Things to Do in Fort Wayne

Resplendent with a multitude of American art forms, the Fort Wayne Museum of Art brandishes masterpieces from United States artists from the late 18th century to the modern day. The permanent collection entices meandering visitors with nearly 1,400 American-grown pieces from artists including George Inness, Janet Fish, and William Forsyth, such as paintings, sculptures, photographs, and flags fashioned from apple pie. In addition to a permanent display of 56 Amish quilts, the Fort Wayne Museum of Art touts rotating exhibits such as the current Material World, a collection of textiles hailing from different countries, time periods, and transdimensional planes.

The flowing waters of the Maumee River gird the northernmost fairways of River City Links' 18-hole putting course, inviting misaimed golf balls to plop alongside the aquatic artery’s cargo ships floating down from Lake Erie. The waterway nestles alongside the course without cutting through it, enabling the course to maintain its straightforward layout. This, in turn, lets golfers focus on the fundamentals of their game without the distraction of elaborate hazards such as lava pits and ball-eating goats. After a relaxing day on the course, players can lounge on the clubhouse’s white wraparound deck and look out over the river, listening to the breeze that whispers through the weeping willows.

Fort Wayne Ballet began pirouetting in 1956 to enrich the community’s arts offerings with dance instruction and performances. Beginning with its inaugural performance of Cinderella, the ballet company has performed timeless pieces including The Nutcracker, Giselle, and Swan Lake. In addition to its shows and classes, Fort Wayne Ballet maintains strong links to the community, which is evident in its theme: everybody dances. The Ballet works to find adoptive families for dogs through the Muttcracker program, produces trading cards with dancers, I&M linemen and players from each of Fort Wayne’s minor league teams, and stages three main stage productions and three Family Series performances per year.

Prana Yoga School of Yoga and Health takes its name from the Sanskrit word for "breath," a vital life force. As part of the studio's mission, its instructors aim to expose students to all the benefits of yoga and holistic health in a welcoming and nonjudgmental environment. With 60 classes available each week, Prana Yoga's two locations offer sessions designed for practitioners of every experience level. During all-levels courses, instructors invite all students to practice together while also modifying and adjusting poses for those who need it. Restorative sessions help practitioners relax, and prenatal courses bring relief to mothers-to-be.

In addition to group yoga, the facility hosts private one-on-one yoga, teacher-training programs, and a variety of workshops. Massage therapists are also available to perform Thai, hot-stone, and Swedish massages. As part of a commitment to giving back to the community, the founder of Prana Yoga also runs the Pranayoga Foundation, which brings yoga therapy to people with cancer and other chronic illnesses.

At Black Rose Rentals, helpful teams of party suppliers deck out celebrations with brand-new equipment. The staff sets up summery white canopies over outdoor banquets and facilitates toe tapping with DJ rental systems. Inflatable moonwalk palaces keep revelers entertained and airborne, while portable dance floors turn lawns and patios into glitzy ballrooms. Black Rose Rentals delivers, installs, and strikes all equipment, and staffers are backed by the confidence of full item insurance, a million-dollar liability, and a pat on the back from Bacchus.