All-day 'Jerry Fest' to celebrate longtime Farmland musician, volunteer
FARMLAND, Ind. — Historic Farmland USA will present “Jerry Fest" 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, July 2, in downtown Farmland. This free, all-day event celebrates the life and legacy of late Farmland resident Jerry Cole.
"Jerry Cole was a fixture in Randolph County," a release stated. "He was born March 3, 1954, in Muncie to Melba and Jack Cole, Sr. He was a 1972 graduate of Muncie Southside High School and a 1976 graduate of Ball State University where he went on to join their faculty. He passed away in 2019."
Cole volunteered for many years in Historic Farmland as its operations director, and elsewhere in Randolph County. He received the “Male Volunteer of the Year Award” from the Winchester Area Chamber of Commerce in 2016.
Cole was an accomplished and popular musician; he and his wife, Judy, started the popular First Friday Concert Series, and the Monday Music Jam at the Community Center. He also directed and performed in many theatrical productions and served as technical director for “Tom Cherry’s Old Time Radio Show” in Farmland.
A music scholarship for budding local musicians will be established through donations, as well as the Jerry Cole Memorial Fund.
At Saturday's festival, John Beatrice will kick off the festivities at 9 a.m. Other performers will include: Dan Wright and Company, 10-11 a.m.; The Oxford Baking Company, 11 a.m.-noon; Long Haul Paul and Michael Ronstadt, noon-1:30 p.m.; The Fierce 1:30-3 p.m.; Lee Neuzil and Jess Robinson, 3-3:30 p.m.; John Kogge and the Lonesome Strangers, 3:30-5 p.m.; Mountain Laurel, 5-7 p.m., and My Brother's Keeper, 7-9 p.m.
My Brother's Keeper also will perform at the Farmland Friends Church on Sunday July 3.
Information: Historic Farmland USA Facebook page
More: Meridian's Fam Fest to offer free school physicals, vaccinations, Safety Town
Free program on 'Other Side of the Struggle' set for Saturday
MUNCIE — Real Black Excellence will sponsor the free, public program "Celebrating the Other Side of the Struggle" 7-8 p.m. Tuesday, June 28, at Cornerstone Center for the Arts, 520 E. Main St.
The Church or God Academy, Greenville, Ohio, will perform spoken word, music and drama. The program “tells the story of American history from the perspective of Europeans,” according to program sponsors, and exams the impact of race.
Real Black Excellence is a youth nonprofit organization focusing on the African American experience. Information: RealBlackExcellence.com.
Send news items to The Star Press at news@muncie.gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: All-day 'Jerry Fest' to celebrate longtime Farmland musician, volunteer
