Dayton Hosts New Old Time Chautauqua

DAYTON – The Touchet Valley region is the lucky host of the New Old Time Chautauqua on July 18 and 19. The group, also known as NOTC, will be at the Lewis & Clark Trail State Park in between Dayton and Waitsburg.

The Chautauqua group follows the social and cultural movements that spawned in New York during the 1870s and experienced great growth until the 1920s. They present many forms of so-called "cultural enrichment," including arts (such as dance and drama), lectures and music.

Back in their heyday, Chautauqua groups would use giant tents as their venues for the performances. The NOTC is the last remaining Chautauqua group in the nation. They were formed on 1981 by a group of performers, educators, and healthcare professionals including the Flying Karamazov Brothers and Dr. Patch Adams. Its current membership is listed as being "60+." Their vision was to bring their cultural presentations to rural areas and to revive the movement. They have also given talks at TED events.

The Dayton Historical Depot opened an exhibit called "Circuit Chautauquas: Educating Dayton and America" on June 14. The opening was accompanied by guest speaker Paul Magid, a member of the Karamazov Brothers.

The event festivities start on Monday at 10 a.m., as small groups made up of members from the NOTC will visit community groups that are unable to attend the two-day event. This includes people in care institutions or detention facilities. Anyone wishing to arrange one of these cost-free visits can contact Brad McMasters at the Port of Columbia.

On Monday night, a free community potluck will be held at the state park starting at 6 p.m. Those attending are asked to bring a side dish, a dessert and non-alcoholic beverages. An entrée of grilled sausages will be provided, and those who have musical or juggling equipment are strongly encouraged to bring those along as well. The potluck is scheduled to end at 8 p.m.

Tuesday's events will begin at noon with a parade. The NOTC, supplemented by local and regional organizations and groups, will start the parade by Dayton High School at the corner of Third and Bus Street in Dayton. The route will go north to Clay Street before going to Second Street in order to go south to the finishing point of the Dayton City Park. Following the completion of the parade, workshops will be held in the City Park.

The workshops will be held from the end of the parade until 3:30 p.m. The NOTC and other participating organizations will provide a wide variety of workshops, ranging from educational to acrobatic and musical. There is plenty of parking, and large groups are encouraged to attend the workshops. All workshops are free to the public.

The two-day affair will wrap up with a vaudeville show in the Dayton High School Auditorium from 7 - 9 p.m. Tuesday. This will again be put on by the NOTC and other organizations from the area. The show will include musical, acrobatic, and comedic performances on top of many other great parts. It is also rumored that there will be a trapeze act during the show. The show is free to the public.

For additional information on New Old Time Chautauqua, contact Brad McMasters at the Port of Columbia at (509) 382- 2577.