Singing is a fortune and Indy is a hub
Would you like to sing more than twice a month? Indy Sacred Harp has strategically planned its monthly singings with Bloomington Sacred Harp so that central Indiana singers can attend a Shape Note singing weekly.
As the Crossroads of America, Indianapolis is a hub that can connect you to additional singing friends and neighbors across the Midwest. Listed below by state are the usual monthly and annual singings that are within a half-day’s drive. Underneath that is a reorganized list of the annual singings by date. ALWAYS DOUBLE CHECK WITH THE LOCAL WEBSITE AND/OR FACEBOOK PAGE IN CASE THERE ARE CHANGES AWAY FROM A GROUP’S USUALLY SCHEDULED SINGING.
These singings have been checked against their local pages (when available) and Jeremiah Ledbetter’s site: https://shapenotesingings.com/
Indiana
Bloomington
Monthly Singings:
1st Tuesday singing, 5:30-7 pm, on the IU campus near Dunn Cemetery, parking available at the Indiana Memorial Union
2nd and 4th Tuesday singings 7-9 pm from the 2025 Sacred Harp and the Shenandoah Harmony at Barb Lund’s house (520 W 6th St – come in back door off Jackson St.)
5th Tuesday potluck 6:30 singing 7-9pm from the Christian Harmony at Barb Lund’s house (520 W 6th St – come in back door off Jackson St.)
Annual Singing:
David Rust Memorial All-Day Singing, Saturday before the 4th Sunday in October, typically 10 am–3 pm with a potluck dinner on the grounds and a social in the evening at Barb Lund’s house.
Location: St. Mark’s United Methodist Church
100 N State Road 46, Bloomington Indiana 47408 with the evening social at 520 W 6th St (come in back door off Jackson St.)
Kokomo
Monthly Singing: Regular singing on the 2nd Sunday of each month, 2:30-5:00 PM, at the home of Brad and Karen Bahler. This is sometime supplemented with a singing on the 4th Sunday, please check the Facebook page for details.
Northern Indiana (Elkhart / Goshen)
Annual Singings:
Michiana Singing (Saturday before the 3rd Sunday in July) 9:30 am-3 pm Assembly Mennonite Church, 727 New York Street, Goshen, Indiana
NOTE: the day after the Michiana singing is the Kalamazoo singing 9:30 am-3 pm For more information about both singings, see the Sacred Harp Singings in Michigan website.
New Year’s Day Harmonia Sacra Singing, 1-5 pm with a light supper to follow, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, 3003 Benham Ave, Elkhart, IN 46517 (for more info, contact Samuel Sommers (scmws [at] yahoo [dot] com)
Southern Indiana (Orleans / Paoli)
Annual Singing:
Eldridge Schoolhouse Singing, 3rd Sunday in December, 10 am – 3 pm, most tunes out of the Sacred Harp with some from the Southern Harmony. Location: Leipsic Community Center, 4757 E Co Rd 800 N, Orleans, IN
Illinois
Champaign-Urbana
Central Illinois Sacred Harp Facebook Page
Monthly Singing:
3rd Sunday afternoons when UIUC is in session (typically 2-5pm in the University of Illinois School of Music, Music Building, room 0359 in the lower level, the “fishbowl” lower level…address: 1114 W Nevada St Urbana, IL 61801). For more information, check the facebook page for event postings and details.
Annual Singing:
Illinois State Convention – Saturday before the 3rd Sunday in September, 9:30 am – 3 pm with a dinner on the grounds around noon. Singing is out of the 2025 Sacred Harp and the Missouri Harmony.
