FORT WAYNE, IN – The Taste of the Arts Festival will return to Downtown Fort Wayne on Saturday, August 28, 2021. The festival celebrates the rich diversity of arts and culture in Northeast Indiana through live performances, kids activities, visual art, and food from local restaurants. This year, the festival footprint will expand beyond Arts Campus Fort Wayne to include The Landing and Promenade Park to improve social distancing.

In 2020, Taste of the Arts was presented in an online format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some festival elements will be presented in a hybrid format in 2021, providing both in-person and online activities. 

“Last year, we had tremendous success with Taste of the Arts Online, showing that we could unify the community even when we couldn’t gather together,” said Thad Tegtmeyer, chair of the Taste of the Arts Festival. “Taste of the Arts provides access to the arts without cost. By continuing to offer an online component, we hope to increase accessibility to the festival to those who may not be able to attend the in-person event for a myriad of reasons.”

The 2021 hybrid festival is made possible by 3Rivers Credit Union’s title sponsorship of the event. 

“3Rivers supports the arts in our communities as one of the essential characteristics of quality of place,” said Melissa Shaw, Vice President of Marketing at 3Rivers Credit Union. “Taste of the Arts represents the vibrant community that we’re proud to call home.”

Under the guidance of Governor Holcomb and the Allen County Department of Health, the Steering Committee will announce further details about protocol and patron expectations in future announcements. Festival format is subject to change should any public health guidelines for Allen County and the City of Fort Wayne call for heightened precautions. 

“We are excited to bring Taste of the Arts back to Downtown Fort Wayne while prioritizing the health and well-being of our audience, artists, performers, and volunteers,“ said Dan Ross, Arts United VP of Community Development. “We will follow the guidance of local health professionals to ensure a safe and comfortable experience for our community.” 

For updates about the 2021 festival, follow Taste of the Arts Festival on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Taste of the Arts is sponsored in 2021 by 3Rivers Credit Union, NIPSCO, Parrish Leasing, Current Mechanical, 1st Source Bank, Ambassador Enterprises, PHP, and Strahm Building Solutions.