The Chardon Polka Band will bring its Cleveland-style polka show to Vermillion on Thursday, Feb. 26, with a night built around humor, variety and crowd participation.

The performance is sponsored by the Marshall County Arts Cooperative and Friends of the Vermillion Community Inc. It will be held at the Vermillion Community Center, 107 W. Third St. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. and the concert begins at 7 p.m. Admission is $20 and includes dinner and the concert.

Reservations are required. To reserve a spot, call 785-382-6294 or 785-760-1445 and leave a message. A return call will confirm the reservation.

The Ohio-based band started in 2003 after founder Jake Kouwe was told there was no place for an accordion in his high school marching band. Kouwe recruited a group of teenagers at Chardon High School and the group began playing in local nursing homes before expanding to festivals and events around the country.

The band’s roots are traditional, but the show is not. The group mixes classic polkas with punk-rock turns, comedic takes on unexpected favorites, audience-participation songs and polka-rock covers that can jump from Twisted Sister to Queen to Lady Gaga.

Kouwe, who cites “Weird Al” Yankovic as an early inspiration for taking up the accordion, leads the band on accordion and vocals. Band members also include Mike Franklin on banjo and guitar, Bob Young on drums, Mitch Lawrence on woodwinds and Brian Brazier on tuba.

Dinner will include chicken soup, vegetable soup and potato soup with crackers, plus finger foods including veggie platters with meat, cheese and crackers. Water, coffee and tea will be available. A freewill donation for dessert will be taken during intermission.