- I'm Jake, and this is The Chardon Polka Band.

Since I was 16, polka music has been my job, and at that job, I get into some pretty crazy stuff.

There's Mitch, Mike, Brian, and Bob.

You never know what we're gonna do or who we might run into, but we're gonna share it all with you on "The World According to Polka."

(upbeat polka music) (van whooshes) (tires squeal) Stonehenge is a prehistoric landmark in Wiltshire, England.

No one knows for sure who or what is responsible for the formation or even the intended purpose of its creation.

It's a subject archeologists debate to this very day.

We're not at Stonehenge, though.

We are at Paulhenge in Versailles, Indiana.

Paulhenge is the brainchild of Indiana architect Paul Morris, and it's likely one of the most notable places in the entire Hoosier State.

It's also a mere 30 minutes away from Oldenburg, Indiana and the Oldenburg Freudenfest, a German-inspired celebration of family, fun, and polka.

Let's get this party started.

♪ Hand me down my soup an' fish ♪ ♪ I am gonna get my wish ♪ I'm hoop dee doin' it tonight ♪ ("Hoop Dee Doo Polka" begins) ("Hoop Dee Doo Polka" continues) ("Hoop Dee Doo Polka" continues) ("Hoop Dee Doo Polka" continues) ♪ Hoop dee doo, oh, hoop dee doo ♪ ♪ Hoop dee doo ♪ I hear a polka an' my troubles are through ♪ ♪ Hoop dee doo, oh, hoop dee dee ♪ ♪ Hoop dee dee ♪ This kind of music is like heaven to me ♪ ♪ Hoop dee doo, oh, hoop dee doo ♪ ♪ It's got me higher than a kite ♪ ♪ Hand me down my soup an' fish ♪ ♪ I am gonna get my wish ♪ I'm hoop dee doin' it tonight ♪ ♪ When the banjo's strumming, rut duh duh duh duh ♪ ♪ I get a thrill ♪ I always will ♪ When my old accordion stretches out a mile ♪ ♪ It makes me smile ♪ That's my style ♪ With a diddle in the middle ♪ It really is a fiddle ♪ How he plays a tune so sweet ♪ Played a tune so sweet, I wanna cry ♪ ♪ Lead me to the floor ♪ Hear me yell for more ♪ I'm a hoop dee dooin' kind of guy ♪ ("Hoop Dee Doo Polka" continues) ("Hoop Dee Doo Polka" continues) ("Hoop Dee Doo Polka" continues) ♪ Oh yeah ("Hoop Dee Doo Polka" continues) ("Hoop Dee Doo Polka" continues) ("Hoop Dee Doo Polka" continues) ("Hoop Dee Doo Polka" continues) ♪ Hoop dee doo, hoop dee doo ♪ Hoop dee doo, hoop dee doo ♪ I hear a polka an' my troubles are through ♪ ♪ Woo ♪ Hoop dee doo, hoop dee dee ♪ This kind of music is like heaven to me ♪ ♪ Hoop dee doo, hoop dee doo ♪ It's got me higher than a kite ♪ ♪ Hand me down my soup an' fish ♪ ♪ I am gonna get my wish ♪ I'm hoop dee doin' it tonight ♪ ♪ I said I'm clover, I'm in bloom ♪ ♪ If I'm dancing, give me room ♪ Hoop dee doin' it with all of my might ♪ ♪ Rain may fall, snow may come ♪ It'll never stop me from hoop dee doin' it tonight ♪ ♪ Hoop dee doin' it tonight ♪ Hoop dee doin' it tonight ("Hoop Dee Doo Polka" concludes) (audience cheers) All right, I'm enjoying a beverage here with Troy Ilderton here at the Freudenfest.

Now, Troy, why Freudenfest?

- So Freudenfest is about community, volunteering, culture.

German culture certainly is a big part of this, but you look around, it's just a fantastic place to have a good time with your family and your friends.

Have a couple beers, listen to some great music, have some great food, and, it's again, all about just coming together and celebrating our culture.

- We're here in Franklin County, Indiana today for the Oldenburg Freudenfest.

As you might have guessed, both the festival and the town have German roots.

This little hamlet served as an enclave for German immigrants in the 1800s, and the name Oldenburg comes from Oldenburg, Germany.

