Celebration Under the Stars Draws 28,000 to Downtown Elkhart
- By: The Lerner Theatre
- Last Updated: September 9, 2026
28,000 guests packed downtown Elkhart Saturday, August 29, for the second Celebration Under the Stars presented by the Elkhart County CVB and Friends of The Lerner, marking another successful year for one of the city’s largest community events. The free outdoor celebration on Central Green featured two legendary musical acts — Grammy Award-winning Boyz II Men and The Jacksons — bringing residents and visitors from across the country to the heart of downtown Elkhart for an evening of live music, food and community.
Presented by the Elkhart County CVB and Friends of The Lerner, Celebration Under the Stars builds on Elkhart’s growing reputation as a destination for major live entertainment and large-scale community experiences. Launched in 2025 as part of the celebration honoring 100 years of The Lerner Theatre, the event has quickly become a signature community experience. This year’s event featured performances by legendary R&B group The Jacksons and Grammy Award-winning vocal group Boyz II Men, drawing thousands of residents and visitors to downtown Elkhart for an unforgettable evening of music, entertainment and community.
“Celebration Under the Stars was a great event for our community! As we reflect on a successful event, I would like to thank everyone who helped make Celebration Under the Stars possible—from our city staff, the Elkhart County CVB, Friends of the Lerner and volunteers, to the performers and, most importantly, the 28,000 people who came out to enjoy the evening. The event brought together friends and family, giving them a unique experience and memories they will have for the rest of their lives. It has always been about bringing our community together and uniting us, and it did just that,” City of Elkhart Mayor Rod Roberson said.
The event activated Central Green for an evening of entertainment, demonstrating a successful large-scale community engagement effort that brought thousands of residents and visitors into the downtown core. Attendees enjoyed live music, food and beverages from local vendors, and the opportunity to experience two iconic musical acts all under the stars in downtown Elkhart, the band musical capital of the world.
The extraordinary turnout of 28,000 people for the Boyz II Men and The Jacksons shows how much Celebration Under the Stars has grown in just its second year. The Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau is proud to co-present this event with the Friends of the Lerner Foundation as a powerful complement to the many signature events already thriving across Elkhart County. This remarkable response demonstrates that our community has the capacity—and the appetite—to grow our established events, nurture new ideas, and create even more experiences that draw visitors, energize our communities, and help Elkhart County shine,” Jon Hunsberger, Executive Director of ECCVB, stated.
The event also showcased the continued growth and vitality of downtown Elkhart, bringing an unprecedented crowd into the heart of the city.
“Celebration Under the Stars was a tremendous success and a powerful reminder of what makes our community so special. Seeing 28,000 people come together to enjoy music, fellowship, and the arts was truly inspiring. On behalf of the Friends of The Lerner, I want to thank our attendees, sponsors, volunteers, and partners for helping create an unforgettable evening,” Ashley Martin, President of Friends of The Lerner said.
The success of Celebration Under the Stars was made possible through the collaboration of the City of Elkhart, Elkhart County CVB, Friends of The Lerner, The Lerner Theatre, Flight Levelz Entertainment, volunteers, sponsors, local businesses, event staff, public safety personnel and community partners.
The event would not be possible without the support of Elkhart County CVB, Friends of The Lerner, Welch Packaging, Viaggio Pontoons, Patrick Industries, Jet Technologies, Alliance RV, Tom Naquin Chevrolet-Nissan-Cadillac, NIBCO Inc., Conn Selmer, Indiana Michigan Power, Spark 41 & The Sterling Room, Borden Waste-Away Service, Berkshire Hathaway, and Intercambio Express Inc.
About The Lerner Theatre:
The Lerner Theatre, an Elkhart landmark, is part of a revival, a new era for the arts, commerce and life in the heart of our community. The Lerner Theatre is a 100-year-old city owned and operated facility, built in 1924. With the completion of an $18-million-dollar renovation in 2011, The Lerner Theatre has truly put the “heart” back in downtown Elkhart. The Lerner is evidence of this rebirth with its timeless, never-lost quality of an old theatre reborn as a state-of-the-art performance and event facility.
