What I have in mind is a sort of Chautauqua ~ that's the only name I can think of for it ~ like the traveling tent-show Chautauquas that used to move across America, this America, the one that we are now in, an old-time series of popular talks intended to edify and entertain, improve the mind and bring culture and enlightenment to the ears and thought of the hearer.
Robert Pirsig
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

What is Chautauqua?
Chautauqua began in the late 1800's as an institution providing education, culture, and entertainment. A traveling Circuit Chautauqua evolved from the original residential institution, bringing education and entertainment to isolated communities across the United States.

Roots of Chautauqua
While not a direct descendent, it can be argued that Chautauqua has early roots reaching back to the Lyceum movement popular in the early 19th century. Beginning in the northeast, Lyceums brought instruction in the arts, sciences, history and public affairs to the general public. As the movement gained popularity, over 400 local lyceum associations sprung up, and by 1831, a national American Lyceum Society was established.

While the Lyceums offered educational opportunities on a variety of subjects, they also provided a stage for the transcendentalist movement. Speakers such as Emerson and Thoreau used the Lyceum format to advance transcendental thought.

However, when the Civil War broke out, Lyceums all but ceased to exist, and this form of education and entertainment faded from the American landscape.

Chautauqua Movement
In 1874, industrialist Lewis Miller and Methodist minister John A. Vincent established the Chautauqua Institution on Lake Chautauqua in western New York. First developed as annual residential assemblies to educate Sunday school teachers in a non-denominational format, Chautauqua quickly gained popularity.

Because of strong interest in the assemblies and a desire for educational opportunities year round, the Chautauqua Institution developed correspondence courses. The ever increasing demand for these courses pointed to an educational need in the country that wasn't fulfilled. Therefore, the Chautauqua Institution became the first in the United State to offer correspondence degrees.

Following the Chautauqua Institution's success, independent Chautauqua groups sprang up across the country. They became especially meaningful to communities that lacked educational opportunities and outlets for entertainment. However, bringing these programs to often isolated communities presented a challenge. In order for performers to meet the rising demand for their services throughout the country, Chautauqua promoters developed a traveling Circuit Chautauqua system.

Circuit Chautauqua
When a tent rose next to a lake, in a grove of trees, or upon an open field, communities hummed with excitement. The tent signaled the arrival of Chautauqua and three to seven days of education, culture and entertainment brought to them by a host of traveling presenters and performers. Because Chautauqua's popularity spanned the entire country, the demand for performers on the Chautauqua Circuit lead to extensive travel agendas. In order to schedule them efficiently, a system developed in which one performer might be a "Day Two" presenter, scheduled to appear on the second day of several Circuit events. Another performer might only appear on Day One before moving on to the next slated Chautauqua and the first day of its events. Thus, the performers maximized their showings around the Circuit.

Like the Lyceums in pre-Civil war America, Chautauqua offered educational opportunities for communities that lacked such outlets. Lecturers provided the foundation for Chautauqua, and the most famous lecturer ~ and most popular ~ was William Jennings Bryant who traveled the Chautauqua Circuit until his death in 1925.

As the movement expanded, so did the program offerings. Music became a popular highlight of Chautauqua, and many programs featured singing groups and oomph-style bands. This shift from education to entertainment ushered in such offerings as operas, plays and magic acts. Because of the distances between events, entire play companies often did not join the Circuit. Therefore, play readings by individual actors became a popular part of programs. Reading through an entire play, an actor stepped into the role of each character, delighting audiences with their transformation from one character to another.

At its height, the Chautauqua circuit existed in over 10,000 communities across the United States and reached audiences of up to 45 million. However, as the Great Depression hit in 1929, Chautauqua, like the Lyceum, disappeared in the wake of national upheaval. A few continued on through the war years (including the Colorado Chautauqua in Boulder), yet as a whole, the Chautauqua Circuit became a memory of America's past.

Chautauqua Today
Today, Chautauqua is experiencing a kind of revival. The Chautauqua Institution in New York still offers a wide range of intellectual and spiritual activities at their residential location. Other residential Chautauqua organizations exist that provide individuals and families with a kind of alternative learning vacation.

Aside from the residential sites, Chautauqua is once again popping up across the country. Many communities hold an annual Chautauqua much like the Circuit Chautauqua of years past. Several state endowments for the humanities support Chautauqua and see it as an important cultural artifact and unique and entertaining learning opportunity.

Chautauqua programs today include a wide range of activities from lectures and music, to readings and impersonations of historical and literary characters. In keeping with tradition, the modern Chautauqua is most often performed in the outdoors, under a tent or in a clearing, with the consistent goal of providing education and entertainment for a local community.