Chautauqua Festival

A Celebration of History and Arts

Milford Historical Society along with the Huron Valley Council of the Arts presents the 3rd annual Chautauqua Festival.  This year’s free event will be held on Saturday, June 5th in Milford’s Central Park.  

Historically a Chautauqua was an event that provided music, art, dance, theater and lectures to the communities.  Performers would travel to different communities to share their talents.  Today our Chautauqua Festival is defined as a celebration of our Heritage.

Visitors to this year’s event will be able to enjoy the sounds of local musicians, choirs and bell ringers.  Dance companies from the area will entertain audiences with their dancing talents.  Storytellers will use their stories to acquaint one and all with stories of times of long ago.  Visitors will be able to intermingle with civil war camps, hear Abraham Lincoln give his famous Gettysburg address or meet with Mary Todd Lincoln.  Learn about the legendary woman who captivated audiences in the Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, Annie Oakley. Or hear the story on how General George Washington commissioned Betsy Ross to make the first American Flag from Betsy Ross herself.

Children will be able to pet Alpacas from the Woodcreek Farm. Youngsters and the young at heart will have the opportunity to become a blacksmith’s apprentice or play the games of days gone by with members of the Milford Historical Society.  Visitors can challenge their balancing skills on a pair of stilts or play a game of checkers, marbles or jacks.  Representatives from the Michigan Historic Museum in Lansing will be on hand to demonstrate candle dipping, wheat weaving and corn husk dolls.

Local artists will be demonstrating their skills and displaying their products.  Visitors can speak with wood workers, oil and watercolor paints, potters and many more or watch a great variety of stage entertainment.