Fort Wayne has a pair of feel-good community milestones to celebrate this week, and both are a reminder of why the city continues to earn its reputation as a place where neighbors show up for one another.

First, mark your calendars: Open Streets Fort Wayne is coming back on August 16 for its ninth consecutive year. The beloved annual event transforms downtown streets into a car-free playground, inviting residents to walk, bike, skate, and explore their city in a whole new way. Now in its ninth year, the event has become a summertime tradition that draws families and community members together to rediscover Fort Wayne’s streets on their own terms — no traffic, no worries, just community.

Meanwhile, the Do it Best Foundation is celebrating the success of its Cookin’ Fort Wayne fundraiser with a major check presentation. The foundation marked the occasion this week, recognizing the event’s strong results and presenting proceeds to benefit the local community. Cookin’ Fort Wayne has become a signature charitable effort, and this year’s success underscores the generosity of Fort Wayne residents and the businesses that support them.

Together, these two stories paint a picture of a city that invests in its people — whether that means closing streets to cars for a day of community fun or rallying around a fundraiser that puts real dollars to work for neighbors in need. With Open Streets on the horizon and a fresh round of charitable giving already in the books, Fort Wayne’s summer is off to a bright start.

Sources: WPTA | 21Alive | Fort Wayne, IN, Fort Wayne Business Weekly