Location: Channing Murray Foundation, 1209 W Oregon St, Urbana, IL 61801
Chicagoland
Monthly Singings:
Hyde Park – 1st, 3rd, and 5th Wednesdays from 7-9 pm, usually at Hyde Park Union Church at 5600 S Woodlawn Ave, Chicago, IL 60637. For more info & directions, email Rochelle Lodder (rclodder [at] gmail [dot] com)
North Side – 3rd Sunday at the home of Susan Geil and Randy Neufeld (4868 N Hermitage, Chicago) it’s in the back house. There is no parking in the alley, instead park out front on Hermitage. Note: the entrance requires that you climb stairs. For more info, contact Susan Geil (susan4868 [at] gmail [dot] com)
Logan Square – 2nd and 4th Tuesdays from 7-9 pm at Comfort Station, 2579 N. Milwaukee Ave. They typically have a short introduction for new singers followed by a singing. For more information, contact Matthew Siefert (matthewrs [at] gmail [dot] com)
Fox Valley – 4th Sunday from 2-4pm at Beith House, a historic house museum in downtown St. Charles (8 Indiana St, St. Charles). For more information, please contact Paul Hough: 630-631-3622 or paulandreehough [at] gmail [dot] com
Annual Singings:
Chicago Anniversary Singing – 2nd Sunday in January, 9:30 am-3 pm at the Kilbourn Park Fieldhouse, 3501 N. Kilbourn Ave., Chicago. Singing is from the Sacred Harp. Often there are workshops held the Saturday before, last year those were held from 12:30 pm – 3:45 pm at the 57th Street Meeting of Friends (Quaker House), 5615 S. Woodlawn Ave., Chicago
Lincoln’s Birthday Singing – This singing is held on a Saturday in February in conjunction with the University of Chicago Folk Festival. Singing is from the Sacred Harp and there is a workshop to teach new singers.
The Midwest Convention – typically falls near Memorial Day, though the formula is that it is held on the second 5th Sunday and the Saturday before, unless the second 5th Sunday is in June (if it falls in June, the date is shifted to the last Sunday in May and the Saturday before). Singing is from the Sacred Harp and the Shenandoah Harmony. This past year, Saturday was held at the Church of St. Paul and the Redeemer, 4945 S. Dorchester Ave., Chicago, IL, 60615, from 9:30 am-3:30 pm. Sunday was held at the Ethical Humanist Society, 7574 Lincoln Ave., Skokie, IL, 60077, 9:30 am-3:30 pm.
Ann Sleeva Memorial Cooper Book Singing – Saturday before the 2nd Sunday in August. Singing is from the 2012 revised Cooper edition of the Sacred Harp. For time and location, please see the Chicago Sacred Harp website and facebook page.
Fox Valley Folk Festival – Sunday of Labor Day Weekend (in conjunction with the Fox Valley Folk Festival). Singing is from the Sacred Harp and is usually accompanied by a workshop to teach new singers about the history and style of the music.
Hyde Park All-Day Singing – Saturday before the 1st Sunday in November. Singing from the Sacred Harp and the Missouri Harmony. For time and location, please see the Chicago Sacred Harp website and facebook page.
Kentucky
Harrodsburg
Annual Singing:
Kentucky Christmas Shapenote Sing – 2nd Sunday in December, afternoon (3 pm) into the evening, with a soup supper following the singing. Singing is out of the Sacred Harp and the Southern Harmony.
Location: Mt. Zion UMC, 4462 Lexington Rd, Harrodsburg, KY 40330
Lexington
Monthly Singing:
2nd Sunday of every month (except June/July/August), 3-5 pm, usually at the John Jacob Niles Gallery of King Library North, at the University of Kentucky in Lexington
Annual Singing:
Kentucky State Sacred Harp Convention – Saturday before the 3rd Sunday in May from 10 am – 3 pm. Singing is out of the Sacred Harp and the Southern Harmony.
Location: Pisgah Presbyterian Church, 710 Pisgah Pike, Versailles, KY 40383
Louisville
Monthly Singings:
1st and 3rd Tuesday singings, 6:15-7:45 pm from the Sacred Harp at the Bon Air Library Branch, 2816 Del Rio Pl, Louisville, KY 40220
Contact Timothy Morton at timothyjosephmorton [at] gmail [dot] com with questions about singings in Louisville.
Annual Singings:
Harrod’s Creek Convention / Bob Meek Memorial Singing – 1st Sunday in October and the Saturday before, 10 am – 3 pm both days, social on Saturday night with singing from the Christian Harmony. Saturday: singing from the 2025 Sacred Harp, Sunday: singing from the 2012 Cooper Book.
Location: Harrod’s Creek Baptist Church, 8102 Hwy 329, Crestwood, KY 40014
Michigan
General Website for Sacred Harp Singing across Michigan
Ann Arbor
Monthly Singing:
2nd Sunday, 1-4pm at The Ark (performance venue) 316 S, Main St., Ann Arbor, MI.
