Local Events: Chautauqua "Then and Now" Festival
One of the things I knew FTL needed to include was our local events. We may be considered "small town" here in Garrett County, but we're BIG when it comes to events and things to do. In a nutshell, we're busy over here in our corner of Maryland!
July is starting off with a bang with a big fireworks display at Wisp (highly recommend!), but immediately after, Mountain Lake Park (just outside of Oakland) will be hosting a three-day Chautauqua, a "Then and Now" celebration starting on July 5th.
And it just so happens that the designers of the FTL site and branding, Kendall and Mark Ludwig of CurlyRed, are playing a big part in making this event happen! I asked Kendall to share a some of her thoughts and excitement on this year's Chautauqua...
"When Mary Callis of GLAF first approached me about doing the branding and print design for this Chautauqua festival, I was thrilled! I'm very proud to call historic Mountain Lake Park my home for these past 3 years. I love anything with a vintage aesthetic, so I did a lot of research on old Mountain Lake Park Chautauqua publications and worked hard to include similar type treatments and layout styles as they used back then. I was also able to incorporate old photographs, and even an old ticket token into the artwork.
In years past, this festival has been held at the local college, but this year will be completely different. There will be free historical performances and musical presentations all throughout the weekend in Mountain Lake Park, and there will be a guided home tour with history about some of the Victorian homes. Our home is actually where the tour begins! Our oldest daughter will even be selling lemon sticks (also referred to as lemon peppermint sticks). It should be a great weekend of celebrating this beautiful neighborhood."
If you're like me and have no idea what Chautauqua means and have never heard the term before this blog post, don't worry...I did some research...
To put it simply (and using the first line of Wikipedia's definition), Chautauqua was an adult education movement. Popular in the 19th and 20th centuries, "the Chautauqua brought entertainment and culture for the whole community, with speakers, teachers, musicians, showmen, preachers, and specialists of the day." Mountain Lake Park was founded in 1881 as a Chautauqua summer resort and grew into a leading destination on the B&O Railroad.
After more than 80 years, the Chautauqua tradition returns to this historic town that's lined with Victorian cottages making up the largest municipality in Garrett County. Guests are invited to celebrate under the big tent in the tradition of the Mountain Chautauqua with educational, historical, and musical presentations. The family-friendly event will have ample parking, food, historic home tours, and self-guided tours that will transport you back in time. Read more about the event and see a full list of happenings here in the program schedule, also designed by Kendall.
Categories: Things to Do
