Week One: June 24–July 1, 2023
Every summer, over the course of nine weeks, more than 100,000 people visit Chautauqua Institution in search of respite, community and personal growth. And every summer, they find it. See for yourself what makes Chautauqua Institution a destination like no other. Keep scrolling to explore Week One.
Featured Entertainment and Events
Bonnie Raitt: Just Like That… Tour 2023
June 24, 2023
Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
June 30, 2023
Miko Marks
June 28, 2023
Snarky Puppy
June 27, 2023
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
See all dates
Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra: “Opening Night”
June 29, 2023
The United States Army Field Band and Soldiers’ Chorus
June 25, 2023
Chautauqua Lecture Series
On Friendship
There’s an oft-invoked medieval proverb: “Blood is thicker than water.” We take it to mean that bonds of the family are stronger than any other — that, simply, family comes first. But some have argued that the “blood” in the phrase is not one of family, but one of covenant, of choosing. This places heightened importance on friendship and fellowship, and on the family of our own making. But what is the state of friendship amidst evolving technology that both connects us and isolates us? Amidst a pandemic and a new normal that has further stratified various circles of intimacy? How has friendship evolved over time and generations, and how can we tend to and nurture the ties that bind us?
Two of the foremost public intellectuals in American life, from two very different schools of thought, Robert P. George and Cornel West open the week and, more notably, the 2023 Summer Assembly Season, with a conversation on Monday, June 26, reflecting on their own friendship and how such civic friendships, woven across divides, can do more than just strengthen our social fabric, but preserve and strengthen American democracy itself. The Atlantic staff writer and Pulitzer Prize winner Jennifer Senior has spent years probing questions of relationships, humanity, and modern society; the themes of human connection and the ways we need each other are what will drive her presentation on Tuesday, June 27. An assistant clinical professor and collegiate fellow in the University of Maryland Honors College, Marisa G. Franco is the author of Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make — and Keep — Friends, which will frame her Wednesday, June 28, lecture expanding on her work regarding human connection and systemic loneliness. Best known for roles as Mikey Walsh in “The Goonies,” the title character of “Rudy,” Samwise Gamgee in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, and Bob Newby in “Stranger Things 2,” Sean Astin closes the week on Friday, June 30, by reflecting on his work embodying characters who epitomize hope, determination and loyalty in franchises with a common narrative thread: friendship.
Confirmed Lectures
June 26 @ 10:45 am Week One (June 24–July 1)
Robert P. George & Cornel West
Amphitheater | CHQ Assembly
Interfaith Lecture Series
Holy Friendship: Source of Strength and Challenge
What role does friendship play in spiritual life? A holy friendship, grounded in spiritual connection, goes beyond affinity to challenge and encourage two souls in a lasting way. This week’s lecturers will reflect on the place of friendship in faith formation and practice, and we will hear from them about their holy friendships. This allows the opportunity for us to ask: Who influences and shapes our lives through covenant and chosen relationship?
June 27 @ 2:00 pm Week One (June 24–July 1)
De’Amon Harges and The Rev. Michael Mather
Hall of Philosophy | CHQ Assembly
June 29 @ 2:00 pm Week One (June 24–July 1)
The Rev. Dr. Victoria White
Hall of Philosophy | CHQ Assembly
Explore Performing and Visual Arts
The arts can sometimes bridge differences and illuminate perspectives as no other method can. Artistic expressions at Chautauqua — including professional and pre-professional offerings in classical and contemporary music, theater, opera, dance, visual arts and literary arts — aim to inspire, educate, entertain and engage a diverse and growing audience.
Places to Stay
Make the night complete by staying on our historic grounds. From the Athenaeum Hotel to countless private rental properties, Chautauqua offers accommodations for all needs and tastes.
Dining & Shopping
Make your Chautauqua experience memorable! Share a delicious meal at one of our many restaurants. Or take piece of Chautauqua home with you from our unique shops.