A unique series of live music and special events celebrate the legacy and music of Cole Porter while highlighting his special connection to the town of Peru. We honor the memory of Porter with traditional focus, as well as innovative new experiences to encourage interest among new and diverse audiences.

Schedule:

Thursday June 8, 2023

10am - 4pm: COLE PORTER EXHIBIT at MIAMI COUNTY MUSEUM

Visit the heart of the festival: world-famous Miami County Museum, to experience a vast exhibit of Cole Porter history, art and memorabilia. Including Cole’s glamorous 1955 Fleetwood Cadillac on display.  This one-of-a-kind collection is a precious gem of Indiana.

$5 donation appreciated

5pm to 10pm: PLATES OF PERU - LIVE MUSIC AT LOCAL EATERIES

A music & dining hop!  Make your own path to explore three of Peru’s favorite downtown eateries, finding great live music at each location.  No Cover Charges.  Check with individual venues for 21+ age restrictions

CLUB 14 -  Featuring Don Smith - 5pm

115 South Broadway Peru IN (765)473-3010.  Club 14 is well-known for their delicious Pizzas, Grilled or Hand Breaded Tenderloin Sandwiches and Smoked Pulled Pork Nachos!  Check out their full menu at Club14peru.com

LEGEND’S COCKTAIL LOUNGE - Featuring Dave Lowe - 6pm

69 North Broadway Peru IN (765)4266.  Peru’s newest dining and drinking hot-spot!  Enjoy a friendly & fun Bourbon Street vibe, with absolutely amazing food & cocktails.  Check out Legend’s menu at LegendsCocktailLounge.club

DILLINGER’S - Featuring Jazz Elements - 7pm

61 South Broadway Peru IN (765)460-5398.  We highly recommend the delicious Bluegill and Alaska Pollock courses!  See Dillinger’s full menu at facebook.com/dillingersperu

Friday June 9, 2023

11:30am - 1:00pm: Lunch With Mr. Porter @ Festival Showroom at Miami County Museum

Enjoy an exquisite lunch with wine and champagne as host Cole Porter (portrayed by Dr. Jason Gornto) takes you on an in-depth musical journey through the life-and-times of Peru’s very own songwriting legend. An immersive and entertaining dining experience, one of our most popular events.

$45 per person / Reservations Required / 21+ AGES ONLY

2:00pm - 3:00pm: Charles Troy Presents - Part 1 - Festival Showroom at Miami County Museum

Delve into the genius of Cole Porter with an enlightening multi-media seminar: “Porter Before Paris” exploring the 1928 ‘MusicComedy’ that made Cole Porter a Broadway success. Presented by acclaimed theatre historian Charles Troy. Featuring guest singer Elizabeth Doyle performing Cole Porter songs live at the Museum’s vintage piano. We are honored to have Charles making his 11th appearance at Peru’s Cole Porter Festival!

12 per person / Reservations Recommended / Running Time: 45 minutes

3:00pm - 4:00pm: COLE PORTER EXHIBIT at MIAMI COUNTY MUSEUM

Visit the heart of the festival: world-famous Miami County Museum, to experience a vast exhibit of Cole Porter history, art and memorabilia. Including Cole’s glamorous 1955 Fleetwood Cadillac on display.  This one-of-a-kind collection is a precious gem of Indiana.

$5 donation appreciated

6:00pm - 9:00pm: Cocktails & Cole - The Victorian Historic Roberts Home

A stately mansion serves as the backdrop for this nostalgic, fun mixer. Celebrate Cole Porter’s birthday with upscale cocktails and delicious hors d’oeuvres, as you enjoy Porter music by the fabulous Sandy Lomax of Indianapolis.

$40 per person / Reservations Recommended / 21+ AGES ONLY

10:00pm - 1:00 AM: Cole's Roaring 20's Cabaret! - Legend’s Cocktail Lounge

Happy Birthday Cole Porter! Vintage costumes and flapper dancing abound in this high-spirited event. Enjoy cocktails, beer and wine as you party to hit songs from the good old days. Nostalgia Entertainment provides an energetic, interactive live music performance, with guest appearances by Busker Janky, Ellen Mock, and comedy by Kalika. Charleston and Costume contests with prizes! And DJ-Karl keeps the party going with the sounds of Post-Modern Jukebox.

$15 admission / Cash Food & Bar / 21+ AGES ONLY / Advance Tickets Recommended

5th Street Music Stage

3:00pm: Tuxedo Juction
5:00pm: Peter & Company
6:30pm: Rachel-Erin & Lew
8:00pm: The Time Travelers
10:00pm: Tim Edwards' Barrelhouse

Saturday June 10,2023

9:30 am - 10:30 am: Charles Troy Presents - Part 2 - Festival Showroom at Miami County Museum

Continue exploring the genius of Cole Porter with “A Cole Porter Musical Comedy Tour of Paris,” an enlightening multi-media seminars presented by acclaimed theatre historian Charles Troy. Featuring guest singer Elizabeth Doyle performing Porter songs live at the Museum’s vintage piano.

$12 per person / Reservation Recommended / Running Time: 1-Hour

10:30am - 2:30pm: Discovering Cole Bus Tours @ Tours Depart from Miami County Museum

Hop aboard an air-conditioned bus for a special narrated tour of Cole Porter Landmarks… right here in his hometown of Peru. Take a journey of iconic sights including the charming Cole Porter Inn (his birthplace), the beautiful blooms at the Old-Fashioned Garden (inspiration for Porter’s hit song of the same name), and the timeless family plot at Mount Hope Cemetery (Cole’s resting place).

