Delphi Opera House

Delphi Opera House The 10,800-square-foot, three-story, brick Italianate Assion-Ruffing City Hall opened in 1865. Concerts, readings, theatre and graduations soon followed.
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Celebrating 10 years since its grand restoration, the Delphi Opera House shines as a vibrant hub for arts, history, and community in the heart of downtown Delphi, Indiana. Not a place of government, it was named for the grand event hall on its third floor that opened with a ball honoring returning Civil War soldiers. With the rising popularity later in the century of opera houses—not necessarily s

ettings for opera, but for a variety of live performances—the upper-story hall was remodeled by local merchants John Lathrope, also a cornet player and Civil War infantry band captain, and John Ruffing, who constructed several Delphi buildings. They named the performance space the Lathrope & Ruffing Opera House. The first to perform on stage, on April 7, 1882, was soprano singer Marie Litta and the Litta Grand Opera Company. Among the performers were Hi Henry’s Minstrels, the Delphi Dramatic Club and Hoosier poet James Whitcomb Riley. In 1914, fire safety concerns prompted the end of entertainment because of the building’s lone stairway. While the lower floors continued to house retailers and offices over the years, including Ruffing Music Store, Wynkoop’s Pharmacy, a grocery and utility company, the third floor was simply abandoned. Paint peeled away, wallpaper fell to shards and cobwebs covered the space. Today, that building still stands, its third-floor performance space unused and untouched for nearly 100 years. As the dreams and investments of early settlers are being revived and the new Hoosier Heartland Highway is opening, Delphi expects to see growth in business, industry, newcomers and visitors. The Delphi Opera House will be a key 21st-century addition to the community and to some 370,000 people living within 50 miles. It will serve residents, attract visitors and enhance Delphi’s economic viability.

Red Brick Theatre of Delphi will present the premiere of The Carefree Years, a play written and directed by Sara Daly Br...
08/31/2026

Red Brick Theatre of Delphi will present the premiere of The Carefree Years, a play written and directed by Sara Daly Brosman and based on a short story by Delphi author Lee Shaffer McGiffin. Performances are at the historic Delphi Opera House, September 18 and 19 at 7:30 pm and September 20 at 2:30 pm. Tickets are available on the Delphi Opera House website at www.delphioperahouse.org.
The play is set in a fictional small-town Indiana in 1925. McGiffin drew inspiration from her hometown of Delphi to create the setting for the story, which follows a year in the life of fourteen-year-old Value Seifert as she and her community are confronted with infringing forces and dangerous consequences. The original short story “The Carefree Years” was published by Redbook Magazine in April, 1965.
The Red Brick Theatre production is presented with express permission of the McGiffin family and is sponsored by Carroll/White REMC and CoBank.

The Indianapolis paper NUVO called The Whipstitch Sallies “bluegrass rockers with panache.” From 2010-2016, the dynamic ...
08/27/2026

The Indianapolis paper NUVO called The Whipstitch Sallies “bluegrass rockers with panache.” From 2010-2016, the dynamic band performed in and around Indiana and also toured in the Southeast, Colorado, and Hawaii. They released several albums, including the EP “Hand ‘Em Over” that can be found on streaming sites.
Ten years later, they’re back for a limited “Pins & Needles” tour, ready to command the stage with their electrifying presence, traditional instruments, and tight harmonies. In their catalogue of Appalachian, bluegrass, Americana, and original songs, you’ll hear influences of tradition with a generous dose of creative genre-bending. And their energy is through the roof!
Allie Burbrink drives the rhythm on open-back banjo and acoustic guitar while Kat (Erickson) Calabrese holds down the groove on upright bass. Sam Herrin’s blistering mandolin licks and Katie Burk’s spirited fiddle leads kick up an exuberant racket that’s rooted in mountain music but informed by styles from country and jazz to indie rock.
Don’t miss The Whipstitch Sallies’ “Pins & Needles” 10-year reunion tour!
Sunday, August 30 at 2:00 p.m. Get your tickets before they're gone!
https://www.delphioperahouse.org/events/events-tickets #/productions-view

An exciting evening of fun with all things bourbon! Learn, taste, enjoy! Silent auction items you won't want to miss!
08/27/2026

An exciting evening of fun with all things bourbon! Learn, taste, enjoy! Silent auction items you won't want to miss!

Delphi is great at festivals! Building on the success of Old Settler's - 171 years and going strong; add the Bacon Fest ...
08/26/2026

Delphi is great at festivals! Building on the success of Old Settler's - 171 years and going strong; add the Bacon Fest - 13 years of brew, bands, and bacon; and now the Hispanic Heritage Festival - 2026 is our third year to celebrate Hispanic food, art, music, and friendship! Don't miss it!

Address

109 S Washington Street
Delphi, IN
46923

Opening Hours

Tuesday 11am - 2pm
Wednesday 11am - 2pm
Thursday 11am - 2pm
Friday 11am - 2pm
Saturday 11am - 2pm

Telephone

+17655644300

Website

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