Ohio Regional Music Arts and Cultural Outreach (ORMACO) and the Friends of the Secrest Arboretum will open their 2025 free Summer Concert Series, Music at the Arboretum, on Friday, May 23 with The Blue Ribbon Trio. This popular Northeast Ohio bluegrass group features Ron Bonkowski, Paul Kovack and Bill Lestock.

The season continues on Friday, June 27 with Sammy de León y su Orquestra. One of the most recognized Latin band leaders in Northern Ohio, DeLeon plays the timbales, a twin set of metal-encased, single-headed drums with a cowbell and a cymbal on the side. He began to play professionally at age 13 and has since played alongside the greatest of the genre: Tito Puente and Grán Combo de Puerto Rico, among others. Playing a broad spectrum of Latin dance music styles, this talented ensemble has gained a large multi-cultural audience.

Gracing the amphitheater stage on July 25 is The Back Porch Swing Band. Playing  a variety of good ‘old timey’ music ranging from Americana standards and early country to foot tapping swing and early rock and roll, this group is the perennial house band for the summer square dances at Malabar Farms, where they play traditional square dance songs and other swinging favorites to hundreds of dancers. They also play at many summer music programs in gazebos and bandshells throughout Ohio and beyond.

Closing out the season on August 15 is the Gruca White Ensemble. Classical guitarist Robert Gruca and flutist Linda White are comfortable with both written and improvised musical forms, drawing from musical experiences that include rock bands, conservatory training, jazz studies, and new music. Featuring music from multiple cultures and genres, they seek out rarely heard works from around the globe. The ensemble earned rave reviews for their debut album A Different Take, released on Big Round Records in 2020.? 

All concerts are at 6:30 pm at the John Streeter Garden Amphitheater, 2122 Williams Road, Wooster, OH 44691. In the event of rain, concerts will be held at the Secrest Welcome & Education Center. For more information visit www.ormaco.org or call 419-853-6016.