Entertainment

By Mike Rhodes, Editor-in-Chief, MuncieJournal.com— INDIANAPOLIS—Mark Neely of Muncie has been named to the Indiana Authors Awards for the book Ticker. The book was nominated in the Poetry category, one of eight literary categories where awards will be given. Winners will be announced on Aug. 24, 2022. Ticker, follows the life of its main character, Bruce, as he navigates marriage, children, aging parents, politics, race, religion, global catastrophe, and the irrelevance of middle age. Throughout the book the dueling voices in Bruce’s head, which range from comic to bitter to revelatory, compete for control of his inner life. From formal to freewheeling, Neely’s…

By Mike Rhodes, Editor-in-Chief, MuncieJournal.com— INDIANAPOLIS—J.R. Jamison of Muncie has been named to the Indiana Authors Awards for the book Hillbilly Queer: A Memoir. The book was nominated in the DEBUT category, one of eight literary categories where awards will be given. Winners will be announced on Aug. 24, 2022. Jamison’s book is an enduring love story between a conservative dad and gay son who find that sometimes the differences between us aren’t really that different at all. Comments about Jamison’s book include: “. . . One of the most humane and challenging memoirs to come out of the Midwest . . ….

By Ben Polk— MUNCIE, IN—PrimeTrust Federal Credit Union and Second Harvest Food Bank invite you to the tenth annual Soup Crawl. Held in downtown Muncie, on Thursday, October 6th, from 5 pm to 8 pm, tickets are available now. Tickets are being sold online at curehunger.org/soupcrawl. Soup Crawl is a fun and festive local culinary celebration that benefits Second Harvest Food Bank’s The Big Idea initiative. For just $20, Soup Crawl attendees can stroll the streets of historic downtown Muncie and sample 20 delicious soups from downtown and area restaurants, caterers, and organizations. “PrimeTrust is a proud supporter of the…

By Muncie Downtown Development Partnership— MUNCIE, IN—Things are heating up in downtown Muncie in anticipation of Fire Up DWNTWN: A Summer Streetfest on August 6, sponsored by Ivy Tech – Muncie. “This event is above and beyond anything we have hosted in many years downtown,” said Cheryl Crowder, event director of Muncie Downtown Development Partnership. “We wanted to celebrate downtown’s growth and revitalization by merging elements of past iconic events akin to RibFest, Summer Heat and music festivals, something that could bring the entire community together” said Veach. “Over one hundred volunteers, organizations, and businesses have partnered with us to…

By Dee McKinsey— Opening Coincides with Muncie’s First Thursday Event MUNCIE, IN– Leon and Laura Crosby will open their joint art show, Thursday, Aug. 4 at Cornerstone Center for the Arts, 520 E. Main Street. They will host a reception from 5-8 p.m. at Cornerstone. The Crosbys have collaborated on this collection to create paintings inspired by fantasy lore and fairy tales. The two incorporate acrylic pouring techniques and form achieved through utilization of paint, marker, and resin to create whimsical pieces that capture the imagination. The audience may recognize some favorite characters and nods to stories from childhood in…

By Rick Zeigler— MUNCIE, IN—Acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter James McMurtry and his band will be performing a FREE outdoor concert as part of the 2022 Muncie Three Trails Music Series. The concert will take place at 7:00 PM on Saturday, July 30th at Canan Commons (500 S. Walnut St.) in the heart of downtown Muncie, IN. Muncie native Mike Martin and the Beautiful Mess will open the show. More than 30 years after his debut release, the critically acclaimed Too Long in the Wasteland, co-produced by John Mellencamp, James McMurtry has become what’s known as a songwriter’s songwriter, someone whose facility…

By Stephen C. Price, D.Mus.— MUNCIE, IN– Six of the country’s top young organists will perform in the Sursa American Organ Competition on the Ball State University campus September 9-11. The musicians will perform on a Goulding & Wood organ in Sursa Performance Hall. All events throughout the competition are free and open to the public. The final round will be held on Sunday, September 11, from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., and audience members can listen to the organists and vote for their favorite player. “We’re proud to host this competition of world-class musicians for the fourth time,” said Stephen Price,…

By Linda DeHaven— MUNCIE, IN—The Frye Family Band will present a concert at The Garden at Main St., 801 E. Main St., Muncie, IN on July 31, at 6 pm. “Inspiring, encouraging, entertaining” – these are just a few words frequently used to describe the Frye Family Band. From their tight harmonies and light-hearted toe-tapping songs, to those which will stir your soul, the Frye Family Band shares their music and message with admirable transparency and relentless hope. Tom Frye is a consummate musician and song writer with a passion for God. Frye said, “I memorized Psalm 67 in college and…

By Katherine Huggler— MUNCIE, IN—The Big Band musicians of America’s Hometown Band are returning to the Ball State University Arts Terrace quad for 2022. This group is set to entertain their audience with musical gems that feature that special Swing Sound. Always a crowd-favorite event, the performance is set for Thursday evening, July 28, starting at 7 pm . Admission is free and open to all. The band’s leader is pro trumpeter Larry McWilliams, BSU Jazz Program founder and emeritus professor of music. This outdoor setting under the shady trees has plenty of space for lawn chairs, blankets, picnics, and dancing – take along friends &…