We're celebrating that German heritage today with a little music and excitement.

I'm here with Mark and Marita Odenweller.

We're here at the Freudenfest.

We're waiting in the chicken line.

(Mark and Marita laugh) Do you guys like polka music?

- Oh yeah, yeah.

- We do, we love it.

- And you guys actually came here from Ohio.

- Ohio.

- Yeah, yeah.

- Oh my goodness.

- Oh yeah.

- What do you like about festivals like this?

- Beer, polka.

- The bands.

- Good German food.

- The good German bands, German foods.

- Beer brings people together.

I love that.

(Marita laughs) - I love that too.

Thank you, guys, appreciate it.

- Prost.

- Prost.

- Prost.

("Liechtensteiner Polka" begins) ("Liechtensteiner Polka" continues) ("Liechtensteiner Polka" continues) ("Liechtensteiner Polka" continues) ("Liechtensteiner Polka" continues) (singing in German) Ja Ja Ja!

♪ Hey (singing in German) Ja Ja Ja!

♪ Woo (singing in German) Ja Ja Ja!

("Liechtensteiner Polka" continues) (Mike yodels) (Mike yodels) (Mike yodels) (Mike yodels) ("Liechtensteiner Polka" continues) (singing in German) Ja Ja Ja!

♪ Hey (singing in German) Ja Ja Ja!

♪ Woo (singing in German) Ja Ja Ja!

("Liechtensteiner Polka" continues) ("Liechtensteiner Polka" continues) ("Liechtensteiner Polka" concludes) (audience cheers) - Founded in 1976, Freudenfest is the biggest little German festival in Indiana.

Translated, Freudenfest means Festival of Fun, and they certainly live up to that name.

All right, I'm here with Mila and Cameron, right?

Y'all were on the dance floor.

I saw y'all dancing to The Chardon Polka Band.

Do you guys like Freudenfest?

- Yeah.

- Yeah, what do you like about it?

- I like to dance.

- You like to dance?

- Yeah.

- That's a good thing.

And what do you got here?

- Corn.

- Corn, is it good?

- Yeah.

- Indiana's like known for corn.

What about you?

What do you like about Freudenfest?

- I like that we get to order food, and we get to dance.

- You get to order food and dance.

That is a pretty good life.

I bet you don't even have to pay taxes yet.

Life is just good.

You get to order food and dance.

What's this thing?

- Lemonade.

- Oh my goodness.

Lemonade, dancing, corn.

We're glad you guys are here at the Freudenfest.

Thanks for hanging out with me, all right?

As my buddies Cameron and Mila pointed out, there's a lot of good stuff to eat here from Reubens to country corn, and, of course, sausage.

And speaking of sausage, we're going to meet a pint sized pup that looks like a wiener.

All right, friends.

I am here with Brent and Madison and Toast.

And y'all are in the wiener dog race, right?

- Oh yeah.

- Yes sir, so excited.

Well, Toast is, right?

- Oh, of course, of course.

- Toast is our racer.

- Exactly.

- Most loyal supporters.

- Now you said three years Toast has been in the race.

- This will be our third year.

Yes, exactly.

- Okay, and you're hoping for the big win this year.

- Hoping.

- That's exactly right.

- He got third.

- Regardless, we'll love him, but we want the trophy.

- (laughs) How big is the trophy?

- Oh, bigger than him.

His third place trophy was about as long as him last year, so we're hoping for the creme de la creme this year.

- We're gonna be rooting for you guys in the epic wiener dog race - That's awesome.

- Here in Oldenburg.

Now, Toast, can we get a statement?

- You heard it here first.

That's all love.

(Madison laughs) - That's right.

- From Oldenburg, Indiana.

- It doesn't get any better than that.

(upbeat polka music) (dog owner laughs) (upbeat polka music continues) (toy squeaks) - [Announcer] Ready, set, go!

(crowd cheers) (upbeat polka music continues) (crowd cheers) ("Edelweiss" begins) ("Edelweiss" continues) ("Edelweiss" continues) (crowd sings) (crowd singing) ♪ Edelweiss (crowd singing) ♪ Edelweiss (crowd singing) ♪ Bless my homeland forever ♪ Edelweiss ♪ Edelweiss ♪ Every morning you greet me ♪ Small and white, clean and bright ♪ ♪ You look happy to meet me ♪ Blossom of snow ♪ May you bloom and grow ♪ Bloom and grow forever ♪ Edelweiss ♪ Edelweiss ♪ Bless my homeland forever ("Edelweiss" concludes) (crowd cheers) - So we are in Oldenburg, Indiana, but I thought it would be pretty cool if we were able to recruit some musicians to perform on the show from Oldenburg, Germany.

