In the 1870s, an educational meeting at Lake Chautauqua, New York, grew into a popular adult education and social movement that swept the U.S. The movement’s events, named after the lake, featured entertainment and culture “with speakers, teachers, musicians, showmen, preachers and specialists of the day.” Illinois had its share of Chautauquas, including one near Petersburg that happened yearly until 1942. That event drew thousands of people. Now a Chautauqua event has returned to Petersburg, albeit on a much smaller scale. The event is sponsored by Menard County Trails & Greenways with support from the Illinois Arts Council and the Springfield Area Arts Council. Sunday’s event is actually the second event in the “Ways to Discovery” Chautauqua Series 2025. Coinciding with National Trails Day, the event will begin with a lecture by Terri Treacy and Dr. Michael Wiant on “Exploring Menard County Trails: Ancient, Historical, Present and Futuristic.” In the style of the original Chautauquas, the talk will be followed by a live performance by Ben Bedford, a Springfield-based songwriter who documents the region’s history and wildlife in song. The event is free. For more info, visit menardcountytrailsandgreenways.org or call.
“Ways to Discovery” Chautauqua Series 2025
Sunday, June 1, 1-3 p.m.
Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site
Visitors Center Auditorium, Petersburg
618-521-1030