FAYETTE, Ohio — A wide range of programming, from country and gospel music to silent films to a reed organ concert, is on tap for the Fayette Opera House’s upcoming events.
“We try to keep it family friendly and entertaining,” Tina Snider, the opera house’s programming director, said. “I just try to keep a variety of things coming in here.”
Some of the performers will be familiar faces to opera house regulars, while others were recommended to Snider in various ways — and one singer even contacted Snider herself, looking for a place to perform between stops on her tour.
The season kicks off at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, with “Pickin’ Roots Unplugged,” which specializes in covers of traditional country favorites from the likes of Hank Williams, George Jones, Conway Twitty, and other legends.
October’s second concert, “Down Home at the Opera House,” is at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25. It features a twin bill with Snider’s husband Steve playing an opening set and then the duo Squeeze Play (Bill and Kathy Beck), which focuses on Top 40 oldies hits. “They’re really a fun couple,” Snider said.
Before the concert, starting at 5 p.m., the opera house hosts the first of the season’s two “You’re Full of Boloney” fundraising events, featuring sandwiches with bologna made by board member Ken Thatcher. “That’s a big hit. Everybody loves the bologna,” Snider said. A freewill donation will be accepted.
“Silent Film Sunday,” a longtime favorite for opera house patrons, takes place at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2. In classic silent-film era style, pianist Lynne Long provides musical accompaniment to the movies, which for this performance are three Buster Keaton films and some bonus short films.
British singer-songwriter Sarah McQuaid, a folk artist with a following on both sides of the Atlantic, performs at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15. She’s the performer who contacted Snider because she’s on a U.S. tour and wanted to know if she could do a concert at the opera house on her way through the region.
While McQuaid may be a new face in Fayette, the second November concert, at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, features a familiar performer, Tim Oehlers. Oehlers plays a range of classic popular tunes and takes audience requests.
“We had him here a few years ago and he absolutely loved it,” Snider said. “I thought it was time to have him back. He’s a great guy and a really good guitar player.”
The 2025 half of the season concludes with “A Clark Family Christmas” at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7.
The trio of Kerry Patrick Clark, Amy Clark, and Robbie Clark performed a Christmas show at the opera house a few years ago “and they were absolutely wonderful,” Snider said. Audiences not only enjoyed the music itself, she added, but also liked Kerry Patrick Clark’s way of telling stories about why he chose certain songs for the concert.
Three different coffeehouse-style events take place in the 2026 half of the season. One is from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8, one is from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, and the final one is from 6-9 p.m. Thursday, March 12.
The March 12 event is titled “Souper Coffee House” with a soup and grilled cheese sandwich supper beginning at 6 p.m. for a freewill donation.
Each of the evenings is an open mic event featuring performers of all sorts from around the area and is free to attend. People who want to perform should call Steve or Tina Snider at 419-237-3111.
Singer Cat Canyon, a regular performer at the Flying Otter Vineyard & Winery, comes to the opera house at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24.
Canyon sings a wide variety of cover music and some of his own tunes, and “he puts on quite a show,” Snider said. “He’s quite the character.”
The duo John and Jenn returns to the opera house for a concert at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28. They perform everything from oldies to current pop songs, country, and blues.
A season that’s otherwise full of vocal music of all genres takes a completely different turn at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 22, when the theater fills with the sound of reed organs in the Glasgow Reed Organ Series.
The series is named after Don Glasgow of Fayette, who took on the restoration of a reed organ as a retirement project. One thing led to another, and the end result was that the opera house became the owner of multiple such organs and the site of an international organ festival and the concert series.
Visitors to this year’s Fulton County Fair may have seen the opera house’s next performers, Sheri LaFontaine and her family, who will present a concert of gospel music at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 12.
Snider said LaFontaine came recommended by one of the season’s earlier performers, Kerry Patrick Clark. “We’re really excited to have her,” she said. “Kerry wouldn’t have recommended her if she wasn’t great.”
Also in April comes the season’s second “Down Home at the Opera House” concert, with Steve Snider opening once again but this time for the Bridge County Bluegrass Band. The performance is at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 25, with another “You’re Full of Boloney” meal offered beginning at 5 p.m.
The season wraps up with Matt Ball, the “Boogie Woogie” Kid, in concert at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 16. “He’s a lot of fun,” Snider said. “It’s an energetic concert.”
Individual-concert tickets are $15 general admission, $12 for seniors, and $10 for students and groups of 20 or more. Season tickets are $35/$25/$20 for three concerts, $65/$45/$40 for five concerts, $90/$75/$60 for seven concerts, and $130/$100/$80 for the full season.
The Fayette Opera House is located at 105 E. Main St., Fayette. To order tickets, call (419) 237-3111. More information about the opera house and the upcoming season can be found at www.operahouse-fayette.org.