The Ohio Chautauqua Tour will split its time between two communities in Geauga County in 2019, according to representatives from Chardon Tomorrow and the Burton Historic District.
The Ohio Chautauqua Tour is a free, five-day community event that combines living history performances, music, education and audience participation into a one-of-a-kind experience for the entire community, according to a press release from Chardon Tomorrow.
In what Chardon Tomorrow Executive Director Mary Glauser said is a change from past festivals, events will be spread throughout the City of Chardon and Burton Village.
“There are a number of sites through the communities that will host events. We’re going to offer expanded programming that they can’t offer in single cities,” Glauser said.
The tour will also go through Warren, Milan and Defiance next June.
Glauser updated Chardon City Council in April on the joint application submitted by Chardon and Burton, since Chardon, as a first-time host, would benefit from being a partner with Burton.
“We had been engaged in discussion with our Chardon city leaders for over a year about trying to bring Chautauqua to Chardon. After meeting with the Burton Historic District in March, we decided to submit a joint application to offer the strongest possible options for consideration,” Glauser said in a press release.
Burton has hosted the festival in the past, including the 2017 festival at Burton’s Century Village Museum.
The theme for the 2017 festival was “The Natural World,” and included performances by re-enactors representing Marie Curie, Chief Cornstalk, Mary Wollstonecraft, Theodore Roosevelt and Dian Fossey.
Glauser said tour dates will be announced in late May, but planning has already started.
Those interested in sponsoring or volunteering for the Ohio Chautauqua Tour can contact Chardon Tomorrow or the Geauga County Historical Society in Burton.
“We are extremely excited to bring this program to the county and our respective communities,” Glauser said.
