Embassy Theatre to Acquire Middle Waves Festival
Hype Event Scheduled for June 24 at Parkview Field
Fort Wayne, Ind. (April 26, 2023) – The Embassy Theatre is excited to announce that the organization is in the process of acquiring the Middle Waves Festival. To celebrate this collaboration, the Embassy will host Ripple: A Middle Waves Hype Event on Saturday, June 24 from 5 to 11:30 p.m. at Parkview Field (main gate opens at 4:30 p.m.). Tickets go on sale on Monday, May 1 at 10 a.m.
Lineup for Ripple includes the following:
- Headliner: Soccer Mommy (indie rock)
- Vundabar (indie rock)
- DuPont Brass (eclectic soul: mixture of jazz, hip-hop and R&B)
- The Namby Pamby (local indie rock/dream pop)
- Mic Strong (local hip-hop & rap)
With mission alignment in the foreground, discussions began last fall about how the two organizations could partner to ensure the growth and longevity of the Middle Waves Festival. It was decided the best approach for this beloved community event was for the Embassy to take over leadership of the programming, planning and execution of the festival. The 95-year-old arts and cultural non-profit has the resources and expertise to help the event thrive. In recent years, the Embassy has charted a course to diversify programming and present or co-present more shows. The festival is another opportunity to reach more people in the community in a meaningful way.
“An incredible group of dedicated supporters has made Middle Waves possible: hundreds of volunteers, sponsors, fans, festival attendees and more. The community really came together to show that what Middle Waves is doing is important. We are beyond thrilled to keep this good thing going with the dedicated folks at the Embassy Theatre. They’ve got the passion, bandwidth and support to take Middle Waves to the next level. We’re stoked for the future!” said the Middle Waves Music Festival Board. Co-chairs are Beth McAvoy and Sanee Lombardi.
Historically, Middle Waves has been a two-day destination music festival, held in Fort Wayne at Headwaters Park or the Foellinger Theatre Campus. The multi-stage experience has focused on the convergence of indie, hip-hop and rock and roll. The festival has been an all-ages event filled with music, art activities, food and drink with both paid tickets and a free component.
“The Embassy recognized how important Middle Waves was for its growing audience. Providing something of this magnitude in Fort Wayne, rather than asking our residents to drive a minimum of two to four hours away to seek a ‘festival experience,’ helps us have an even more direct hand in helping Fort Wayne become a music city,” said president and CEO, Kelly Updike.
Ripple: A Middle Waves Hype Event will be hosted at Parkview Field on June 24 with two stages in the amphitheater/north gate part of the venue. Entry begins at 4:30 p.m. at the main gate of Parkview Field with music starting at 5 p.m. VIP tickets will allow access to the 400 Club, and VVIP will grant access to the 400 Club and The Summit. Kids zone activities will be available for families. Additional details about this event will be released in May. Fort Wayne Metals and Parkview Field are event sponsors for Ripple.
Legal acquisition of the festival is expected to be completed early this summer. The Embassy tentatively plans to host the next Middle Waves Festival in June 2024.
TICKETS: $35 general admission, $25 kids 12 and under, VIP ($60) and VVIP ($75) (plus applicable fees) can be purchased at fwembassytheatre.org, ticketmaster.com and the STAR Bank box office at the Embassy (260.424.5665) at 125 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne on Monday, May 1, 2023 at 10 a.m. Tickets will increase day of show to $45 GA and $30 kids.
About the Embassy Theatre
Built in 1928, the Embassy Theatre is Indiana’s largest self-sustaining historic theater. Originally known as the Emboyd, with the adjoining seven-story Indiana Hotel, the majestic movie palace and vaudeville theater introduced Indiana to the biggest stars of stage and screen. Today, the Embassy is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Combining the beauty of a bygone era with the energy and diversity of today’s performers, the Embassy is the showplace of Northern Indiana. Many choose to host events and weddings at the Embassy, as it offers flexibility and a unique event experience in an iconic piece of Fort Wayne history. Visit www.fwembassytheatre.org for more information.