And to get our foot in the door in Oldenburg, Germany, I've enlisted the help of my buddy, Ruth Rozelaar, from England.

- Good morning, dear people from Oldenburg, Indiana.

So my name is Ruth Rozelaar, and I actually live in the Southwest of England, but today, I'm in Oldenburg, and I'm here because I'm a bandoneist, which is a kind of squeeze box, Argentine music, Tango squeeze box.

And in Oldenburg in Germany lives a famous bandoneist and restorer and bandoneon teacher.

He's called Rocco Heins, and I'm actually outside his house.

So I'm going to go in because he's had my bandoneon be tuned, and I'm just about to pick it up.

So let's see what it's like.

So I'm gonna switch the camera around.

So let's ring the bell.

(doorbell rings) (Ruth speaks German) Hello, Rocco, good morning.

- Lumpy come in.

(claps) Come.

This is Lumpy.

- Hi.

(both laugh) - [Ruth] Oh, there's Lumpy.

(chuckles) - [Jake] The bandoneon is a type of concertina invented in Germany in the 1800s.

Think of it as like a cousin to the accordion.

And you're going to enjoy hearing Rocco play this instrument for us.

(relaxed bandoneon music) (relaxed bandoneon music continues) (relaxed bandoneon music continues) (relaxed bandoneon music continues) (relaxed bandoneon music continues) (relaxed bandoneon music continues) (relaxed bandoneon music continues) (relaxed bandoneon music continues) (relaxed bandoneon music continues) (relaxed bandoneon music concludes) - Woo, bravo!

- Big thanks to everybody.

(both laugh) - [Ruth] Thank you, and the instrument sounds so beautiful.

Thank you for all your work.

- Yep, you like it?

- [Ruth] Thank you.

- A special thanks to Ruth Rozelaar and Rocco Heins for joining the program all the way from Oldenburg, Germany.

(dog barks) Now, back to the Hoosier State.

Let us not forget that we are in Southern Indiana, and being is such it's not only do these fair patrons enjoy a good polka, but they also go crazy for Southern rock and country.

♪ Blame it all on my roots, I showed up in boots ♪ ♪ Ruined your black tie affair ♪ Last one to know ♪ I was the last one to show ♪ I was the last one you thought you'd see there ♪ ♪ I saw the surprise and the fear in his eyes ♪ ♪ As I took his glass of champagne ♪ ♪ I toasted you, said, Honey, we may be through ♪ ♪ But you'll never hear me complain ♪ ♪ 'Cause I got friends in low places ♪ ♪ Where the whiskey drowns and the beer chases my blues away ♪ ♪ Hey, hey ♪ I'll be okay ♪ I'm not big on social graces ♪ Think I'll slip on down to the (crowd singing) ♪ Oasis ♪ Oh, I got friends in low places ♪ Let's hear it.

("Friends in Low Places" continues) ("Friends in Low Places" continues) ("Friends in Low Places" continues) ("Friends in Low Places" continues) ("Friends in Low Places" continues) ("Friends in Low Places" continues) ("Friends in Low Places" continues) ♪ Well, I guess I was wrong ♪ Hey, I just don't belong ♪ But then I've been there before ♪ ♪ Everything's all right ♪ I'll say goodnight and I'll show myself to the door ♪ ♪ Hey, I didn't mean to cause a big scene ♪ ♪ Just give me an hour and then ♪ ♪ I'll be as high as that ivory tower ♪ (crowd singing) ♪ You're livin' in ♪ 'Cause I got friends in low places ♪ ♪ Where the whiskey drowns and the beer chases my blues away ♪ ♪ I'll be okay ♪ I'm not big on social graces ♪ Think I'll slip down to the (crowd singing) ♪ Oasis ♪ Oh, I got friends in low places ♪ ♪ I said I got friends in low places ♪ ♪ I got friends ♪ In low places (crowd cheers) - It seems like a lot of folks in Southern Indiana have friends in low places, and some of those friends are getting their caricatures drawn by our buddy Dave Swiderski.

