January 23, 2019 - Celebrate winter with a visit to downtown Fort Wayne on Saturday, January 26. The 7th Annual Winterval festival promises a full day of indoor and outdoor winter fun for all ages.
The Community Center’s FREE Winter Carnival runs from 1 – 4 pm and includes horse and carriage rides, face painting, games and crafts, and yummy treats. Kids can also crawl through an 8 foot ice tunnel and participate in a Children’s Book Swap and Sale. Everyone can enjoy a live ice carving at 2:30 pm. The Community Center is located at 233 W. Main St.
The Botanical Conservatory has Winterval activities from 10 am – 3 pm that day which include crafting a winter bird feeder, interactive displays and an ice carving demonstration. Don’t forget to explore the new “Hundred Acre Wood” exhibit. The Botanical Conservatory is located at 1100 S. Calhoun St. Regular admission applies.
A long list of downtown venues will also offer plenty of fun for the whole family, many providing discounts and refreshments:
- 9-10:30 am: Winter Hike & Bonfire Social, Lindenwood Nature Preserve, Free Guided Hike and Campfire
- 9 am – 3 pm, US Midwest Scale Model Nationals- Freeze Frame Picture Car & Truck Show and Freeze Frame Model, Car, Truck and Hobby Show. First Presbyterian Church, 300 W. Wayne St. Free admission for spectators. Entry fees for participants may be found at www.WintervalFW.com.
- 10 am – 5 pm, Nouvelle Annee: A French Garrison 1759, The Old Fort (Historic Fort Wayne), 1201 Spy Run Ave. Re-enactors will demonstrate mail call, military drills, cooking & sewing. Bake sale, hot cocoa & coffee also available. Free admission, donations accepted.
- 10 am – 5 pm, Science Central, 1950 N. Clinton. Enjoy family fun activities and ice cream made using liquid nitrogen (11 am-4 pm). Regular admission applies.
- 10 am – 3 pm, Winterval at the Conservatory. Regular admission applies.
- 11 am – 10 pm, Public Skating at Headwaters Ice Rink, 333 S. Clinton St. Fort Wayne Ice Skating Club Exhibitions at 1:15, 2:15, 3:15 and 4:15. Regular admission.
- 12 p.m., Winter Bike Ride, 1900 N Clinton St, Cyclists will meet at Lawton Park and pedal to Franke Park Nature Lodge for free hot cocoa, then back to Lawton.
- 12 – 4 pm, Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza. Ice carving on the Plaza, 12-2 pm; simple seasonal crafts, 2-4 pm; Free admission.
- 1 pm, Annual Snow Bowl Rugby Game, Lawton Park, 1900 N. Clinton St. Fort Wayne Rugby Football Club, IPFW, Taylor University and Indiana Wesleyan Rugby Clubs compete, Free admission.
- 1 – 4 pm, Winter Carnival, Community Center
- 8:00-10:00 p.m.: Winter Cozy, Saturday, January 26, Headwaters Park West, Clinton at Superior; Admission is $10, Ages 21+ only.
LIVE ICE CARVINGS—Watch professional carvers create ice sculptures before your eyes! Visit www.WintervalFW.com for the most current list of ice carving locations:
- 10:30 am Botanical Conservatory, 1100 S. Calhoun St.
- 12 pm Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza
- 2:30 pm Community Center, 233 W. Main St.
PRESCULPTED ICE CARVINGS — Stop by these sites at your convenience throughout the day to see completed ice carvings:
- Design Collaborative/Hoppy Gnome/Proximo, 203 E. Berry St. and 898 S. Harrison St.
- Visit Fort Wayne, 927 S. Harrison St.
- Community Center, 233 W. Main (Sweetwater Sound, Majic 95 WAJI)
- Cap’n Cork, 1031 Broadway
- Old National Bank, 116 E. Berry
- Fort Wayne Komets, Headwaters Ice Rink, 333 S. Clinton St.
- Carson LLP, 301 W. Jefferson
Visitors can also participate in the Winterval Penguin Scavenger Hunt. Nine penguin ice sculptures will be hanging around downtown on January 26 and the search begins at the Community Center, 233 W. Main St. Participants who complete the scavenger hunt will have a chance to win a $100 prize basket. Full details can be found at WintervalFW.com.
Winterval is sponsored by Majic 95.1, and the Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation Department.