Renowned Artists, Original Productions, One-of-a-Kind Experience
Entertainment and Education
Community Treasure
Renowned Artists, Original Productions, One-of-a-Kind Experience
Big Top Chautauqua presented 52 shows in 47 days, featuring 16 original shows with the Blue Canvas Orchestra and 5 free family performances
August 30- Birds of Chicago
Named Best Outdoor Venue within a day’ s drive of the Twin Cities by the Minneapolis Star Tribune- June 30, 2013.
A New Record 2,004 attendees filled the tent and spilled onto the lawn for Trampled by Turtles and Pert Near Sandstone’ s June 15th performance.
National Radio Presence Tent Show Radio recorded live at the tent is broadcast weekly on 51 listener supported radio stations across 11 states to nearly 1.1 million listeners.
Legendary Line-Up Nine shows including Brandi Carilie, Lyle Lovett, Merle Haggard, Gordon Lightfoot, the Indigo Girls, and the Beach Boys performed to a sold out tent audience and lawn crowd this season.
One-of-a-Kind The only continuously-operating canvas tent theater in the country, Big Top Chautauqua’ s blue and pearl grey canvas tent has been raised each spring since1986 for summers filled with excellent performances.
Highway 61 June 27- Barbara Jean Meyers
June 15 Trampled by Turtles Record crowd of 2004
Entertainment and Education
Access to the Arts More than 2,050 youth and families participated in this season’ s Free Workshop and Performance Series events.
Community Resource Big Top Chautauqua presented the One World Community Picnic, a day of cultural workshops, performances, and games for children, hosted the 4th annual Big Top Idol, co-hosted the annual community forum Pie & Politics with the Alliance for Sustainability, and partnered with the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute to present the Binational Program Environmental Stewardship Awards.
More than a Field Trip 684 students from 7 area schools experienced live performance at the free student show of Stories for the Water.
Sept 6- Jonny Lang
Spin Collective
August 3- Whad’ Ya Know with Michael Feldman
Community Treasure
$ 3.9 million in indirect revenue from Big Top Chautauqua’ s patrons was added to the area economy this season.
Area Talent 52 area artists performed on the Big Top tent stage this season.
Volunteer Effort Volunteers help raise the tent, repair the tent, serve on the Board of Directors, fund raise, provide customer service and support each performance in a multitude of ways. The time and talent provided to Big Top Chautauqua this season by 221 volunteers is indispensable and valued at more than $ 115,000.
Community Supported 539 donors supported Big Top Chautauqua, 72 community members and business sponsored performances, 7 area businesses sponsored the free Big Top Shuttle and The Bayfield Inn partnered with Big Top as the 2013 season underwriting sponsor.
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