9 Biggest Indiana Summer Music Festivals

People who live outside of Indiana oftentimes think of it as corn and basketball. And the Indianapolis 500. The people of Indiana are much more diverse than that, even if the state is largely conservative and always Republican. The truth of the matter is, that I did a Google search for rock and roll summer festivals in Indiana and got zip, zero, nadda. Fiddles, and some great jazz, but no rock. See, I still think that Indiana is corn and basketball. Fun music? Let's see what's up this summer in Indiana.

Here are nine music festivals that make living in Indiana full of fiddles each year. Oh, and I also threw in some popcorn just for fun. I have to note here, that jazz is a considerable influence in Indiana, but is it New Orleans? Even when Indianapolis tries to put on the Indy Jazz Fest and pretends that Indianapolis had a starring role in the birth of America's only true musical genre', it's just not so. But, here we go, anyway.

1) The Elkhart Jazz Festival, located in northern Indiana- noted as the one of the premier jazz festivals in the country, this festival has taken place in mid-June for twenty years. This year, The Four Freshman, Bill Allfred's Jazz Band, and Rob Parton's JAZZTECH Big Band will appear. Attendees listen in the relaxed atmosphere - some sit in the audience and others step onto the stage and sit in the middle of jazz. Great experience.

2) The Cole Porter Summer Festival- The Cole Porter SummerFest takes place in Peru Indiana, on the east side of the state in early June. This festival glorifies the sounds and lyrics of Cole Porter, one of America's elder statesman of music.

3) The Mansfield Village Bluegrass Festival - There is nothing like Indiana Bluegrass. The Bluegrass Festival takes place in early June each year in this historic town. And each year, the Banjo and Festival contest is the central event. This culminates the 2 days of continuous bluegrass sound.