From toe-tapping to deeply-moving, Kennedy’s Kitchen traditional Irish music concerts are always energized entertainment and fun for the whole family! Kennedy’s Kitchen band will be performing on Sunday, April 26th, 2026, 3:00 p.m., at Woodland Park (indoors in Oakwood Hall), 2100 Willowcreek Road, Portage, Indiana. This concert is brought to you by Portage LIVE!, kicking off the 36th year of bringing quality live entertainment to the greater Portage area. General- seating admission at the door is only $20 for Adults and is FREE TO STUDENTS—or gain admittance with your Portage LIVE Fall 2025-Spring 2026 Reciprocity Concert Season pass. Free parking available on the premises.
Kennedy’s Kitchen, formed in 1998 and based in South Bend, Indiana, is an American band that performs authentic Irish "kitchen music", a blend of traditional tunes with original compositions, played on traditional instruments, and showcasing great vocals. Jigs, reels, airs, hornpipes, recitations, stories, and songs make up the band's fantastic traditional repertoire. Led by John Kennedy, who performs vocals, guitar and bouzouki, the highly- popular Kennedy's Kitchen band has performed at various venues across the Midwest and beyond. Other members of Kennedy’s Kitchen include: Mike Bill - whistles and flutes; Chris O'Brien - vocals, fiddle, mandolin, and banjo; Joel Cooper - vocals and bass; Nancy Turner – bodhran; Jacob Turner – bodhran; Nathan Waddill – bass.
A weekly music session at South Bend's Fiddler's Hearth Irish Pub is where Kennedy's Kitchen is rooted. Many of the songs still played today mirror the band's initial focus on cultural traditions and family lineage. The band’s name was inspired by Kennedy's childhood experiences when singing was an important part of family gatherings. For Kennedy, Celtic music is one of his “deepest roots.” Many of the band’s recordings come from music sessions in Kennedy's home, where spontaneity is captured. “It’s Kitchen music. From the home, the hearth, and the heart.”
Portage LIVE! is a 501 (c) (3) not-for profit organization. Our mission: To foster and encourage public appreciation and expand the knowledge of the Performing Arts in Portage Township and the surrounding areas. For information about becoming a Portage LIVE! friend, donor, sustainer, sponsor, or patron, becoming a Maestro Society member, and purchasing a season pass for our Fall 2026-Spring 2027 concert series, call Linda Hardin at (219) 762-5025, email HARDINLL@MSN.COM, or visit www.PortageLIVE.org.
