Chautauqua Programs

Lake Bluff History Museum is reviving the “Chautauqua-style” program  — a format rooted in the village’s history as a popular late-19th century summer resort known as the Lake Bluff Camp Meeting. The resort was a premier site for the Chautauqua movement, a unique American tradition that blended entertainment, community debate and religious education.

The Museum’s Sunday afternoon Chautauqua-style programs will honor this legacy through interactive deep dives by local historians. The remaining programs include:

  • TBD: Artists of Lake Bluff – RESCHEDULED; we will host this in 2027!
  • 9/20: Lake Bluff’s Sen. Robert McClory and Watergate – Register here
  • 10/11: How Culture, Community and Faith Shaped Lake Bluff: The Lake Bluff Camp Meeting & Chautauqua – Register here
  • 10/25: A resident’s Memories of the Lake Bluff Children’s Home; 2 pm. at the Union Church of Lake Bluff – Chautauqua registration
  • 10/22: Historic Documents: The Promise of Liberty – 7 pm at Lake Forest High School; Registration to be added soon!