west central home & garden tour and artsfest

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West Central Home and Garden Tour and ArtsFest

Sunday, Sep 8, 2024 at 11:00am

The 42nd Annual West Central Neighborhood Home & Garden Tour is almost upon us! Each year, visitors are awestruck by historic architecture, inspired by stylish interiors, and amazed by beautiful gardens. This year, the tour will feature 10 historic homes from the 19th and 20th centuries in an effort to promote neighborhood revitalization and historic preservation. Enjoy free trolley rides around the neighborhood or enjoy the ambiance and beauty of our neighborhood as you stroll our tree-lined streets. Don't miss out on our bustling ArtsFest, a free event where you can browse exhibitor tents, grab lunch at one of the many food trucks, and listen to live music. Various neighborhood artists will open their homes and studios for art demonstrations and art sales as part of the weekend's festivities. These Art Spaces are a reflection of our history as a neighborhood of artists, and are free to drop into during your visit. ArtsFest - Free! The streets of West Central come alive with regional arts and crafts exhibitors and free live music. There will also be an array of food trucks serving up lunch and dinner, along with a cash bar. You do not need a home tour ticket to attend ArtsFest - it's free for everyone! Music will take place on a stage at the corner of Union and W. Wayne. Free parking is available at the locations listed above. For the third year in a row, we will also be featuring Art Spaces, which are resident artists who have opened their home, yard, or studio to the public. Band Lineup 12:00 pm - 2 Before Noon 1:30 pm - Alicia Pyle 3:00 pm - West Central Quartet The bands will perform rain or shine, and there is a large tent for viewing. A cash bar will be provided by Mad Anthony's Brewing Company, and food trucks will be available until they run out. This is an intimate neighborhood performance you won't want to miss and it's free to the public! Buy Tickets

Additional Dates:

• Saturday, Sep 7, 2024 at 11:00am

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Last Call for Artists: ArtsFest at the 42nd West Central Home Tour

Application fee: $10 Booth fee: $75

The ArtsFest is part of the 42nd Home and Garden Tour in the Registered Historic District in downtown Fort Wayne.

We think you'll love spending the weekend with us in our historic neighborhood during its very popular Home Tour. The West Central neighborhood is on the National Historic Register and the ArtsFest takes place in the street in front of these revived workers' cottages and restored mansions. Imagine your booth set among shady trees and enjoy the easy-going vibe, where the residents show off their unique homes to old-house lovers. The event regularly brings in about 3,000 people who attend the tour every year and love the ambiance of the neighborhood.

What the artists say about us:

"Awesome show!" and "Organizers were great!" and "Love the neighborhood atmosphere!" and "Great layout!"  and, of course, "I love this event!"

What to expect:

• a small boutique event
• easy setup, drive up to your booth, short hours, helpful volunteers
• cool food trucks, live music and buyers that appreciate unique and one-of-a-kind goods.
• A friendly place to spend the weekend AND you can't beat the booth fee!

➤Learn more and apply: westcentralneighborhood.org

Contact: Katie Pruitt  [email protected]

We love our neighborhood and think you will too: 

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West Central Home and Garden Tour and ArtsFest

• Saturday, Sep 7, 2024 at 11:00 a.m.

Event details are subject to change. Before attending, please check with the organization to confirm.

About the Event

The 42nd Annual West Central Neighborhood Home & Garden Tour is almost upon us! Each year, visitors are awestruck by historic architecture, inspired by stylish interiors, and amazed by beautiful gardens. This year, the tour will feature 10 historic homes from the 19th and 20th centuries in an effort to promote neighborhood revitalization and historic preservation. Enjoy free trolley rides around the neighborhood or enjoy the ambiance and beauty of our neighborhood as you stroll our tree-lined streets. Don't miss out on our bustling ArtsFest, a free event where you can browse exhibitor tents, grab lunch at one of the many food trucks, and listen to live music. Various neighborhood artists will open their homes and studios for art demonstrations and art sales as part of the weekend's festivities. These Art Spaces are a reflection of our history as a neighborhood of artists, and are free to drop into during your visit. ArtsFest - Free! The streets of West Central come alive with regional arts and crafts exhibitors and free live music. There will also be an array of food trucks serving up lunch and dinner, along with a cash bar. You do not need a home tour ticket to attend ArtsFest - it's free for everyone! Music will take place on a stage at the corner of Union and W. Wayne. Free parking is available at the locations listed above. For the third year in a row, we will also be featuring Art Spaces, which are resident artists who have opened their home, yard, or studio to the public. Band Lineup 12:00 pm - 2 Before Noon 1:30 pm - Alicia Pyle 3:00 pm - West Central Quartet The bands will perform rain or shine, and there is a large tent for viewing. A cash bar will be provided by Mad Anthony's Brewing Company, and food trucks will be available until they run out. This is an intimate neighborhood performance you won't want to miss and it's free to the public! Buy Tickets

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West Central putting homes, arts on display

Home & garden tour, artsfest sure to bring folks to neighborhood.

Sam Rohloff

Situated just west of downtown Fort Wayne, the West Central Neighborhood is once again hosting its annual Home & Garden Tour.

