​Chautauqua Series Returns in September
 
Mount Vernon – The Chautauqua Series is returning in September. Put on hiatus due to the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020, the series resumes its 14th season on September 9 at the Grand Hotel (12 Public Square in downtown Mount Vernon).
 
The Knox County Health Department has approved the re-opening barring an unforeseen surge in Covid-19. If you are feeling sick, please don’t attend, if you wish to wear masks, please do so and we will be supplying hand sanitizer.
 
For those who are unfamiliar with the Chautauqua Series, it features first person living history portrayals. The performers dress as a person from history and present an evening based on research of the featured character.
 
The series also presents historically based programs known as Lyceums. The first program will be this type discussing Woodstock. It will include slides of the people from Woodstock, then and now, couples who met at Woodstock and are still together today and a mini-concert of Woodstock songs played by Bill Carpenter, Jeff Putnam and Mike Petee.
 
The Chautauqua Series is sponsored in part by a grant from the Ariel Foundation, The programs are intended for families, students and all who wish to know more about history in a fun, entertaining manner. Audiences will be able to ask questions at the end of each program. Each show is donation based, with all monies collected going to the performers.
 
The schedule for 2021 is as follows:
September 9 – Woodstock Revisited (Bill Carpenter, Jeff Putnam, Mike Petee)
September 30 – Elizabeth Cady Stanton (Susan Kahrl)
October 14 – General George Patton (Ken Hammontree)
October 28 – Ceely Rose Book (presented by Mark Jordan)
November 11 – Amelia Earhart (Amy K. Stoner)
November 18 – Marie Curie (Tammy Souhrada)
 
For more information about these programs, visit www.elixirpresents.com, or you can call 740-392-3018. If you would like to receive a “Gentle Reminder” on the Sunday before each program please contact Mike Petee at elixir_petee@hotmail.com.

Hello,
​
We wanted to send a message being it’s been awhile since I’ve updated you on the status of the Chautauqua Series. Being vaccines are here and a large percentage of our audience hopefully have been vaccinated or plan to be vaccinated, we are getting more hopefully of resuming the Chautauqua Series when the Knox County Health Department gives the green light. But we will not restart the series until we are confident that our audiences and presenters are safe.
 
When will the series restart? That is still to be determined but we grow more hopeful each week as we hear of more and more vaccines available in the county and people taking advantage of the vaccine. If we all do our part, the restart will happen sooner than later.
 
Thank you for your patience and we hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy.
 
Mike & Chris Petee and the members of the Chautauqua Series Staff

Hello,

I wanted to remind all of you the Foodstock - a concert of classic rock provided by area musicians to benefit the FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY campaign will be liveon Monday December 7 at 7:30 PM. 

To see the concert - go on-line to www.elixirpresents.com and click on the Foodstock button. You will be able to watch the concert and there will be a donate button that will take you directly to the FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY site - please note the dropdown menu and mention Foodstock as the source of you coming to donate.

We hope the COVID-19 pandemic will be over as soon as possible because we want to be able to share our wonderful Chautauqua characters again in 2021 but until then please stay safe, wear masks, care for your neighbors as well as family and please give to the FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY campaign and relax and enjoy FOODSTOCK.

​MOUNT VERNON - The 8th annual Foodstock concert to benefit Food for the Hungry will be held on Monday Dec. 7 at 7:30 PM. Due to the Covid-19 restrictions this year the concert will be VIRTUAL.  The event will be broadcast on www.elixirpresents.com, where you can also make donations.
 
This year the program will pay tribute to the music of The Beatles, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and other classic music performed by the band Blackbyrd and special guest Chris Petee. Blackbyrd consists of Roy Rush on lead guitar, Collin Knightlinger on guitar, keyboards and vocals, Todd Dean on Drums and vocals and Mike Petee on bass, harmonica and vocals. To read more about the band, go to www.elixirpresents.com.  
 
The concert is family friendly and the cost is by donation. To donate food, or needed items, visit www.foodforthehungrycares.org  website for details. Each dollar raised on-line equals $9 of buying power at the Central Ohio Food Bank. All proceeds go to the Food for the Hungry campaign.
 
If you are unable to donate or you are one of our needy neighbors, we ask for you to please tune-in and invite your families to view this event together, as a Christmas gift to you from the musicians of Knox County.
 
For more information on this event, visit www.elixirpresents.com or call 740-392-3018.

We wish we could be having Chautauqua's but Covid-19 prevents us getting together. In order to help our needy neighbors - FOODSTOCK will still be presented via a virtual concert - so you will be able to enjoy  it in the comfort of your own home. Please help us - help our neighbors - this year it is more important than ever - stay up to date by visiting www.elixirpresents.com.