FIRST BUS departs at 10:30am
SECOND BUS departs at 12:30pm
THIRD BUS departs at 2:30pm

Tour Duration: Approximately 90 Minutes.

$15 per person / Reservations Recommended

11am - 2pm: Music at the Museum @ Festival Showroom at Miami County Museum

A festival favorite - The event that started it all.  Surrounded by a vast collection of memorabilia, historical items and art, guests enjoy Cole Porter songs performed live by regional and local talent.  Featuring performances by Zac Tschiniak / Brady Ream / Kyle Johnson

Also at this event we will be honoring this year’s Cole Porter Scholarship Recipients Kilynn Wallace & Aidyn Mathis.

$5 Donation Appreciated

11:00am - 7:30pm: COLE PORTER EXHIBIT at MIamI COUNTY MUSEUM

Visit the heart of the festival: world-famous Miami County Museum, to experience a vast exhibit of Cole Porter history, art and memorabilia. Including Cole’s glamorous 1955 Fleetwood Cadillac on display.  This one-of-a-kind collection is a precious gem of Indiana.

$5 donation appreciated

2:30PM to 3:30PM: On The Forefront Of Song: Wordsmithing With Cole Porter at Festival Showroom at Miami County Museum

In this presentation - with music - composer Philip Seward will explore how Cole Porter’s unique writing style influenced his peers, subsequent Broadway songwriters and fellow Hoosier native son, Seward, himself.  Join in for a program presented from the piano with music drawing connections back to Porter’s brilliant music.

$5 Donation Appreciated

2:30pm - 5:30pm: Elizabeth Doyle's Songwriting Workshop at The Victorian Historic Roberts Home

Cabaret/jazz sensation and accomplished composer Elizabeth Doyle teaches valuable songwriting techniques, in a fun and relaxed forum. Whether you’re a musician of any level, or someone who has just thought about writing a song, you will love this creative workshop - where your personal inspiration and ideas are fostered and encouraged.

$20 per person / Reservation Required

4pm - 5pm: SNEAK PEEK! EXPERIMENT: THE COLE PORTER PROJECT at Festival Showroom at Miami County Museum

Join filmmaker and proud Peruvian Ward Roberts for a fun sneak peak behind-the-scenes of Experiment: The Cole Porter Project.  

Experiment is a music docuseries that chronicles the creation of a new album, each track featuring today’s stars recording modern renditions of Cole Porter songs.

As the producer and director of Experiment, Ward will recount the project’s journey… from conception and development, to financing and attaching talent, and finally through the excitement of filming a documentary about musicians recording wonderful new renditions of Cole Porter classics.

$5 Donation Appreciated

6pm - 7:30pm: Sweet Songbook Seminar at Festival Showroom at Miami County Museum ~ 51 North Broadway Peru, Indiana

Join us for conversation & complimentary confections as a panel of unique guests discuss the influence of Cole Porter as a talent ahead-of-his-time, and the relevance in this modern age of celebrating timeless standards of Jazz, Broadway, Hollywood and Pop.  Includes audience Q&A segment.

THIS IS A FREE EVENT!

8pm - 11pm: Cole's Cover-Tune Contest at 5th Street Music Stage & Village - 5th & Broadway - Historic Downtown Peru, Indiana

Back by popular demand!  Root for local and regional bands as they compete for big prizes by performing a Cole Porter classic in their own unique style.  A panel of experts will judge the contenders, and the night ends with a rousing set by 2021 Grand Prize Winning band Sparrow 5 starting at 11pm.

This year’s competition contenders announced soon. Stay tuned!

No Cover Charge / Food, Beer & Wine Available For Purchase / 21+ Ages Only in the Bar Area.

FOUR BANDS COMPETE EVERY BAND WINS!
1st PLACE: $1,000  
2nd PLACE: $500
3rd PLACE: $250  
4th PLACE: $100

Interested in competing? Only two slots remaining! Scroll down to see the rules and use the Submission Form provided.

5th Street Music Stage

10:00am: Mike Almon       
12:00pm: Nostalgia      
2:00pm: The dave Lowe Trio
4:00pm: No Regrets
6:00pm: ABBIE THOMAS BAND
8:00pm: Cole's Cover-Tune Contest
11:00pm: SPARROW 5

Sunday June 11, 2023

1:00pm to 3:00pm: Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social - 5th Street Music Stage & Village - 5th & Broadway Historic Downtown Peru, Indiana

Join the town for this family friendly event, as we celebrate the good old days with nostalgic tunes and frosty ice cream!  Peru’s legendary Swampwater Stompers provide toe-tapping musical euphoria - with their signature brand of Dixieland Trad Jazz.  And you’ll marvel as Kokomo Men Of Note deliver pitch-perfect Barbershop a cappella.  A cool way to close out this year’s Cole Porter Festival.  Ice cream compliments of Blair Ridge Health Campus, edible Cookie Dough provided by Dreams To Reality.

Free Admission / All Ages / Complimentary Ice Cream Treats / Beverages Available for purchase

Date: Thursday June 8, 2023 -  Sunday June 11, 2023

Location: Various Venues in Peru, IN

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