From staff reports

Three Rivers Festival’s board says the 54th summer celebration is on a path to success. The assertion came April 14, as the board announced the theme for the July 7-15 Fort Wayne festival and opened registration for 3RF staples the parade and bed race.

The 2023 Three Rivers Festival will celebrate the theme United Through the Arts. The nine-day festival takes place at Headwaters Park on Clinton Street and features the Downtown Midway, Junk Food Alley, Art in the Park, Children’s Fest, The Emporium, parade and nightly entertainment.

The festival board’s latest announcement made no mention of the search for a new festival director. In a March 29 statement, the TRF board confirmed “an amicable separation” with director Rick Kinney, who confirmed in a separate statement that he had resigned as director of operations, effective March 24. Kinney was hired in November.

TRF previously had an executive director in charge of the festival. That most recently was Justin Shurley, who left in September after a little over a year in the position, following Jack Hammer, who had served 10 years in the job.

The board said, “After a thorough examination of each event and the overall condition of the organization, the Board of Directors confidently and certainly confirms that the festival will take place as scheduled, with its full roster of events …” President John Nichter shared, “Event committees are on schedule with planning, coordinating, and final execution preparation for our community’s favorite summertime event. Festival board members and volunteers are committed to making this year’s festival a success.”

Nichter said he is encouraged by the number of people who have offered to help through volunteering, board service, sponsorships “or general goodwill.”

Visit www.threeriversfestival.org for details of the festival, registration and information on volunteering.

The Steel Dynamics Three Rivers Festival Parade will take place on Saturday, July 8, at 10 a.m. “Assemble your creative and artistic co-workers and friends to construct a parade entry that shows off your organization’s support for our arts community,” the board statement said. The deadline to register is May 31.

Registration also is open for the Three Rivers Festival Bed Race, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 12. Teams will compete in Creativity or Speed categories. Sign up by July 11.

Three Rivers Festival began in the summer of 1969 and has grown to be the second-largest summer festival in Indiana.

Three Rivers Festival is a not-for-profit organization funded by vendor participation fees, souvenir sales, refreshments, entertainment ticket sales, and the sponsorships and support of area businesses.