While tickets are required for the Home & Garden Tour, there will also be a free ArtsFest with food trucks, a cash bar, artwork to view and buy, as well as live music on Saturday.

Join thousands of tourgoers on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 10 and 11, from 11 a.m. to 5  p.m. for the tour. 

Saturday’s live music begins at 1 p.m. and plays late into the night.

“West Central was Fort Wayne’s first neighborhood that really developed off the downtown central square when we became a registered city back in the 1840s,” said Tyler Bowers, president of the West Central Neighborhood Association.

According to Bowers, the association started hosting the tour in 1983, showcasing the historic and beautiful architecture of 19th and 20th century homes, buildings, and gardens.

“I think the neighborhood association was like two or three years old at that point (in 1983), and they wanted to put together a home and garden tour to help to raise funds for the neighborhood operations,” Bowers said.

These funds, collected over a two- to three-decade timespan, would allow the association to maintain and preserve the historic homes from neglect and demolition, he said. The association would fix the houses up a bit, and from there, place them back on the market to ensure occupancy, and thus, constant structural care.

Today, these funds assist homeowners with beautification programs for their properties. Funds are also allocated toward the planting of trees throughout West Central.

The tour is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Even the COVID-19 pandemic couldn’t squash the unbroken record; 2020’s tour was presented via virtual app.

WHAT TO SEE

As previously mentioned, the tour features the extraordinary style and architecture of these historic Summit City places.

“In other historic neighborhoods in the country, a lot of times, the neighborhoods developed all at once, so there’s a lot of one-style homes,” Bowers said.

West Central stands apart from these other precincts. Some homes in particular were constructed in the 1840s and 1850s. Other areas of the neighborhood continued to develop through time, all the way up until the 1920s and ’30s.

“You’ve got almost every major American architectural home style represented for almost a hundred years in that time frame,” Bowers said. Italianate, Queen Anne, and American Foursquare are just a few of these styles.

The tour aims to exhibit a combination of roughly a dozen locations every year. The gardens, usually backyards to homes or stand-alone points to visit themselves, play an equal part in the antiquity and uniqueness of the area.

Guests will have the opportunity to walk the nearly 2-mile journey or hop aboard a free trolley that will follow the tour path as well. 

And there’s plenty to see.

A highlight of this year’s tour will display Swinney Homestead’s 1849 Log House.

“We probably have had 180 to 200 different homes that have been on the tour at some point, so we try not to have the same house on the tour within a seven-year time frame,” Bowers said.

That being said, it’s safe to say that the Log House may not be available on the tour for almost another decade. So, grab your tickets while you still can!

Originating from a plywood stage in someone’s backyard, along with the desire of locals and vendors to sell knitted blankets and beaded jewelry, a new part of the Home & Garden Tour emerged around its silver jubilee, Bowers said.

“Over the last 10 or 15 years, that’s evolved into having between 30 to 50 art exhibitors coming in and having their art on display,” he said.

While the ArtsFest does not place geographical restrictions on where art entries originate, many of its artists do hail from Fort Wayne and the Michiana area.

This year’s fest includes open art studios for folks to enter and observe the creations produced by residential West Central artists.

Live music will also be held from 1-9 p.m. Saturday, beginning with Strange Waters, followed by Jess Thrower, Dead Pickers Society, Unlikely Alibi, and Fort Wayne Funk Orchestra. 

Around 20,000 cars travel along Washington and Jefferson Boulevard each day, Bowers said, “So, people are used to driving through West Central, but to stop and be able to get a chance to walk through the homes that you see every day that are pretty historic … you get to get out and enjoy the culture and art of a really special place in Fort Wayne.”

Last year, about 2,500 to 3,000 people bought tickets, so don’t miss out on this great opportunity to witness some of the city’s finest landmarks and creatives.

• Dead Pickers Society
• Fort Wayne Funk Orchestra
• Home & Garden Tour
• Jess Thrower
• Unlikely Alibi
• West Central Neighborhood

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Exploring Historic West Central

West Central offers a mix of historic charm and modern influences at the center of Fort Wayne. Described as, "urban living at its best," the brick roads, Greek Revival-style homes, and small businesses make West Central rich in culture and community. 

When you visit West Central, you are less than 10 minutes away (by foot!) from the TinCaps  stadium at Parkview Field, the Allen County Public Library, and the Riverfront which includes Promenade Park and The Landing .

Explore the Historic West Central Neighborhood

Dining, desserts and drinks.

Sweet or savory, any time of day, West Central will satisfy all your cravings!

Davey's Delicious Bagels , nestled inside West Central Coffee , serves steamed bagel sandwiches bursting with flavor. Locals love the Nutella Shortcake and the Beef Bacon Bandit, and there are vegan and vegetarian options, too! You'll come for the sandwiches but stay for the vintage furniture and vibrant artwork displayed throughout. 

Request a FREE Fort Wayne Visitors Guide!

Looking for something to satisfy your sweet tooth? Pop into Sassie Cakes for a Cookie Dough Shot, French Macaroon, or a Dump Cup - a version of "cake in a jar, only better!" And be sure to check out Brooklyn Pints Microcreamery , a small batch ice cream shop located on the ground floor of the historic Sheridan Court Apartment building.

