Lawrence selected as site for 2008 Chautauqua

January 11, 2008 | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 11, 2008

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Susan Henderson, LCVB Marketing Director
785-856-5284 /marketing@visitlawrence.com

Lawrence selected as site for 2008 Chautauqua

Lawrence, Kan –Lawrence has been selected as a host community for the 2008 Bright Dreams, Hard Times: America in the Thirties Chautauqua. This festival of learning will be held June 18-22 under a big-top tent in Lawrence’s South Park.

One of five historical figures – President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Senator Huey Long of Louisiana, Pentecostal leader Aimee Semple McPherson, Harlem Renaissance writer/folklorist Zora Neale Hurston and humorist Will Rogers – come to life on the stage each evening of Chautauqua. Audiences will learn about the cultural and political changes of the 1930s through the stories of these figures, portrayed by humanities professionals. Each gives a 40-minute first-person presentation as the historical figure then answers questions on the Chautauqua stage.

Chautauqua also features a Youth Chautauqua Camp and various lectures, workshops and tours during the course of the event. At the five-day Youth Chautauqua camp, young people (grades 5-8) will be historians, researchers and scriptwriters as they present their own historical characters on the Sunday night of Chautauqua.

“We know from our experience hosting Chautauqua in 2004 that this is a wonderful opportunity for our community,” said Judy Billings, Director, Lawrence Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Chautauquas have a rich heritage and are designed to bring history to life and generate dialogue, which seems to work well here. We’re pleased to be able to present this event.”

The Bright Dreams, Hard Times: America in the Thirties Chautauqua is a partnership between the Kansas Humanities Council, the Nebraska Humanities Council, the Solomon Valley Highway 24 Heritage Alliance, and the Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau. The Chautauqua is made possible by We the People, a grant initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Chautauqua will also be hosted by Beloit, KS and Falls City and Hastings, NE.

For more information, check out www.visitlawrence.com.

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Susan Henderson
Lawrence Convention & Visitors Bureau
PO Box 526
Lawrence, KS 66044
785-856-5284 p
785-856-5303 f
marketing@visitlawrence.com
www.visitlawrence.com