MOUNT VERNON – Due to the continued safety risks and recent spike in cases in Ohio, we are going to cancel the November Chautauquas:

Nov 5 – Roy Rogers/Dale Evans (Jim & Amy K. Stoner)
Nov 19 – Red Skelton (Ken Barnett).  

We plan to bring the entire 2020 Chautauqua schedule back to Knox County when it is safe to do so and we keep you up to date as to plans as they become available. 

In the meantime – this year FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY campaign is needed more than ever before for our community. We are planning to go ahead with a concert that everyone can enjoy as well as help our needy neighbors. If we are unable to have an in person concert we are looking at a Facebook Live or Facebook videotaped presentation in partnership with Food For The Hungry so donations can be collected on-line and you can enjoy area musicians giving what they have to give – their talent. 

When a decision has been made as to the format, we will announce it. For more news on the Chautauqua Series please visit: www.elixirpresents.com

​Ladies and Gentlemen,

With the virus still active and schools just trying to get back in order- it is still too soon to try bringing back the Chautauqua's. I will be working with the Ariel Foundation, KPAC and the Grand Hotel to honor all the shows we scheduled for 2020 that have had to be cancelled and re-schedule in 2021 when it is safe for our audiences. I hear from many of you that you miss the programs and so do I. AND I miss our wonderful audiences the most but we have to be careful with this pandemic and for now we must protect everyone as best as we can and to be thankful for all those essential workers who are risking their lives for us.

Oct 8 – James Garfield and the United States Government* (Benjamin Frayser) - * denotes a program which can be made to be appropriate for children/young adults studying American History, Citizenship, or Government. Serving two years in the state legislature, 18 more in Congress, a Senator-elect, and President; makes for a remarkable resume to explain how, and why, the government of the United States works as it does. 
Opener - FolkTails 
 
Oct 22 – Jane Austen (Raylene Hlavaty) - Jane Austen was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. 
Opener - Meg Litteral 


Although I haven't canceled the November shows - I'm hopeful and keeping fingers crossed that maybe we can still have those but the decision will be made around mid-October.

Thank You,

Mike Petee

​September Chautauqua’s Canceled 
 
As much as we need to enjoy a good Chautauqua, I’m afraid the Covid-19 pandemic is still too much of a risk to having next month. I’m worried about the school openings so let's see what happens in September. I hope they are more successful then the various major sports have been. I do not want any of our audience members to be exposed to Covid-19. 
We plan to reschedule all the lost Chautauqua when it is safe to do so – so do not fret – Chautauqua’s listed for 2020 will be held as soon as it is safe. In the meantime, please say thank you to all those who are protecting us and please wear masks. It is such a simple thing to ask and you wouldn’t think of going into a store without shoes or clothes, same goes for masks. It’s a little thing that will help us get back to normal sooner. 
The following shows are canceled for now: 
Sep 10 – Amelia Earhart (Amy K. Stoner) - Amelia Mary Earhart was an American aviation pioneer and author. Earhart was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She set many other records, wrote best-selling books about her flying experiences. 
Opener - Joe Rollin Porter 
 
Sep 24 – Phillis Wheatley (Sandra Quick) - was the first African-American woman to publish a book of poetry. Born in West Africa, sold into slavery at the age of seven and met George Washington in the White House.  
Opener – Bob Ford  
 
Thank You, 
Mike Petee 

Chautauqua Series Cancels August Programs
A message from Mike Petee -  As much as I wish I could wave my magic wand and make the Covid-19 virus go away, such is not the case. And especially with the increase in cases not only in Ohio but Knox County, for the safety of our audience and community, we are canceling the August programs and will review about mid-August to see if September shows can be allowed.
Please wear masks when out and about and please, please, please be safe.

CANCELED - Aug 13 – Middle School Students History Day Projects ​

CANCELED - Aug 27 – Jackie Kennedy (Mary Spence) - Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis was First Lady of the United States during the presidency of John F. Kennedy and was regarded then and afterward as an international icon of style and culture.
Opener - Lowell Borchers

​We are going to cancel the Chautauqua’s for the end of June and all of July. We are still very concerned with the spread of the Covid-19 virus and it is still not safe to have large audiences and our audience is much too important to take the risk. We will see how July goes as far as the re-openings of small businesses and see if the rates go down, but as of now the rates are not going down. We are really getting cabin fever but we realize it is better to be safe than sorry. We have been approached to possibly do some programs outside but feel it is too difficult to coordinate and make convenient enough for our audience members. Hang in there – we will be back when it is safe.
Thank You,
Mike Petee