One Thing Leads to Another

Ten years ago Jim Wendel thought that it would be fun to invite fellow musicians to gather at his property adjoining the historic Whitewater Canal and share music and knowledge.  Thus the Metamora Old Time Music Festival was born. 

This annual celebration of music takes place on the Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend, and offers free music performances, demonstrations and workshops to all comers.  Harps, mandolins, fiddles, and dulcimers have all sounded in the meadow area at Lane’s End; with many participants returning year after year. 

In 2007 a permanent porch stage was added to the barn existing at the site.  Connie Wendel muses, “The barn needed a new roof, and we decided we might as well go ahead and build the stage at the same time.”  Rock hauled from nearby Duck Creek forms the foundation, and lumber milled from the Wendel’s home near Milroy was used to build the stage.  The Baggy Bottom Boys, a Metamora band, proved that they can wield hammers as well as music picks, and pitched in to help with the construction. 

Now that there is a stage, other opportunities have developed.  The Last Friday Open Mic sessions will be starting on Friday, May 30th.  From 7 to 10 PM, musicians from the area will be able to step-up and show their stuff on stage the last Friday of every month this summer.  In August, the popular Metamoron Show is scheduled to take place.  And on August 30 and 31, the Tenth Annual Metamora Old Time Music Festival will once again bring talents from Ohio, Kentucky, Tennesee and Indiana to Metamora.