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This weekend the Calumet Theater will host local artist, and Grammy nominated musician Jim Enrietti on stage for a very special fundraiser. The Jim Enrietti Diamond Jubilee will include performances from Jim and his wife Teri Enrietti. As well as the rest of the World’s Most Dangerous Polka Band, who plan to raise money to install a period accurate chandelier in the theater.
Jim Enrietti started playing the accordion at a young age. His grandfather taught him in Italian style, before he began lessons in St Paul Minnesota. On a return trip to home, at the age of 13, Jim was called on to fill in for the calumet fourth of July parade’s accordion player.
” And it was a parade, Fourth of July 1948. The day after i turned 13. And after the parade they took me to a bar in Calumet, where I played with bassist, Slim Gariepy from Mohawk. At the end of the day, my brother had been passing the hat around, and so I counted the money and Slim and I each went home with 30 dollars and a few cents that day. Looking that 30 dollars up in today’s money it would’ve been like getting like 368 dollars. So my folks were pretty impressed.” – Jim Enrietti
Enrietti will play at the Calumet Theater on Saturday, putting on the Jim Enrietti Diamond Jubilee. The show will even pay special tribute to that first appearance in Calumet all those years ago. During the 60’s and 70’s Enrietti played a little rock and roll music, but he never lost passion for the accordion. He says he’s grateful to have played with talented musicians he calls friend, and to have put on shows for incredible audiences.
Additionally the Diamond Jubilee will act as a fundraiser for the Calumet Theater’s chandelier. The theater has been without it’s chandelier for many years, after it was lost to a fire. When the Calumet Theater opened its doors for the first time in 1900, it included seating for up to 1,200 guests, an elegant interior, and an electric copper chandelier.
“We’re not exclusively polkas. You want to hear a whole night, you want to hear John Prine. We can do John Prine. You want to hear Dixieland, we’ll do Dixieland. You want Cajun, we’ll do Cajun. You want Finnish music, we’ll do Finnish. Polish, we even do a Koren song or two. And all styles. What we’re gonna do, it evolved into, restoring that chandelier in the theater that crashed. And that’s what we’re gonna try to raise the money for, and we’re keep working at this until the chandelier is up and lit again.” – Jim Enrietti
Tickets for the dinner are sold out for the Jim Enrietti Diamond Jubilee at the Calumet Theater. The concert is free, though tickets are limited. And donations are gladly accepted for the fundraiser toward a new chandelier. Go online to the Calumet theater’s website to reserve a seat at the Jim Enrietti Diamond Jubilee show this Saturday, at 4 pm.
Event information, please call the theater to inquire about seating availability. 906-337-2610
