Crawfordsville Mayor Todd Barton announced Aug. 25, 2023 will be proclaimed and observed as “Luke Menard Day” in the city.
Menard is a Crawfordsville native. He attended Crawfordsville High School graduating in 1997 and then attended Millikin University where he graduated in 2001 with a communications degree. After his college graduation, Menard realized his desire was to sing and perform.
Menard will be in Crawfordsville performing for the Pike Place Summer Concert Series on Aug. 25 where Barton will make his proclamation of “Luke Menard Day.”
Menard helped form the acapella group “Chapter 6,” which has performed hundreds of shows and won several competitions including The International Competition of Collegiate A-Capella and The National Harmony Sweepstakes. Menard’s singing career then took him to audition for both season 6 and season 7 of the hit TV series American Idol. During season 7, Menard advanced to the final rounds and earned a place in the top 16 finalists’ group.
Since his time on American Idol, Menard has been in Branson, Missouri at the Music Hall performing popular shows in Grand Jubilee year-round while working as a real estate broker during the day.
“Luke’s participation on American Idol and his travels and success with Chapter 6, as well as his continued endeavors in Missouri shine light on our town,” Barton said. “And he is giving us all someone to be extremely proud of.”
Performing with Menard will be Jackie Brown, a gifted vocalist whose journey began in Phoenix, Arizona. At the age of 18, Brown traveled to Nashville, Tennessee and found her place amidst the iconic Grand Ole Opry with her soulful melodies. Brown has since taken her talents to Branson, Missouri where she has earned a well-deserved reputation as a premier vocalist in the area. She now performs full-time at the renowned Music Hall on the World-Famous 76 Country Boulevard.
Hoosier Heartland State Bank and the Crawfordsville Rotary Club are proud sponsors of the free summer concert series for the community. This event will be held at 6 p.m. Aug. 25 at Pike Place. In addition to the live music, there will be food trucks and a beer and wine garden.
