Indigo Girls to perform tonight at Chautauqua Institution
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CHAUTAUQUA -- Chautauqua Institution's regular summer season may have come to a close, but activities on the institution's grounds continue with their post season or "shoulder" season, following the regular season.
These smaller, more intimate, concert experiences began last year and are continuing this year with tonight's performance by Indigo Girls.
"We just have this beautiful campus and we put on this nine-week summer season, and there's so much to do during this nine-week summer season," said Sam Nelson, Chautauqua Institution's director of business development. "During the spring and fall we're still here and I think there's an opportunity for us to give something back to the local community. We're always looking for different things we can do, and with the amphitheater there we're looking to put on these concerts and trying to create something that the local community is able to come and participate in."
The Indigo Girls concert, set for tonight at 7 p.m. in Chautauqua's Amphitheater, is the third concert of this nature, with Bonnie Raitt's concert last year and the Wilco event back in June.
According to Chautauqua Institution's website, Indigo Girls is the Grammy-winning folk duo of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, who rose to fame with their 1989 debut featuring hits like "Closer to Fine". Over a 35-year career, they have released 16 studio albums, sold more than 15 million records, and built a devoted global following while championing causes including LGBTQ advocacy and Indigenous environmental justice. Their recent album "Look Long" highlights the enduring songwriting and collaborative spirit that continue to define their music.
So far, Nelson said these smaller concert events have been going well and they have been seeing a draw from the local community. He added that the goal of these smaller concert events is to give people the opportunity for experiences like this when it gets to the time of year when businesses start to shut down and there is not as much to do.
"The Bonnie Raitt concert was a sellout experience so it was really great to be able to see that experience and then both Wilco in June and Indigo Girls have been smaller shows, very intimate experiences where people get to come onto the campus and experience with the start of fall, you know the leaves have started to change a little bit, and it's a little bit of a quieter experience," Nelson said. "People can experience this place for the beauty that it has, and enjoy a show."
For tonight's concert, some things will remain the same such as parking in the parking lot and walking down to the amphitheater, but Nelson said it will be less crowded, adding that if people have the time they should take the time to explore the grounds in the fall. The grounds are very different in the fall than the summer when there are many things happening, he added, and it is a much quieter place to stop and unwind and reconnect.
"It's a place to stop, unwind, reconnect and reset, especially as many of us are unwinding from how busy the summer is here all throughout the county and teachers and others are now going back to what is the busy time of year for them," Nelson said. "So, I think people should stop and reflect about what is so beautiful about this county here in September."
The Indigo Girls concert is the only concert planned for this year following the regular season, but Nelson said Chautauqua's hotel is still open for people who want to come and stay and they continue to do weddings and some other events. The Chautauqua Institution campus remains open, and Nelson encouraged people to come, especially in a few weeks when the leaves really start to change. While there might not be events going on the hotel is open, the lobby lounge is still available for people to stop by, and a few shops are still open on the grounds, such as St. Elmo's Spa.
"There are some great amenities still on campus, and again you get to have that quieter, more intimate experience with them," Nelson said. "If you come in a few weeks when the leaves are really starting to change you can experience fall; you can look out over the lake and see the leaves change all around the lake, and enjoy the quiet of the lake as there is less traffic on it."
Nelson said while they are encouraging people to come to the concert, they also encourage people to come out when there are no events going on, to come enjoy Chautauqua in the fall. Shops and restaurants that are not run by Chautauqua are also still open on the grounds, with a lot going on to still be able to experience there.
"Regardless of whether or not you are coming to the concert on Thursday, come enjoy the grounds," Nelson said. "The bookstore will be open. All of the restaurants will be open. Coffee gazebo will be open, the fitness center, the golf course, all of those will continue to be open. Check out what we have for the fall; it is not purely reliant on us having an event. ... I think this place is a real hidden gem in October."
No gate pass is required in the fall either, so Nelson emphasized that while there is a cost to the concert tonight, there is no cost to come down and enjoy the Chautauqua Institution grounds in the fall. For more information on tonight's Indigo Girls concert, visit chq.org.