A Variety Of Free Live Music night and day on the outdoor stage. Deep-Dive Special Events exploring the life and songs of Cole Porter.

Schuedule of Events:

June 12, 2025

A music, dining and drinking hop! Explore Peru's favorite Downtown eateries finding great live music including Cole Porter songs at each location.

4:00pm - 6:00pm: The Ukelady At Club 14 Bar  and Grill:
115 South Broadway Peru, Indiana 765-473-3010

5:00pm - 7:00pm: Jazz Elements at Dillinger's:
61 South Broadway Peru, Indiana 765-460-5398

6:00pm - 8:00pm: Wrinkles and  Kinks at Garden Gate Cafe:
20 East 5th Street Peru, Indiana 765-327-2355

7:00pm-9:30pm: Speakeasy Boys at Legend's Cocktail Lounge:
69 North Broadway Peru, Indiana 765-919-4266 LegendsCocktailLounge.club

No tickets or cover charges 21+ age restrictions at some venues. Cash-Card Food and Bars Contact venues directly for reservation options.

June 13, 2025

11:00am - 1:00pm: Festival Favorite! Lunch With Mr. Porter
The Showroom at Miami County Museum 51 North Broadway Peru, Indiana
Enjoy delicious table service lunch with wine and champagne as your host Cole Porter portrayed by Dr. Jason Gornto - takes you on an in-depth musical journey through his life and times. An immersive and entertaining dining experience. $50.
Food and Drinks Included / Advance Tickets Required

1:30 - 2:30pm: Deep Dive Charles Troy presentsCole Porter's Top Ten List Songs at Festival Auditorium at Story Church
Porter's witty list songs, like "Let's Do It" and "You're the Top," are so clever! Find out what a list song is, and listen to Porter's Top Ten, chosen for their excellence, popularity, or significance in his career. In this multimedia presentation, the songs will be played chronologically and you'll learn about Porter's extraordinary life along the way. $15.

3:00pm - 4:00pm: Dr. Philip Seward presents Cole Porter in Hollywood at Festival Auditorium at Story Church
Talented speaker and musician Dr. Philip Seward, along with special guest Ava Logan, present this musical lecture exploring Cole Porter's extraordinary history in Tinseltown. $15.

5:00pm - 6:00pm: Cherry And Jerry Present Women in Ragtime at Festival Auditorium at Story Church.
In this musical lecture, Isaac Cherry and Jerry Rabushka perform ragtime music with special guest John Woytus, highlighting the works of female ragtime composers. $15.

5:30pm - 7:30pm: Sandy Returns! Cocktails and Cole at The Victorian on 3rd Street
Fabulous Sandy Lomax of Indianapolis returns to the Italianate Victorian mansion, a nostalgic backdrop for this elegant annual mixer celebrating Cole Porter in his hometown. Enjoy cocktails and delicious appetizers as you delight in Porter songs by Sandy and the band. $45.
Free Hors D'oeuvres / Includes 1 Drink Ticket/Cash Bar/21+only in bar area

8:00pm - 10:00pm: Sneak Peek! Under My Skin A New Play With Songs By Cole Porter Festival Auditorium at Story Church
Get a first look at Anna Knight's new play, inspired by and featuring the songs of Cole Porter. They all have someone, or something, under their skin. Who will stop at nothing to get what they want and who will be brought back from the brink? Directed by Jason Gornto.
$30.

10:30pm - 12:30am: Party Time! Cole's Roaring 20's Cabaret! at Legend's Cocktail Lounge
Vintage costumes and flapper dancing abound at this high-spirited event. Live music by Nostalgia Entertainment and special guest Busker Janky. Close-up mystifying magic with Daffy Doug. Charleston Dance and Costume Contests with prizes. $10. Cash-Card Food and Bar

June 14, 2025

11am-1pm: Fan Favorite Music at the Museum The Showroom at Miami County Museum
Surrounded by a vast collection of historical items and art, enjoy Cole Porter songs performed live by Zac Tschiniak and Sami Soutar-Lightsey. With special honoring of this year's Cole Porter Scholarship recipients. Free Event!

11:00am/1:00pm/3:00pm: Discovering Cole Bus Tour at Buses depart from Miami County Museum
Take a one-of-a-kind narrated tour of iconic Cole Porter Landmarks, including the charming Cole Porter Inn, The Old-Fashioned Garden, and the timeless family plot at Mount Hope Cemetery. Tour Duration Approximately 90 Minutes. $15 boarding pass. Limited Seating / Advance Tickets Recommended

1:30-2:30pm: Charles Troy Presents Cole Porter's Top Ten Lust Songs at Festival Auditorium at Story Church
Many of Porter's great love ballads can be characterized as lust songs. More than any other songwriter writing in the Great American Songbook tradition, his ballad lyrics often had a sexual connotation. You'll find out why while you hear his Top Ten, in this multimedia presentation examining how the songwriter's private life was reflected in his most well-known standards. $15.


3:00-4:00pm: Sneak Peek! a conversation with Paul Kaplan at Festival Auditorium at Story Church
Free Event Accomplished author Paul Kaplan visits from New York to provide a behind-the-pages look at the writing process for his upcoming Cole Porter biography.

4:30pm-5:30pm:Dr. Philip Seward Presents The Porters in Venice at Festival Auditorium at Story Church
Talented presenter and musician Dr. Philip Seward explores the social life and musical works from Cole Porter's time in Venice, Italy. $15.


7:00pm-9:00pm: Double-Header! Edelfelt and Doyle at Festival Auditorium at Story Church
"COLE PORTER - YOU'RE THE TOP" with a special opening performance by WARREN & FLICK Cabaret sensations David Edelfelt & Elizabeth Doyle deliver a delightful journey through the music of Cole Porter. Jacob Warren and Grant Flick kick things off with a captivating set you won't forget! $50.

9pm-11:30pm: Cole's Cover-Tune Contest Mceda Music Stage 5th and Broadway in Peru Indiana
Grand Prize $1000 2nd Place: $500 Honorable Mentions: $100 each. Bands re-imagine Cole Porter songs, in their own unique style. Contest judged by an independent panel. 6 Bands have been selected for the competition and will be announced here soon! Submissions now closed for this year's contest. Come on out and root for the bands!
Free Entry / No Cover Food and Drinks Available For Purchase All Ages 21+ Only In The Bar Area

June 15, 2025
 
1:00pm - 3:00pm: Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social at MCEDA Music Stage & Village, 5th & Broadway
Free Event! Celebrate the good old days with nostalgic tunes and frosty ice cream. Swampwater Stompers provide musical euphoria with signature Dixieland Trad Jazz. And you'll marvel as Kokomo Men Of Note deliver pitch-perfect a cappella. All Ages. Free Ice Cream Courtesy Of Blair Ridge Health Campus

Date: Juen 12-15, 2025

Location: Various Venue in Peru

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