Victorian Chautauqua Looks Ahead
After The Victorian Chautauqua Committee decided to move this July’s performance schedule to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, they took a brief break to comply with state guidelines of social distancing. September marked their first reunion since Maryland took drastic measures to help curb the spread of the virus. Garrett County has amassed just 66 positive cases as of September 10, and the first death was attributed to COVID-19. The 7-day positivity rate has remained below the state average of under one percent.
The committee was thrilled to have their first in-person meeting since they last assembled via Zoom and faced the national crisis head-on. With hopes of a safer environment in 2021, The Victorian Chautauqua is planned as a full weekend of presentations and activities. Established safety protocols could make the event possible and welcomed by those craving a public event. The previous program will remain largely intact, with possible time changes pending confirmation. Plans are also underway for a writer’s workshop the week following the Victorian Chautauqua. It could still be held even if conditions prohibit large groups by July of next year. More details about the workshops will be shared after the new year.
While residents statewide were advised to stay home, construction began on Leo Martin Memorial Park, which will be mostly completed in time for the 2021 event. The park has a stage and seating in the round, paths, and vendor spaces, providing even more opportunities for a safe and social outdoor event. Long-term plans for the park will include a splash pad for kids and plenty of green spaces. The added bonus is the site is precisely where the 5000-seat Amphitheater once stood. Those in attendance will be at the very spot where President Taft, Mark Twain, William Jennings Bryant, and other notable speakers addressed huge audiences during the Chautauqua summer months.
New Park For 2021
Leo Martin Memorial Park will be mostly complete in time for the 2021 Victorian Chautauqua event. An outdoor stage, path, vendor spaces, and more will compliment the guest experience.
The town of Mountain Lake Park has also purchased a vintage-style trolley bus to transport guests during the Victorian Chautauqua. The open-air vehicle, which seats close to 20 passengers and has wooden benches, lends the charming ambiance of days gone by and will certainly blend with Mountain Lake Park’s Victorian character.
In the meantime, the committee invites everyone to watch the five-part video series Mountain Chautauqua Stories, which revisits the history of Mountain Lake Park from its founding years to the present. The mountaintop resort town continues to lure people from far and wide who crave small-town life. Even though a year will pass without the Victorian Chautauqua, 2021 is set to be even bigger and better.
Mountain Maryland Gateway partly funds the Victorian Chautauqua To The West, Maryland Heritage Area and Maryland Heritage Area Authority, The Town of Mountain Lake Park, and Aaron's.
