Sidney Chautauqua Dates Getting Closer

On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo. On November 11, 1918, Germany signed an armistice with the Allies, officially ending World War 1. On June 28, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed.

Nebraska Chautauqua, presented by Humanities Nebraska, will be hosting an event in Sidney June 14-17.

The Nebraska Chautauqua offers opportunities for audiences to come together to develop a fuller understanding of the lasting influences of the Great War, according to humanitiesnebraska.org.

The event is multi-faceted with presentations on various aspects of World War 1 by actors in character portraying individuals from that period. Characters to be portrayed include President Woodrow Wilson, Nebraska politician William Jennings Bryan, humanitarian Jane Addams, sociologist and activist WE.B. Du Bois, and Edith Wharton. The event will include workshops and activities free to the public.

“Everything about this is free and open to the public,” said Cheyenne County Tourism Director Heather Hausmann.

The program is designed to be a community support and involvement.

Hausmann said the program requires community investment financially and with in-kind contributions such as use of facilities and volunteer time. Local involvement includes special movies to be shown at the theater, World War 1 focus with the book club, book signing April 26 by “The Meaning of Names” author Karen Schumaker, and volunteer time administering the local Chautauqua Facebook page.

“Everybody has been awesome,” Hausmann said. “It should be a great event.”

One of the changes from recent events in Sidney is the evening events will be held inside at Sidney High School. Hausmann said the programs were moved inside to address variables such as weather conditions. Daytime programs will be held at the Cheyenne County Community Center.

Hosting a Chautauqua event is not quick or easy.

“In order to host, you have to apply and it is an extensive application,” she said.

The Humanities board contacted Hausmann toward the end of 2017, confirming Sidney as a host community for the 2018 schedule.

Chautauqua is an event where people from smaller cities and rural areas enjoy themselves while learning about and discussing important historic and/or current events, according to a press release from Humanities Nebraska. Humanities Nebraska has presented a Chautauqua in at least one community each year since reviving the traditional gathering about 34 years ago. Chautauquas were previously popular in the late 1800s to early 1900s.