Local News - 9-28-23

Downtown Fort Wayne Comes Alive During Annual Fright Night Event

Encounter something unusually spooky during the return of the 14th annual Fright Night, presented by Flagstar Bank and Downtown Fort Wayne, on Saturday, October 21, 2023.

Come dressed in your best zombie costume and makeup to enjoy various activities throughout Downtown Fort Wayne from 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. A free Zombie Walk pre-party will be held at Zombie Central, located at the Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, from 1:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Watch the city come alive during the always popular Zombie Walk kicking off at Zombie Central at 3:00 p.m. Look for the Survival Truck to follow the area’s biggest zombie parade as thousands of the undead walk the streets of Downtown Fort Wayne.

Pick up your Fright Night Survival Guide next week during regular business hours at the following locations: Downtown Fort Wayne, Visit Fort Wayne, Parkview Field, Allen County Public Library (Main Branch), Embassy Theatre and Grand Wayne Convention Center.

Street parking is free on Saturday. For more parking information, check out theDowntown Public Parking map or text “PARK” to 46862.

Fright Night is a free, family-friendly event with fun activities for everyone. Suit up, grab a Fright Night Survival Guide and head to Downtown Fort Wayne for a night to dismember.

For more information and a complete list of activities, go to FrightNightDowntown.com.

Contact: Preston Wallace, Director of Marketing, 260-203-1291

Preston@DowntownFortWayne.com

Fright Night, presented by Flagstar Bank and Downtown Fort Wayne, is proudly sponsored by Fort Wayne Newspapers, WANE 15, OUTFRONT Media, 98.9 The Bear, 97.3 WMEE, K105 FM, T-Mobile, Custom Sound Designs and Allen County Public Library.

Historian and Nationally-Recognized Emancipation Proclamation Expert Dr. Edna Greene Medford to Present at McMurtry Lecture

The Friends of the Lincoln Collection of Indiana, in partnership with the Allen County Public Library, will host its annual McMurtry Lecture on Wednesday, October 4 at 7 p.m. at the Main Library (900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne). The event will feature nationally-recognized historian and Howard University professor emeritus Dr. Edna Greene Medford leading a conversation on the impact of the Emancipation Proclamation in Indiana.

This presentation will focus on the significance of this very important document, The Emancipation Proclamation, for African Americans in Indiana. The Friends of the Lincoln Collection of Indiana are sponsoring this presentation by Dr. Edna Greene Medford, who specializes in nineteenth-century African American history. She is a member of the board of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation and is on the Executive Committee of The Lincoln Forum.

The McMurtry Lecture is open to the public and there is no cost to attend. More information can be found the Friends of the Lincoln Collection website.

“Dr. Greene Medford brings a truly unique mix of expertise regarding President Lincoln, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the impact of slavery on African-American communities across the country,” says ACPL Director of Special Collections Curt Witcher. “Not only is she an expert in her field from a world-renowned institution, she’s also just a phenomenal speaker. Fort Wayne is fortunate to have her connect with our community!”

The McMurtry Lecture is sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Collection of Indiana and the Allen County Public Library.

What: The Pursuit of Freedom in a ‘Free’ State: The Emancipation Proclamation’s Significance to African Americans in Indiana

When: Wednesday, October 4 at 7 p.m.

Where: ACPL Main Library Theater, Lower Level 2 (900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne)

Guests can also participate virtually. Pre-registrationis required for the virtual program.

October Events Raising Awareness for Domestic Violence Awareness Month

About 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men will experience domestic violence in their lifetime (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Please be a part of the solution and join YWCA Northeast Indiana as we raise awareness. To learn more about domestic violence and what you can do to help, please attend the following events:

Flowers on the River. Join us as we launch Domestic Violence Awareness Month at this free event by honoring those whose lives have been affected by domestic violence. Flowers on the River will take place on Tuesday, October 3rd from 6-7pm at the Wells Street Bridge. Learn more and RSVP here!

Chalk it Up. Help us turn the sidewalk into a giant chalk billboard featuring drawings, facts, and quotes that bring awareness to domestic violence. Stop by anytime on Wednesday, October 11th between 11am-2pm at 816 Pint & Slice. Learn more about this free event and RSVP here.

Circle. Circle is our signature fundraising event. This event takes place on Thursday, October 19th from 11:30am-1pm at Ceruti’s. Alongside the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, our program will combine survivor stories and education to demonstrate different stages that might repeat or escalate in an abusive relationship. Learn more and register here. Your registration fee is a donation to our domestic violence programming.

You can also help raise awareness by utilizing our DVAM Toolkit. Visit our website for more ways to get involved, like wearing purple on Fridays during October or attending/hosting a Peace Story Time.

YWCA Northeast Indiana’s mission is to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. YWCA serves individuals and families affected by domestic violence, substance use disorder, and sexual assault in six northeastern Indiana counties. YWCA Northeast Indiana also offers educational programming about diversity and healthy relationships, operates a boutique that suits women with low income for job interviews, and participates in racial justice initiatives.

For more info on YWCA Northeast Indiana’s services, please visit ywcanein.org.

The Black Minority Healthcare Symposium

The Black Minority Healthcare Symposium will take place on October 7, 11am-2pm. Please join with your child(ren) and/or mentee for information on becoming a healthcare professional.

Our community, both locally and nationally, has suffered from disparities across the board for decades. Information, resources and testimonies for awareness in hopes of sparking an interest toward career paths that will benefit the Black/Minority communities as a whole will be presented.

“When we see ourselves in the helping/service professions, we are more likely to get the care we need with better compliance and outcomes. The children are our future. It is up to us to lead and teach them better to go beyond what we have done”, says Tamara Howell-Files.

Find tickets on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-minority-healthcare-professionals-symposium-tickets-717610411057?aff=oddtdtcreator