The Life & Times of Frankie Yankovic – Cleveland’s Polka King!
Cleveland Stories Dinner Parties
Storytellers: John Grabowski, Joe Valencic, and Anthony Culkar
Doors open at 5:00pm, with the storytelling beginning promptly at 7:00pm
- Weekly series combining great food with great stories about Cleveland’s past
- FREE ADMISSION – NO COVER CHARGE
- In addition to our regular menu, a Prix Fixe 3-course dinner special is available for just $25
- Check back for tonight’s special
Story topic this week…
The Life & Times of Frankie Yankovic – Cleveland’s Polka King!
Cleveland’s eminent historian, Dr. John Grabowski, along with Joe Valencic, director of the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame, and accordionist Anthony Culkar share stories about Cleveland’s Polka King, Frankie Yankovic.
John Grabowski Bio
John J. Grabowski holds a joint position as the Krieger-Mueller Associate Professor of Applied History at Case Western Reserve University and the Krieger-Mueller Historian and Senior Vice President for Research and Publications at the Western Reserve Historical Society. He also serves as the editor of The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History and The Dictionary of Cleveland Biography, both of which are available online. His research interests center on American immigration, public history, and the disjuncture between “academic” and “popular” history. John has twice served as a Fulbright Scholar at Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey. His most recent book is a history of Bilkent, Turkey’s first private, foundation-funded university.
Joe Valencic Bio
Joe Valencic is a dynamic and creative presence within Cleveland’s Slovenian-American scene. His enthusiasm for all things Slovenian inspires others to discover and celebrate the uniqueness of their own cultures. Joe’s involvements have had a positive impact on the city’s cultural profile. He is a founder and past President of the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame, which showcases the style of American dance music that emerged from the city’s Slovenian and nationality neighborhoods. Joe is Vice President and directs the museum, music archives and promotions.
Anthony Culkar Bio
Anthony Culkar is one of Cleveland’s favorite polka band leaders, and a historian about polka music and Frankie Yankovic. Anthony will bring along his accordion and play some songs for us on this night.
The goal of the Cleveland Stories Dinner Party is to bring to life some of the fun, interesting stories about Cleveland’s past – from sports, to rock ‘n roll, to Millionaire’s Row, — the series will focus on tidbits from Cleveland’s past that will really thrill the audience. The Music Box is presenting this series in partnership with the Western Reserve Historical Society’s new Cleveland History Center. We think the Cleveland History Center is one of the most important museums in Cleveland. An unknown gem that Clevelanders should know more about, and support. It is the only museum in Cleveland dedicated to preserving and documenting the history of Cleveland. The Cleveland History Center includes two mansions, the Crawford Auto Aviation Museum, Chisholm Halle Costume Wing, Research Library, Kidzibits Hands-On Gallery, rotating exhibitions, and the Euclid Beach Park Grand Carousel.
See all Cleveland Stories dates here.