Henry's is the dining destination for those 21+. A Fort Wayne Staple, Henry's is rumored to have one of the oldest bar tops in the state of Indiana. Even more famous is the food. Henry's was voted the best burger in Fort Wayne, but we guarantee you'll love whatever you choose! After dinner, head to The Brass Rail , an "old school, dive bar" for drinks and some of the best live, local music.

Coming to the West Central area in the fall of 2022 is the Union Street Market on the Electric Works campus. The Market will feature breweries and cideries, a variety of sweets and treats, and many other "innovative dining options" open daily. The Fort Wayne Farmer's Market will also relocate and call the campus home.

Looking for a spunky gift for yourself or someone special? Fancy & Staple is your destination for thoughtfully curated, artisan items with equal parts color and flair. Visit their second location for your little ones,  Hopscotch House , just down the street! Each of these locations has vibrant murals on the building that are perfect for a family photo op! 

Update your wardrobe with a shopping spree at West Central's boutiques.  The Urban Hippie  offers fashionistas effortless and unique pieces inspired by 70's retro style and good vibes. Whether you like to get cozy or stay active,  Idlehour Boutique has trendy clothing, athleisure wear, and accessories to keep you cute and comfortable! 

Browse aisles of glass cases, iconic business signs, and collectible items from Antiques on Broadway, then stroll on over to  Sharon's Victorian House of Gifts to find even more vintage treasure!

Don't forget to shop The Hedge for letterpress designs, handmade jewelry, unique art prints, and more from local maker, Julie Wall!

Located next to Brooklyn Pints, Kistuné Moon offers "bespoke adornments for self, home, and life." Browse the eclectic gifts and selection of goods from local artists and artisans.

Last but not least, be sure to stop by Friends of the Third World , a non-profit shop dedicated to helping people around the world overcome poverty through advocacy and the sale of fair trade goods. Take home fresh coffee or a handmade gift and feel good about supporting a great cause.

Getting Outdoors 

Stretch your legs and enjoy the fresh air at Swinney Park. The park boasts paved walkways, tennis courts, frisbee golf, and much more!

If you're looking for a leisurely walk, hit the sidewalks throughout West Central for a self-guided tour. You'll enjoy a great view of the unique, intricate details on the home exteriors and gardens throughout the neighborhood. Want to see inside some of the homes? Don't miss the annual West Central Home and Garden Tour & ArtsFest every September! 

Take in the Arts

Creativity awaits in historic West Central! Enjoy dinner and a show at Arena Dinner Theatre , where you'll discover the talent of Fort Wayne's theater community. Located at 179 Rockhill St, Arena Dinner Theatre is a staple of the neighborhood, housed in a brick building covered in gorgeous ivy.

Or, enjoy fine art at Castle Gallery, a unique gallery set in a three-story, historic mansion!

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• 42nd Annual West Central Home and Garde…

42nd Annual West Central Home and Garden Tour and ArtsFest

Arts and Entertainment

July 10, 2024

The 42nd Annual West Central Neighborhood Home & Garden Tour is almost upon us! Each year, visitors are awestruck by historic architecture, inspired by stylish interiors, and amazed by beautiful gardens. This year, the tour will feature 10 historic homes from the 19th and 20th centuries in an effort to promote neighborhood revitalization and historic preservation. Enjoy free trolley rides around the neighborhood or enjoy the ambiance and beauty of our neighborhood as you stroll our tree-lined streets. Don't miss out on our bustling ArtsFest, a free event where you can browse exhibitor tents, grab lunch at one of the many food trucks, and listen to live music. Various neighborhood artists will open their homes and studios for art demonstrations and art sales as part of the weekend's festivities. These Art Spaces are a reflection of our history as a neighborhood of artists, and are free to drop into during your visit. ArtsFest - Free! The streets of West Central come alive with regional arts and crafts exhibitors and free live music. There will also be an array of food trucks serving up lunch and dinner, along with a cash bar. You do not need a home tour ticket to attend ArtsFest - it's free for everyone! Music will take place on a stage at the corner of Union and W. Wayne. Free parking is available at the locations listed above. For the third year in a row, we will also be featuring Art Spaces, which are resident artists who have opened their home, yard, or studio to the public. Band Lineup Saturday 1:00 pm - Jessie Schmoekell 2:30 pm - Dave and Carolyn Martin 4:00 pm - Mike Neglia and the Nobles 5:30 pm - Todd Harold 8:00 pm - Dave and Rae Sunday 12:00 pm - 2 Before Noon 1:30 pm - Alicia Pyle 3:00 pm - West Central Quartet The bands will perform rain or shine, and there is a large tent for viewing. A cash bar will be provided by Mad Anthony's Brewing Company, and food trucks will be available until they run out. This is an intimate neighborhood performance you won't want to miss and it's free to the public! Date: September 7 & 8, 2024 Time: 11am-5pm Location: Corner of West Wayne and Union Streets, Fort Wayne, IN 46801. Buy Tickets Click Here for more information

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