Fort Wayne’s gatewFort Wayne’s gateway to the holiday season, “Christmas On Broadway,” will take place this year on Friday, November 21, 2025.
News release from the Christmas on Broadway organizers:
21ST ANNUAL “CHRISTMAS ON BROADWAY”
WORLD BASEBALL ACADEMY (WBA) WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED AS THIS YEAR’S CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION
WBA Youth from Around Northeast Indiana to Light the Spectacular Colorado Blue Spruce
Nationally Acclaimed Concordia Lutheran High School Marching Band to Lead the Christmas Parade Down Broadway
Santa and Mrs. Claus to Arrive on a Spectacular Sleigh and Reindeer Float Accompanied by a Vintage Firetruck from Fort Wayne Firefighters Museum
All New, Exciting Polar Express Train to Offer Children Rides
21Alive to Telecast Expanded Live Coverage from Broadway Plaza
WOWO to Raise Funds for Penny Pitch/Casey Hendrickson to Broadcast Live
Fort Wayne Komets, Lake City Bank, Brigadoon Fitness, IU Health, Heller Homes, Prairie Farms Dairy, Deister Machine Company, Kelley Automotive, Keith Byers, CME Construction, Mudrack Tree Service, Kissinger Electric, Graycraft Signs Fort Wayne, and Downtown Fort Wayne to kick-off Fort Wayne’s holiday season on Friday, November 21, 2025.
Fort Wayne’s gateway to the holiday season, “Christmas On Broadway,” will take place this year on Friday, November 21, 2025, beginning at 5:00 p.m. This will be the 21st year that this beloved community-wide celebration has delighted families from across Northeast Indiana. World Baseball Academy (WBA) will be the featured charitable organization, with youth from the WBA participating in both the parade and tree lighting. The tree lighting and brilliant fireworks display is in the heart of the ’07 Neighborhood on the Broadway Plaza, in front of the Shine & Hardin building.
“This year, ‘Christmas On Broadway’ will highlight World Baseball Academy whose mission is to develop leaders who positively impact our world. World Baseball Academy provides an array of at-risk youth mentoring programs that focus on instilling core values into the lives of young people. These core values include being eager to learn, valuing others, recognizing what needs to be done, focusing on the tasks at hand, a commitment to do the right things and adapting and overcoming problems with a positive attitude,” said event coordinators, Steve Shine and Tom Hardin of Shine & Hardin, LLP, who originated the holiday celebration 21 years ago.
Caleb Kimmel, CEO of the WBA expressed his gratitude that the mission of the WBA would be spotlighted as part of the annual holiday festivities. “Being featured in an event that attracts families from all over Northeast Indiana helps focus the public’s attention on the mission of WBA, which is to develop our next generation of young leaders who have a desire to give back to our community,” said Kimmel.
The nationally acclaimed Concordia Lutheran High School Marching Band, under the direction of Band Leader Jennifer Porath, will start the festivities by leading the parade down Broadway, marching to and playing music of the holiday season. The band will be followed by a 1942 antique firetruck that is housed at the Fort Wayne Firefighters Museum, aboard which will be youth from the WBA. Also included in the parade will be proud members of surrounding neighborhood associations including the Broad River Neighborhood Association and the newly rejuvenated Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Association. The parade down Broadway will reach an exciting crescendo with a 10-foot tall, 22-foot long sleigh and reindeer float (uniquely constructed by Mark Gray, owner of Graycraft Signs Fort Wayne), with Santa Claus himself sitting in the “commander’s seat.” The parade route will begin at Broadway and Creighton and end at the Broadway Plaza, where the magnificent 40-foot Colorado spruce will be lit at 6:00 p.m., to a background of fireworks and Christmas songs.
Upon arrival at the Plaza, Santa Claus and his helpers will be handing out Santa hats, candy canes and mini flashlights and keychains from Deister Machine Company to be given to all of the children in attendance. Santa will also be joined by one of his reindeers, presenting an opportunity for the children to pet his four-legged helper, many of whom will experience greeting a live reindeer for the first time.
Children will also be treated to rides on the all new, exciting miniature train aptly named the Polar Express, which will be located in the east side parking lot adjacent to the Shine & Hardin building. The Polar Express consists of an engine and three passenger cars, a uniformed engineer and conductor and will be decorated for Christmas and playing Christmas music. Also featured will be a train depot where the children can gather before boarding the Polar Express.
Food and beverage trucks will be on-site to make the holiday revelers’ visit to the Broadway Plaza even more fun and enticing. A variety of food and beverages will be available to satisfy the tastes of all holiday revelers. The food truck service will be provided by Coterie Pizza, well known in the surrounding area for the preparation of pizza in their master crafted Italian stone oven. The beverage truck will be provided by Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck, featuring a variety of items including hot specialties such as latte, cappuccino, mocha, hot chocolate and more.
