Corporation Strives for Successful New Season
By Judy Shuler, Lakeside Ledger
“I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.”−Billy Joel
Could live music begin to heal us from the upheaval and loss of the last year?
Dan Dalpra of Chautauqua Lake Pops believes it can.
“We feel the arts and entertainment industry are an important part of coming out of COVID. We need to put value on social structure and what it does for people.”
Started in Bemus Point, the Pops moved to Mayville in 2019. Then 2020 arrived, with loss of the second season in its new home. Dalpra thinks that by this summer the area will be more open, and he is planning accordingly. Chautauqua Lake Pops has the advantage of being an outdoor venue. The Pops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. To make this season work, it needs financial support, he says.
“We can’t sell enough tickets to finance the program. It needs donations and sponsorships.”
The program has a proven history with tremendous trickle-down effect, Dalpra says. People plan their trips around the performances and many aspects of the travel industry benefit, from restaurants to gift shops to accommodations.
While they owned the Italian Fisherman in Bemus Point, Dalpra and his wife Sue launched the Bemus Bay Pops in 1998 with a Labor Day concert on the roof of their restaurant. Five years later it was expanded from one major Labor Day concert to a summer concert series on Saturdays and Sundays. Over the years it continued to add weekly events on a floating stage.
When he sold the Italian Fisherman in 2018, he retained the Pops Company and spent time scouting new locations. The floating stage re-emerged behind the Mayville Depot Museum. In addition to weekend concerts, free programs in 2019 included M&T Bank’s “Lake Night at the Movies” on Tuesdays and Sunday morning “Praise on the Lake” with Bemus Point United Methodist Church.
Future plans have included showcasing local talent and making the floating stage available for local events like weddings and graduations.
Sponsors and donors include local businesses and local homeowners who value the quality of life that live performances bring to their community, according to Dalpra.
But more are needed and time is of the essence. Acts need to be booked; deposits need to be made. “We can’t wait until June to make decisions. Without funding we can’t do it.”
All tickets sold for 2020 will be honored in 2021, Dalpra says. Being able to look forward to live music helps restore confidence, he believes, something greatly needed right now.
“It gives everybody hope. We really need that.”
For information on concerts planned for 2021, season passes and a link to become a sponsor or donor, go to chautauqualakepops.com. They are also on Facebook.