Grand Rapids
Monthly Singing:
1st Saturday, in the morning (9:30-11:15 am, orientation for new singers at 9:15am) location: Christ Church, 2500 Breton Rd., SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
For more information, contact Susan Guerra by phone [(616) 949-9630 x14] or by email susanguerra [at] christchurchgr [dot] org
Kalamazoo
Monthly Singing:
3rd Sunday, from 4-6 pm with a potluck dinner following. Singing from the 2025 Sacred Harp. Location: 4124 Persianwood Drive, Kalamazoo, MI
Bi-Monthly Workshop:
2nd and 4th Mondays from 7-9 pm out of the 2025 Sacred Harp. Location: Kalamazoo Friends Meetinghouse, 508 Denner Street, Kalamazoo, MI
Annual Singing:
Kalamazoo All-Day Singing – 3rd Sunday in July from 9:30 am – 3 pm and a dinner on the grounds around noon. Location: Carriage Barn (part of the Drake Farm Homestead) at 927 North Drake Road, Kalamazoo, MI.
NOTE: the day before the Kalamazoo Singing is the Michiana singing from 9:30 am-3 pm. For more information about both singings, see the Sacred Harp Singings in Michigan website.
Mid-Michigan (East Lansing)
Monthly Singings:
1st and 3rd Mondays from 7-9 pm, singing from the Sacred Harp. Singing takes place at Edgewood United Church, 469 N. Hagadorn, East Lansing, MI (Folks meet in the fireplace room, outside the sanctuary).
FYI: The church doors are electronically controlled, so if you arrive after 8 PM, the doors will be locked—call (517) 775-9831 for access.
Annual Singing:
Mid-Michigan All-Day Singing – Saturday before the 2nd Sunday in May (9:30 am – 3 pm with registration at 9am and a potluck luncheon around noon).
Location: Faith Lutheran Church, 4515 Dobie Rd., Okemos, MI. FYI: the church is situated on the West side of Dobie Road, just south of the Dobie Road-Grand River intersection, in Okemos, MI. For information or lodging assistance call Bob Borcherding at 517-381-1321 or email (gapbob [at] yahoo [dot] com).
Missouri
St. Louis
Monthly Singings:
1st, 3rd, and 5th Mondays from 6 – 8 pm, Old Orchard Church (640 Amelia Ave, Webster Groves, MO 63119). For more information, call Dave at 314-776-7477 or email Paul at stlfasola [at] gmail [dot] com to get details and updates on times and locations.
Annual Singing:
Missouri State Convention – 2nd Sunday and the Saturday before in March from 9:30 am – 3 pm on both days. The convention sings both from the Denson Sacred Harp and the Missouri Harmony.
Location: The Monday Club, 37 South Maple Avenue, Webster Groves, MO 63119 (corner of South Maple and East Cedar Avenues)
Ohio
Cincinnati
Monthly Singing:
2nd Sunday every month from 3 – 5 pm at St. John’s Unitarian Universalist Church; 320 Resor Avenue (in the Clifton area of) Cincinnati, OH 45220. Ample parking behind the church.
Annual Singing:
Cincinnati New Year’s Day Singing – 10 am – 3:30 pm, join the Cincinnati Facebook group for more details.
Ohio State Sacred Harp Convention – 1st Sunday in March and the Saturday before. This convention rotates between the three singing communities in Ohio (Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton) The order for the next decade is:
Dayton: 2026, 2029, 2032, etc.
Cincinnati: 2027, 2030, 2033, etc.
Columbus, 2028, 2031, 2034, etc.
For more information, consult the website and/or facebook page for the hosting community that year.
Columbus
Monthly Singing:
1st Sunday every month, 4-6 pm at Clinton Heights Lutheran Church (15 Clinton Heights Ave. Columbus, OH 43202)
Annual Singing:
Ohio State Sacred Harp Convention – 1st Sunday in March and the Saturday before. This convention rotates between the three singing communities in Ohio (Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton) The order for the next decade is:
Dayton: 2026, 2029, 2032, etc.
Cincinnati: 2027, 2030, 2033, etc.
Columbus, 2028, 2031, 2034, etc.
For more information, consult the website and/or facebook page for the hosting community that year.
Dayton
Monthly Singing:
4th Sundays from 3 – 6 pm (with a potluck dinner break at 4pm) at Lutheran Church of Our Savior, 155 East Thruston Blvd., Oakwood, OH, 45419.
