WARSAW — Warsaw City Parks Department has announced plans for its annual Letters to Santa program.

Make the holidays magical by surprising your little ones with a personalized letter from Santa Claus this year.

Each letter will be tailored with the special details you provide, making it a keepsake they'll treasure forever, according to a news release from the Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department.

Forms are available through Dec. 1, and you can learn more by clicking here.

Cost is $3 per letter.

Completed form and payment may be dropped off at the Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department office or mailed to City of Warsaw Parks Department, Attn: Letters from Santa, 123 E. Fort Wayne St., Warsaw, IN 46580.

Letters from Santa will be mailed out no later than Dec. 16.

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WARSAW — Warsaw Parks officials are pledging to learn from problems that arose Wednesday during a slip-and-slide event held at Lucerne Park.

[caption id="attachment_96491" align="alignright" width="350"] Image taken from Warsaw Park's Facebook page posted on Wednesday.[/caption]

The city previously used the sledding hill at Kelly Park for slip and slide events but moved it this year to Lucerene due to a dredging project at Kelly Park.

Organizers realized their new location at Lucerne was not conducive to the slip-slide concept because the landing area was not as grassy as what they had at Kelly Park and that some of the kids got scrapped up a bit at the end of the slide.

After trying other locations, the event was canceled and park officials then posted an apology for the circumstances on its Facebook page.

The few comments reacting to the post seemed to be understanding.

Superintendent Larry Plummer was asked about the situation afterward and said some kids suffered scrapes as they slid off the tarp.

"We will learn from this and move forward from this event and provide the best programming possible," Plummer said. "I have the utmost confidence in our recreation department that they will continue to provide great programming like they have."

He said they hope to return the event to Kelly Park next year.

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WARSAW — If you think the popularity of pickleball has maxed out, think again.

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WARSAW — A new series of pickleball clinics are being offered by Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department, with a special incentive for young people who might be interested.

The parks department is offering the classes at the K21 Courts, 503 N. Detroit St.

Cost is $20 for adults, but is free for youth.

The week-long series of clinics for youth begin June 11 and will all be in the morning. Adult classes also begin June 11 and continue weekly for four weeks. All adult classes will begin at 5:30 p.m.

The classes will focus on techniques and the basics of the fast growing sport.

All equipment will be provided.

Registration is required.

There will be no day-of signups taken. Participants can attend as many or as few days as they wish, but the sessions are intended to build upon one another.

To register and learn more about the clinics and start times, click here.

For more information, contact the parks office at 574-372-9554.

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WARSAW — The Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department will host events on both Friday and Saturday.

On Friday, the parks department will host the Summer Concert Series with Moonshots at the Lucerne Park Amphitheater on Park Avenue. Start time is 7 p.m. and admission is free.

On Saturday, the city will host a kids fishing derby at Bixler Park, which is east of Center Lake Beach. Prizes will be awarded for each age group. Start time is 8 a.m.

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WARSAW — Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department has announced details for its two biggest summer concerts of the year.

The Warsaw parks and recreation department will feature the 90's alternative rock band "Everclear" at Central Park on June 21.

Everclear found success with other songs like "Santa Monica," "Father of Mine," and "Wonderful."

The classic rock concert is sponsored by Zimmer Biomet, DePuy Synthes and McDonalds.

The parks department also announced its Country Concert for St. Jude Kids on July 19 will feature Kimberly Perry, formerly of The Band Perry. 

Perry established herself with The Band Perry with songs like "Better Dig Two," "You Lie," and "Done."

As a solo artist, she reached success with the songs, "If I Die Young Part 2," and "Burn the House Down."

The classic rock concert is sponsored by Zimmer Biomet, The Dr. Dane and Mary Louise Miller Foundation, DePuy Synthes and McDonalds.

As always, admission for both shows is free.

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WARSAW — Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department has announced details for this year's Mom-Son Dance, scheduled for May 3.

The event will be from 6-8 p.m. at the Zimmer Biomet Center Lake Pavilion in Warsaw and tickets are $20.

The dance is open to boys ages 3-14. This year's theme is Denim & Diamonds.

Registration is required and continues through April 22 unless filled. The Maximum number of guests is 100.

You can register online by clicking here.

For questions, email the parks office at parksevents@warsaw.in.gov,
or call 574-372-9554.

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WARSAW — Registration opens today for a painting class directed toward folks who are 55 and older and hosted by the Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department.

The class will be overseen by the owner and operator of Cr8-ur-Canvas, of Bourbon. The event starts at 9 a.m. on Oct. 18, at the Pete Thorn Gym, 800 N. Park Avenue.

The cost of the class is $2 per participant.

The instructor-led painting class will give participants an opportunity to take home a beautiful painting, according to a news release from the parks department.

The class is available to those 55 and older.

All materials will be provided for the class.

Registration opens today and runs through Oct. 9 or until filled.

You can register by clicking here and looking for the "art in the park" lin the link.

If you have any questions, email the parks department at parksevents@warsaw.in.gov or call 574-372-9554.

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WARSAW — If you like the music of Elvis, check out Friday night's concert featuring Elvis impersonator Quinten Flagg.

His show is part o the summer concert series organized by Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department.

The start time at the Lucerne Ampltheater is 7 p.m.

Performances made possible by the Kosciusko County Community Foundation and the
Indiana Arts Commission — a state agency. Additional sponsorship is provided by 107.3 WRSW, Willie 103.5, and News Now Warsaw.

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WARSAW — Warsaw’s annual family carnival, one of the more popular summer events put on by the Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department, has fallen victim to today's anticipated excessive heat.

Warsaw Parks announced on Thursday the cancelation of the family carnival, which had been set for Friday night in Central Park.

The decision was made out of concern for the public, the vendors and park staff, the announcement said.

The current stretch of hot weather is expected to peak today with a high of 95 and a heat index of around 105.

Due to availability and scheduling conflicts, there is no plan to hold it later this year – fans of the carnival will have to wait until next year.

A heat advisory by the National Weather Service remains in effect until midnight Friday.

In addition to the heat, the national weather service predicts there’s also a chance of storms tonight.

The Weather Service said the greatest risk for storms will exist until midnight Friday as a front moves south. Damaging winds and large hail are the primary threats with heavy rainfall possible.

And Friday has been declared another air action quality alert for the entire state. That means certain groups with sensitivities are urged to stay inside as much as possible.

Saturday's high temp is expected to be 85 and Sunday's high will be near 80.

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