“We are so proud that every sponsor who participated in last year’s event has again rejoined us for this year’s 21st annual celebration. It is an honor to have so many prominent businesses and individuals to support this holiday tradition. Without their support we would not be able to provide the spectacular sight of a 40-foot Colorado Blue Spruce adorned with over 40,000 colored lights being illuminated simultaneously with a stunning fireworks display,” said Shine and Hardin. The sponsors this year include the Fort Wayne Komets (David Franke), Lake City Bank (Eric Ottinger and Cammy Treadway), Brigadoon Fitness (Bruce Dye), IU Health (Brian Bauer), Heller Homes (Mark Heller), Prairie Farms Dairy (Chuck McQuaig and Rob Ruppert), Deister Machine Company (Mark Deister), Kelley Automotive (Tom Kelley), Keith Byers, CME Construction (Ryan Hellinger), Mudrack Tree Service (Dan Mudrack), Kissinger Electric (Jon Kissinger), and Graycraft Signs Fort Wayne (Mark Gray). Our media sponsors include 21Alive and Federated Media (WOWO).
The family holiday tradition, which is held each year on the Friday before Thanksgiving, will be telecast live on 21Alive beginning at 4:00 p.m., when their entire two hour 30-minute news block will telecast live from the Broadway Plaza. Vice President and General Manager of 21Alive, Chris Fedele, said, “The holiday tradition continues with the wonderful coincidence of this being the 21st year of ‘Christmas On Broadway’ to be held on the 21st day of November and to be telecast on 21Alive. We are delighted to telecast this family tradition and provide exciting coverage of the event for those who cannot otherwise attend. Family entertainment is what 21Alive is all about and there is nothing more family oriented than beginning the holidays with ‘Christmas on Broadway’.”
21Alive will be joined as a media sponsor by the City’s top-rated cluster of radio stations owned by Federated Media, including WOWO, 97.3 WMEE, 1380 The Fan, 98.9 The Bear, and K-105. Ben Saurer, General Manager of the Federated stations, stated that, “Again this year ‘Christmas On Broadway’ will kick off the 78th Annual WOWO Penny Pitch (itself one of the longest and continuous holiday charities in the community) at 3:00 p.m. on November 21st with Casey Hendrickson broadcasting live from the Broadway Plaza. Motorist using Broadway will have the opportunity as they drive by the Broadway Plaza to contribute to the WOWO Penny Pitch by dropping their donation into donation buckets held by the members of the WOWO staff. 2025 is WOWO’s 100th anniversary year and we are so pleased to continue to be a part of Fort Wayne traditions, not the least of which is ‘Christmas on Broadway’.”
The computer center located within the Shine & Hardin building which, during the Spring, Summer and Fall controls the multiple colorized patterns of the Broadway Plaza fountain, will again allow for a variety of lighting display each evening when the tree is lit. The electrical engineering undertaken for the tree and the multi-colored vibrant displays have been designed by Mark Mongold of Kissinger Electric of Columbia City.
The excitement begins this year when Mudrack Tree Service will transport the tree to the Broadway Plaza on November 17th. On that day, Mudrack Tree Service will place the tree into its secure position upon a large tree stand, constructed by CME Construction.
When the tree arrives on Monday, November 17th, its arrival will be telecast live on 21Alive beginning at 5:00 a.m. during 21Alive’s Morning News, as well as radio coverage on WOWO, 92.3 FM/1190 AM. Then, throughout the week of November 17th, crews from A Yard Apart will prepare the tree for its lighting, by placing 40,000 lights on the tree, as well as readying the Broadway Plaza for the anticipated thousands of spectators. The entire event site will be overseen and managed through the efforts of the Associated Builders and Contractors Indiana Kentucky Chapter under the supervision of Felisha Anderson, Director of Council Management.
The Broadway Plaza is located at the mid-point of the Broadway Corridor. To the north of the Broadway Plaza is Fort Wayne’s largest redevelopment project in the City’s history, that being the nationally acclaimed Electric Works. To the south of the Broadway Plaza is Quimby Village, which is home to the Clyde, Fort Wayne’s most unique music venue. The Broadway Corridor is bordered by nine neighborhoods, those being Broad River, Creighton-Home, Historic South Wayne, Historic Oakdale, Fairfield, Illsley Place, Williams-Woodland. West Rudisill Neighborhood Association, and the Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Association.
On Saturday, November 15th, in the Journal Gazette, a full-page outline of the Christmas tree will be available for children of all ages to color their own rendering of the Christmas tree on Broadway. The three top entries will win Visa Gift Cards from Lake City Bank, and prizes from Federated Media and 21Alive. All entries must be received on or before Monday, December 15, 2025, and mailed to WPTA-TV, 3401 Butler Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46808. Winners will be announced on Wednesday morning, December 24, 2025, on 21Alive’s Morning News, WOWO 92.3 FM/1190 AM, and Christmas Time with Steve Shine to be telecast on the 21Alive stations and, this year celebrates its 40th year of sharing holiday cheer featuring local celebrities and guests.
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