Annual Singings:
John and Loraine Bayer Memorial Singing – Typically, the Saturday before the 4th Sunday in September from 10 am – 3 pm with a dinner on the grounds around noon. Location: Bear Creek Old German Baptist Meeting House, 171 South Diamond Mill Road, New Lebanon, OH 46345. CHECK THE DAYTON FACEBOOK PAGE FOR EXACT DATES AND TIMES. While the formula is the Saturday before the 4th Sunday, this has sometimes changed in recent years. Typically, the singing falls towards the end of September.
Ohio State Sacred Harp Convention – 1st Sunday in March and the Saturday before. This convention rotates between the three singing communities in Ohio (Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton) The order for the next decade is:
Dayton: 2026, 2029, 2032, etc.
Cincinnati: 2027, 2030, 2033, etc.
Columbus, 2028, 2031, 2034, etc.
For more information, consult the website and/or facebook page for the hosting community that year.
Wisconsin
General Website for Sacred Harp Singing in Wisconsin
Beloit
Monthly Singing:
4th Monday each month is the monthly Beloit State-Line Singing from 6 – 7:30 pm at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 212 W Grand Ave, Beloit, WI, 53511. A beginner’s class is also offered using the Cooper Book. For more information contact Peter B. Irvine, 608-322-9929.
Madison
Monthly Singing:
Typically on the last Saturday of the month, mostly from 1:30 – 3:30pm at the Muso Music School, 2040 Winnebago St, Madison, WI, 53704. Double check dates/times on the Wisconsin Sacred Harp calendar.
Milwaukee
Annual Singing:
All-Wisconsin Shapenote Singing – Saturday before the 2nd Sunday in November from 10 am – 3:30 pm. Singing from the Sacred Harp, with a refresher/orientation for new singers at 9:30am. Location: Milwaukee Friends Meeting, 3224 N Gordon Pl, Milwaukee, WI 53212. For more information, contact Jim Crawford by phone (920-367-3195) or email (crawfj [at] netnet [dot] net)
Annual Singings Calendar:
January
Harmonia Sacra Singing, Elkhart, IN: New Year’s Day
Cincinnati New Year’s Day Singing, Cincinnati, OH: New Year’s Day
Chicago Anniversary Singing, Chicago, IL, 2nd Sunday
February
Lincoln’s Birthday Singing, Chicago, IL: a Saturday in February in conjunction with the University of Chicago Folk Festival
March
Ohio State Convention, rotating location: 1st Sunday and the Saturday before
Missouri State Convention, St. Louis (Webster Groves), MO: 2nd Sunday and the Saturday before
Darrell Swarens Memorial Higher Ground Annual Singing, Indianapolis, IN: Saturday before the 4th Sunday
April
Nothing yet.
May
Mid-Michigan All-Day Singing, Lansing, MI: Saturday before the 2nd Sunday
Kentucky Sacred Harp Singing Convention, Lexington, KY: Saturday before the 3rd Sunday
The Midwest Convention, Chicago, IL: Roughly, Memorial Day, (the second 5th Sunday and the Saturday before, unless the second 5th Sunday is in June, if it falls in June, the date is shifted to the last Sunday in May and the Saturday before)
June
Nothing yet.
July
Michiana Singing, Goshen, IN: Saturday before the 3rd Sunday
Kalamazoo Singing, Kalamazoo, MI: 3rd Sunday
August
Indiana State Fair All-Day Singing, Indianapolis, IN. Saturday before the 2nd Sunday
Ann Sleeva Memorial Cooper Book Singing, Chicago, IL: Saturday before the 2nd Sunday
September
Fox Valley Folk Festival Singing, Fox Valley, IL: Sunday of Labor Day Weekend (in conjunction with the Fox Valley Folk Festival),
Illinois State Convention, Urbana, IL: Saturday before the 3rd Sunday
John and Loraine Bayer Memorial Singing – Typically, the Saturday before the 4th Sunday but check the Dayton Facebook page for exact details
October
Harrod’s Creek Convention / Bob Meek Memorial, Louisville, KY: 1st Sunday and the Saturday before
David Rust Memorial All-Day Singing, Bloomington, IN: Saturday before the 4th Sunday
November
Singing at the grave of Elder John R. Daily, Indianapolis, IN: 1st Saturday
Hyde Park All Day Singing, Chicago, IL: Saturday before the 1st Sunday
All-Wisconsin Shape Note Singing, Milwaukee, WI: Saturday before the 2nd Sunday
December
Kentucky Christmas Shapenote Sing, Harrodsburg, KY: 2nd Sunday
Eldridge Schoolhouse Singing, Orleans, IN: 3rd Sunday