Spring Fundraising

Federal and state budget cuts have affected funding sources for the Victorian Chautauqua. The planning committee works each year diligently to cover all costs, allowing the two-day festival to be free to attend and, for the past five years, to maintain a balanced budget.

The Victorian Chautauqua Festival will hire 29 presenters, several of whom will create original content for the 2026 season. The Victorian Chautauqua has become a breeding ground for creativity and ingenuity, fostering an appreciation for the arts and education among audiences, much like the founders of this historic town began over a century ago. Artisan Row is also a way for artists to share their work and passions with visitors. All of this comes at a justifiable cost, making financial support critically important for preserving traditions and pursuing enlightenment. Before the festivities kick off on Saturday, a Friday night fundraiser dinner has successfully generated sizable public funding each year.

To see where the funding goes, this year’s schedule of performances, live music, lectures, and activities is now available at the PROGRAM AT A GLANCE page online. More detailed information about each day’s presentation can be found online, including program overviews, bios, and accompanying photos. A featured performance sponsored by the Garrett County Arts Council will be Maryland’s Poet Laureate, Lady Brion, on Saturday, July 11, at 2:00 PM. This distinguished and internationally recognized slam poetry champion should not be missed. Lady Brion was on the 2025 schedule, but due to a last-minute scheduling conflict, she was unable to attend. Fortunately, she was quick to put the 2026 weekend on her calendar. This will be her first performance in Garrett County and undoubtedly a landmark event.

There are so many exciting experiences ahead. Audiences will hear from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Charles Lindbergh, and General George Crook, a legend in Maryland’s history. Illuminating lectures about the Civil War, the Appalachian International Trail, and, as a tribute to the nation’s 250th Anniversary, a revisiting of the Revolutionary War. Live music, including classical guitar, an all-female barbershop quartet, and yes, opera, will cover the gamut of tastes and interests.

A real treat will be Circus Stella, featuring a fun and lively five-dog-one-human circus show. If you’re feeling mystical, ask for an astrological reading, or witness the unbelievable magic show. Enjoy and learn from the contact juggler, high-five the glamorous stilt-walker, and time-travel by commissioning a tintype photograph. Relax on a sublime horse-drawn carriage ride, or tour the historic district on the Town Trolley. History buffs can spend time at the Ticket Office Museum to learn about Mountain Lake Park and the Chautauqua movement, which revolutionized home education in the early twentieth century.

The festival’s infrastructure is also factored into the annual budget. Raising tents, providing sound and technology, renting chairs, tables, portable restrooms, signage, advertising, and much more are behind-the-scenes expenses that make a special weekend inviting and possible. There is still time to raise the funds to offset this year's shortfall. A donation, large or small, helps the festival maintain a balanced budget. Donations are tax-deductible and can be made online or with a check by mail. See the mailing address below or the link to give online. All donations flow through the Mountain Lake Park Historical Association (MLPHA), a registered 501(c)(3) in Maryland.

The Planning Committee remains optimistic that the 2026 season will resolve the budget gap through private donations, a cornerstone of support. What began a mere five years ago has grown to be a much-anticipated favorite summer event that reaches well beyond the region. Annual surveys express audience appreciation for the time, energy, and funding it takes to make Mountain Lake Park a place “Where History Lives!”

See this year's list online of current sponsors and private donors who make the Victorian Chautauqua possible!

Corporate and Organizational Funding

Samantha Funding The Arts| Mountain Lake Park|Community Trust Foundation | Naylor Family Trust|Mountain Maryland Gateway To The West| Garrett County Arts Council | Maryland State Arts Council | NeuBeam | Aaron’s |Pineview Veterinary Hospital | Turnbull, Hoover and Kahl| First United Bank & Trust

Individual Funding

The Gilbert & Schlattman Family | Mary Helen & Bob Spear | Laurie & Bill Grant | Don & Suzie Sincell | The Rev. Dr. Chip Lee and Kathleen Gibbs | Tom Shelton | Jan Chalet | Patricia Mullinix | Dr. Thomas & Kathy Johnson | Steven & Nancy Jo Shelton | Roland Hunn | Bob & Linda Frazee | Dave Jochnyek | Laura Miller | Bowie Grant | Karen Wooddell | Christian Mash

GIVE BY MAIL

The Victorian Chautauqua c/o MLPHA
214 H Street
Mountain Lake Park, MD 21550