He's been drawing at the festival since 2018.

And check it out, folks, Dave worked up some Freudenfest art featuring The Chardon Polka Band.

It's got corn.

It's got the spires, chickens, wiener dogs, and, yes, some pretty wild dudes.

(lively polka music) As you can plainly see, things get a little wild in the evening hours at the Freudenfest.

It may be raucous, but it's all in good fun.

("All Star" begins) (crowd cheers) ("All Star" continues) ("All Star" continues) ♪ Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me ♪ ♪ I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed ♪ ♪ She was looking kind of dumb with her finger and her thumb ♪ ♪ In the shape of an "L" on her forehead ♪ ♪ Well, the years start comin' and they don't stop comin' ♪ ♪ Fed to the rules and I hit the ground runnin' ♪ ♪ Didn't make sense not to live for fun ♪ ♪ Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb ♪ ♪ So much to do, so much to see ♪ ♪ So what's wrong with taking the backstreets ♪ ♪ You'll never know if you don't go ♪ ♪ You'll never shine if you don't glow ♪ ♪ Hey now, you're an all star ♪ Get your game on, go play ♪ Hey now, you're a rock star ♪ Get the show on, get paid ♪ And all that glitters is gold ♪ ♪ Only shootin' stars break the mold ♪ ("All Star" continues) (crowd cheers) - Go for the moon.

♪ Somebody once asked could I spare some change for gas ♪ ♪ I need to get myself away from this place ♪ ♪ I said, yep, what a concept ♪ I could use a little fuel myself ♪ ♪ And we could all use a little change ♪ ♪ Well, the years start comin' and they don't stop comin' ♪ ♪ Fed to the rules and I hit the ground runnin' ♪ ♪ Didn't make sense not to live for fun ♪ ♪ Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb ♪ ♪ So much to do, so much to see ♪ ♪ So what's wrong with taking the backstreets ♪ ♪ You'll never know if you don't go ♪ ♪ Go ♪ You'll never shine if you don't glow ♪ ♪ Hey now, you're an all star ♪ Get your game on, go play ♪ Hey now, you're a rock star ♪ Get the show on, get paid ♪ All that glitters is gold (crowd singing) ♪ Only shootin' stars break the mold ♪ - DJ Brian Brazier.

("All Star" continues) (Brian tuba solos) ("All Star" continues) (Brian tuba solos) ♪ Hey now, you're an all star ♪ Get your game on, go play ♪ Hey now, you're a rock star ♪ Get the show on, get paid ♪ All that glitters is gold ♪ Only shootin' stars break the mold ♪ (crowd cheers) David Letterman, Michael Jackson, Larry Bird, Abraham Lincoln, and John Cougar Mellencamp, all of them were born right here in Indiana.

But you know what, there's a name I left off that list.

Jake Kouwe.

Yes, I was born at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana.

And I am proud to be from a state that is home to such wonders as the Oldenburg Freudenfest, countless corn fields, and Paulhenge.

Thank you for joining us on this trip to the Freudenfest.

I recommend you come and experience Hoosier hospitality for yourselves.

Now, as for me and "The World According to Polka," it's always good to be back home again in Indiana.

Oh my goodness.

We got our impromptu Hoosier Chorus here.

I am here with... - Amy Klus.

- From?

- Indianapolis, now Fishers.

- From Fishers, Indiana?

- Fishers, Indiana.

- Oh my goodness, my dad was a fire chief in Fishers, Indiana for several years.

And you are... - Bernie from Batesville, but I live in West Virginia now.

- Oh, okay, you're coming back for a visit.

- Yes, I'm coming home again.

- I love it.

All right, so this is our... We're gonna work on a song called "Back Home Again in Indiana," and Bernie from Batesville, I think he has the best voice, not putting any shade on us.

We're gonna let you start it.

- He had all the notes.

♪ Back home again in Indiana ♪ And it seems that I can see ♪ The gleaming candlelight still shining bright ♪ ♪ Through the sycamores for me ♪ The new moon hay sends all its fragrance ♪ ♪ From the fields I used to roam ♪ ♪ When I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash ♪ ♪ And I'm longing for my Indiana home ♪ - Hey!

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