm, just west of county line road off County Road 900 South. 

During three nights of performances, scheduled for April 30-May 2, you will hear Andrew Constantine lead musicians through works by Sammartini, William Boyce and, of course, J.S. Bach as you sit in a timeless countryside setting surrounded by picturesque landscape. 

Candlelit tables and wine paired with desserts at this event offer an unparalleled opportunity to experience the beauty of classical music. — Chris Hupe

The two-day festival is meant to be a “full-throttle celebration” of country music, community, and the country lifestyle, according to a press release.

The lineup also features Chase Rice, Graham Barham, The Jack Wharff Band, Lakeview, Eddie & The Gateway, and McCoy Moore on Friday. Saturday’s performers are Ashley McBryde, Flatland Cavalry, Maddie, Emily Ann Roberts, Will Moseley, and Joe Stamm Band.

Clapton takes One Last Ride

Guitar legend Eric Clapton will visit six U.S. cities in September, but our region gets three of the stops. 

Kicking off at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena Sept. 6, the tour also stops at Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati on Sept. 8, and United Center in Chicago on Sept. 11. 

Supposedly retiring from touring at some point in the near future, Clapton’s One Last Ride Tour features a mix of his most iconic songs, including “Layla,” “Cocaine,” “Tears in Heaven,” and “Wonderful Tonight.” 

Jimmie Vaughan will play in support.

Fogerty coming to Chicago

Grammy winner, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, and member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame John Fogerty will extend his Legacy Tour. 

Fogerty’s songs “Proud Mary,” “Fortunate Son,” “Born on the Bayou,” “Bad Moon Rising,” and “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” have sold more than 100 million copies and three of those have surpassed 1 billion streams each. 

As a solo artist, Fogerty has released 11 albums, including the Grammy-winning Blue Moon Swamp and the classic Centerfield, whose title track remains the only song ever inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. 

Check out the living legend when he stops at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Chicago on Sept. 3 with special guest Steve Winwood.

Rhett plays his Soundtrack

Country star Thomas Rhett is set to launch The Soundtrack to Life Tour with the trek containing a stop at Acrisure Amphitheatre in Grand Rapids on Aug. 22, Schottenstein Center in and Columbus, Ohio, on Sept. 11, and Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls on Sept. 22. 

“I’ve always believed a great song can take you right back to a moment — your first love, the last day of school, that summer you never wanted to end — and that’s what I hope the fans take away from our shows this summer,” Rhett said in a release.

Buffett party marches on

Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band will be hitting the road this summer on their Keep The Party Going Tour, celebrating the songs of Jimmy Buffet and the Parrothead community. 

Ten-time CMA winner Mac McAnally, who recently played at The Clyde Theatre, will lead the band through songs you know by heart including “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes,” ”Son of a Son of a Sailor” and, of course, the ultimate drinking anthem “Margaritaville,” when Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band visit Everwise Amphitheatre in Indianapolis on July 30, Acrisure Amphitheater in Grand Rapids on July 31, and Pine Knob in Detroit on Aug. 1.

Road Notes covers concerts within driving distance of Northeast Indiana. Send your news items to info@whatzup.com.

Over Your Dead Body

As anyone who’s been in a serious relationship can attest, weekend retreats with significant others do not always go as planned. More than one such plan goes awry in Over Your Dead Body, an action comedy from The Lonely Island alum and MacGruber director Jorma Taccone. 

The film’s couple, Dan (Jason Segel) and Lisa (Samara Weaving), have been married seven years, but their seven-year itch has taken a turn for the deadly. We learn early on that Dan plans to kill Lisa during their trip out in the wilderness, prepping an alibi with his dad/co-worker Michael (Paul Guilfoyle) by saying Lisa is planning on partaking in a rigorous hike over the weekend. As he sneaks up on her in the cabin, she parries his chloroform-soaked rag with a stun gun; it turns out she’s been making plans as well.

We flash back to a few days earlier when Lisa is preparing a fabricated story of her own, telling a friend Dan plans to go hunting during their time away. It’s not clear exactly how Lisa thought out disposing of Dan, and by the time the pair come to learn of their mutual murder plots, it’s obvious neither is a criminal mastermind. 

As they scuffle for a shotgun, a blast hits the ceiling and a trio of interlopers fall from the attic. If things weren’t fraught enough, Michael’s cabin was serving as a temporary safe house for escaped convicts Pete (Timothy Olyphant) and Todd (Keith Jardine), along with crooked corrections officer Allegra (Juliette Lewis). They tie up the squabbling couple, whom they saw bickering from the attic, and try to patch up their dysfunction long enough to shake them down for cash before they continue to evade capture.

Over Your Dead Body is an English-language remake of Norwegian Netflix offering The Trip, and given the amount of twists and turns in both stories, your best shot at enjoying this American re-do is not being familiar with the original. 

The distributor IFC is wisely playing up the fact that the movie comes courtesy of 87North Productions, the company behind action comedies like Bullet Train and Violent Night. What starts out as a tale of desperation amid marital strife gradually gives way to a cheeky wam-bam fight for survival, where blood is spilled in mostly cartoonish and comedically colored fashion. Since co-founding 87North in 2019 and producing the Bob Odenkirk actioner Nobody in 2021, David Leitch has seemingly cornered the market on a brand of bone-crunching action fare with yucks between the ruckus.

The primary reason Over Your Dead Body doesn’t work lies in Taccone’s inability to find a tone that works for the material. 

Segel and Weaving are talented actors, but they’re saddled with characters obnoxious and petty enough that we’d be OK with either one being offed, except that it means the other would succeed. Once they’re interrupted by the fugitives, it becomes easier to root for them as a couple with renewed purpose, but the preceding domestic scenes, where they argue about Scrabble words and how to mince garlic, are torturous. 

In the way Pete and company serve as de facto marriage counselors for Dan and Lisa, Taccone seems to be shooting for an update of The Ref, but lands on the timbre of a home invasion thriller. There’s a specific scene set around the basement billiards table that’s particularly icky and doesn’t mesh at all with the playful anarchic vibe that Taccone is going for.

Taccone and his editor, Jeremy Cohen, put together fight sequences that feature laudable stunt work while also tracking with the bombast from other 87North projects. The best moments in the movie come not from the actual combat sequences but from characters trying to pick up the pieces — sometimes literally — after the fact. A scene where Allegra fruitlessly tries to reassemble fragments of her foot builds to the funniest punchline in the whole film, one that wouldn’t be out of place in a gorier The Lonely Island sketch. 

Like his troupe mate Akiva Schaffer, who helmed the hilarious The Naked Gun last year, Taccone has a killer grip on slapstick humor. But with Over Your Dead Body, he has not proved to have nearly as high a command over darkly comic premises or action set-pieces.

More new movies coming this weekend

• Playing in theaters is Michael, a music biopic starring Jaafar Jackson and Colman Domingo, covering the life and career of pop icon Michael Jackson from his involvement in the Jackson 5 in the ’60s to his early solo career in the ’70s and ’80s.
• Also coming to theaters is Mother Mary, a psychological thriller starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel, involving the fraught relationship between a costume designer and an international pop star on the eve of her comeback performance.
• Premiering on Netflix is Apex, a survival action film starring Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton, following an adrenaline junkie whose rock climbing expedition is thwarted by a fellow adventurer who’s made it his mission to hunt her in the wild.