250th Marine Corps Birthday Ball Celebration

The Grand Wayne Center

Event Hall C

120 W. Jefferson Blvd.

Fort Wayne, IN 46802

The Marine Corps Birthday Ball has always been a night of celebration commonly attended in black-tie attire, or your dress blues.  However, we are delighted to have all attendants in their best dress.

Music will be provided by Rob Jackson with Noise Pollution

Photographs will be provided by Tim Herald with Herald Photography.  All attendees will receive one free professional photograph.  Additional photos will be available for purchase.

Rooms are available for a discounted rate at $110 + tax through The Hilton Hotel located at 1020 South Calhoun Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802, which is conveniently attached to the Grand Wayne Center!.  Please click on the link below to book your room today! (Rooms must be booked by October 16, 2025 to receive the group discount). 

https://www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/fwafhhf-mar-c978c91a-af42-4385-a622-bda3813e5baa/

If you choose to park in the parking garage, you must bring your ticket to the registration desk to be validated.  Parking in the Civic Center Parking Garage is free thanks to a sponsor.  If you are staying in the Hilton, you do not need to bring your parking ticket to get validated.  The hotel charges you $15 for you to park in the Civic Center Parking Garage.

Civic Center Parking Garage, 101 E. Washington Blvd. - Connects via skybridge to the Hilton Hotel and Grand Wayne Convention Center.

You may drop off guests on Jefferson St. in front of the Grand Wayne Center at the green doors, and then move your vehicle to the parking garage.

Our Guest of Honor for the evening will be Marine, Dr. Mark Harris.

 Dr. Harris spent 24 years in the United States Marine Corps, serving in the Infantry in 3D Battalion 2D Marines as an S-2 Scout Sniper, Force, and Batallion Reconnaissance Units as a Platoon Sergeant/Operations Chief/Platoon Commander, and as the Company First Sergeant for Special Purpose Marine Task Force UNITAS in South America. He served as the Executive Officer of OPERATION RALEIGH, a British expedition to Chile under the patronage of HRH King Charles. Dr. Harris participated in military operations in OPERATION SHARP EDEGE Liberia, Africa; OPERATION DESERT SHIELD-STORM KUWAIT; and OPERATION UNITAS in South America. He also spent nine years in adult military education as a Drill Instructor, Primary Marksmanship Instructor, NCO School, and The Advanced SNCO course instructor. He also served as an Instructor and Noncommissioned Officer in Charge at the Amphibious Reconnaissance Course. His military schools include Drill Instructor, Basic and Advance Recon Course, Coxwain Skills Couse (USMC and USN SEAL), Airborne, Ranger, Special Forces (SF) Special Operations Combat Diver, SF Freefall (HALO), and Moutain Leader. 

 Dr. Harris serves as the President and CEO of the Woody Williams Foundation (WWF). Before his appointment at the WWF, he worked as the Vice President of Education and Research at 1109 Bravo LLC, researching injury recovery and performance enhancement with servicemembers. From 2015 to 2022, he served as the High Point Campus Dean at Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) for seven years. Before GTCC, Dr. Harris served as a JROTC high school teacher, varsity coach, high school assistant principal, and elementary and middle school principal for 16 years at Guilford County Schools (GCS).