Ashland Chautauqua

Ashland Chautauqua Bringing history to the Ashland, Ohio community through educational and entertaining programming. Please join us!

Produced by a committee of volunteers with representation from the City of Ashland, Ashland Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Ashland University, ASHLAND CHAUTAUQUA has been an institution in North Central Ohio for the past 17 years. At CHAUTAUQUA, youth and adults witness history in its most compelling form--first person historical portrayals. Trained scholar/actors take on the roles of hist

orical figures, appearing in costume and presenting exciting living history performances. Every year ASHLAND CHAUTAUQUA hosts nationally recruited scholar/actors who portray characters connected to a particular theme. Previous CHAUTAUQUA themes include the Wild West, World War II, the Roaring '20s, the Great Depression, Literary Legends, Business and Industry, Sport and Society, and the 1930s. Each scholar/actor will appear in a major performance in character on stage at the Myers Band Shell at Brookside Park. In addition, each will present a daytime youth program and an adult lecture workshop during their weeklong residency in Ashland County. CHAUTAUQUA has developed a strong audience in and around Ashland County, due to support from the Ohio Humanities Council and their production of the annual OHIO CHAUTAUQUA. With Ashland's strong understanding of, and demand for, the program ASHLAND CHAUTAUQUA continues the tradition.

July is almost here!  Discover Washington Irving through A Tour on the Prairies (1835), his lively account of an 1832 ex...
05/24/2026

July is almost here!
Discover Washington Irving through A Tour on the Prairies (1835), his lively account of an 1832 expedition through Indian Territory. From fording wild rivers to buffalo hunts and frontier encounters, Irving captures America’s early West after seventeen years abroad.
Free online book found herehttps://ia601602.us.archive.org/2/items/atouronprairies02irvigoog/atouronprairies02irvigoog.pdf

📚 Book Spotlight: Coretta Scott King  Ashland Chautauqua honors the legacy of Coretta Scott King through Octavia Vivian’...
05/11/2026

📚 Book Spotlight: Coretta Scott King
Ashland Chautauqua honors the legacy of Coretta Scott King through Octavia Vivian’s powerful biography, Coretta: The Story of Mrs. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Fortress Press, 1970).

Vivian’s work offers an intimate look at Coretta’s strength, vision, and unwavering commitment to justice—both alongside Dr. King and in her own right. It’s a moving reminder that the fight for equality was never a solo journey.

Join us in July! July 21-25, 2026! As we reflect on Coretta’s enduring influence and the women who shaped the civil rights movement. ✊🏽💜
Book link https://books.google.com/books/about/Coretta.html?id=H5dAqKtlYwcC

Ashland Chautauqua "America’s Stories" is right around the corner!! We are diving into the legendary life of Mary Fields...
04/27/2026

Ashland Chautauqua "America’s Stories" is right around the corner!! We are diving into the legendary life of Mary Fields, famously known as "Stagecoach Mary."

In this meticulously researched Montana history, McConnell brings to life the first African American woman to become a Star Route Carrier in the United States. A woman of immense strength and independence, Mary Fields carved her path through the rugged Montana frontier, delivering mail where others couldn't—and wouldn't—go.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32179053-deliverance-mary-fields-first-african-american-woman-star-route-mail-ca?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=5x2Ecj1dcm&rank=1

“If you can’t make it better, you can at least laugh at it.” — Erma Bombeck ✨Ashland Chautauqua 2026- America's Stories ...
04/17/2026

“If you can’t make it better, you can at least laugh at it.” — Erma Bombeck ✨

Ashland Chautauqua 2026- America's Stories is right around the corner! To get in the spirit, we’re reading up on the woman who made suburban life a comedy set.

📚 The Reading List:
1️⃣ A Marriage Made In Heaven, or Too Tired For An Affair
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/432285.A_Marriage_Made_in_Heaven
2️⃣ Forever Erma
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/127027644-forever-erma-publisher?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_29

Which Erma quote is your all-time favorite? Let us know in the comments! 👇

🎄Merry Christmas from the Ashland Chautauqua Committee! As we reflect on another remarkable year of bringing history to ...
12/22/2025

🎄Merry Christmas from the Ashland Chautauqua Committee! As we reflect on another remarkable year of bringing history to life, we are deeply grateful for the donors and patrons whose generosity makes our annual living history event possible. Your support sustains this tradition, enriches our community, and ensures that the stories of the past continue to inspire audiences of all ages.

Thank you for believing in this work and for standing with us each season! We wish you a joyful Christmas and a meaningful holiday season filled with peace, hope, and appreciation for the stories that connect us. 🎄

The Ashland Chautauqua committee meets year-round to plan and execute our living history event. In fact, we are already ...
11/11/2025

The Ashland Chautauqua committee meets year-round to plan and execute our living history event. In fact, we are already planning for 2027!

It was so fun to learn about our five "barrier breakers" this summer.Here are the winners of our 5-Nighter Passport and ...
08/22/2025

It was so fun to learn about our five "barrier breakers" this summer.

Here are the winners of our 5-Nighter Passport and survey drawings.

Thanks for coming out to support Ashland Chautauqua year after year.

Mark your calendar for Ashland Chautauqua 2026!
07/21/2025

Mark your calendar for Ashland Chautauqua 2026!

Address

209 Parkside Drive
Ashland, OH
44805

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