"The noblest art is that of making others happy"

 P.T. Barnum

P.T. Barnum Statue in Seaside Park CT

Dedicated on July 4, 1893

 Thomas Ball, Sculptor 

Barnum was elected mayor of Bridgeport in 1875.  He owned the land where Seaside Park is located and he donated it to the city in 1865. Barnum died in Bridgeport on April 7, 1891. This statue of Barnum seated on a chair holding a book with his left hand is elevated on a pedestal facing Long Island Sound.  Phineas Taylor Barnum was born in Bethel Connecticut on July 5, 1810, but he spent much time and owned several houses in Bridgeport.  The P.T. Barnum Circus wintered in Bridgeport. 

In 1881, Barnum at age 61 joined forces with fellow circus managers James A. Bailey and James L. Hutchinson. In 1887, an aging Barnum agreed to cede everyday control of the circus which was rebranded as the Barnum & Bailey "Greatest Show on Earth.  Following Barnum's death his show was bought by the rival Ringling Brothers in 1907.  In 1919, the two were incorporated into the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.  Sadly, in 2017 the circus P.T. Barnum founded delivered its final performance. 

P.T. Barnum Statue at Bethel Library by

Bethel CT native, sculptor David Gesauldi

Barnum is known for many quotes though the quote Dan Dalpra, Founder and CEO of the Chautauqua Lake Pops formerly known as the Bemus Bay Pops chose to share with us can be seen on a wall at the Pops office in Mayville.  

                                    "The noblest art is that of making others happy"

Below is another P.T. Barum quote that I truly feel describes Dan Dalpra and his work ethic in whatever he attempts to do in life as an experienced pilot, a successful restauranteur and a highly focused entertainment promoter with a vision.


"Whatever you do, do it with all your might.  Work at it, if necessary, early and late, in season and out of season, not leaving a stone unturned and never deferring for a single hour that which can be done just as well now."

The Greatest Show On Earth
     

P.T. Barnum

Ladies and Gentleman .. Be Safe.

Pat Locke
Maestro Muse

Bill Locke, Pops Announcer .. for the day!

Bill took over duties for Mike Ferguson, the official Pops announcer when Mike was out of town attending his daughter, Lindsey's wedding. Bill is no stranger to holding a microphone so his duties on that day were taken in stride. The Pops presented the 50 year celebration of Woodstock with a 60s era car show and a Back to the Garden concert performed on the floating stage.  It was a day filled with Pops fans dressed in nostaglic clothing listening to nostalgic music and viewing nostalgic cars which included a VW bus!

1963 VW 23 Window Samba Bus

Often referred to as simply a "bus", Volkswagen's iconic forward-control van was initially introduced in 1950.  It was available in a variety of configurations, ranging from a bare-bones panel van for commerical use to a full-on camper complete with a pop-top roof.  

The most popular and desirable of all was the Deluxe Microbu, also known as the Samba.  It was considered the most luxurious version, equipped with a large fabric sunroof, two-tone paint, decorative trim and two pivoting "barn" doors instead of one sliding door.  Most notably, they featured 8 additional panoramic windows in the roof, earning the nickname of a "23-window" in reference to the total number of windows.

Sambas were painted in two colors.  Usually, the upper body was painted white.  The lower painted sections were separated by a decorative strip.  In addition, the bus had a so-alled "hat" at the front of the van where the roof was just a little longer than the bus itself to block the sun for the driver.  The front windows that opened were a particularly unique feature!

1963 was the last year of the 23-window versions as later years only had 21 windows.  The striking 23-window featured above is finished with a top in Classic White and a body in Sealing Wax Red.  The interior is in an attractive cream white.  

No doubt, if you had one of these you know the 1500 engine ran strong and was a fun "bus" to drive and to own!  If you had a restored one today, it would be considered "a desirable collectible" worth far more than the "bus" cost new .. in 1963.

Video by Pat Locke

"I enjoyed filling in for Mike Ferguson on that fun day in August of 2019 for Dan and his Chautauqua Lake Pops!  I am familiar with holding and speaking into a microphone having been the Special Collection Director at a large Corvette show held in Indianapolis Indiana at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway each June called Bloomington Gold."

Bill Locke

1963 Corvette Split Window Coupe

Peace,

Pat Locke

Maestro Muse

Dan Dalpra, CEO Chautauqua Lake Pops 

Karen Surkala, President Westfield Memorial Hospital

Allegheny Health Network, Westfield Memorial Hospital and Saint Vincent Hospital announced sponsorship of the Allegheny Health Network Floating Stage in 2019.

The original Bemus Bay Pops brought twenty years of World-Class entertainment to a small lakeside community in Chautauqua County, New York. Twenty three years after it all started, a new page to the history of “Bringing the Arts to the People” has turned!

Officials of Allegheny Health Network, Westfield Memorial Hospital and AHN Saint Vincent Hospital gathered at the last concert of the 2019 Chautauqua Lake Pops Concert Series on August 31 to announce that Allegheny Health Network is the naming rights sponsor for the Chautauqua Pops floating stage for a three-year period.

The stage was developed by Bemus Point businessman, Dan Dalpra and his family who relocated the stage to the north end and gateway to Chautauqua Lake at 16 Water Street in Mayville, New York. During it’s time in Bemus Point, independent studies showed that the Pops performances were responsible for generating between twelve to fourteen million dollars annually to the Chautauqua County Region. The program is responsible for bringing visitors from around the globe to the shores of Chautauqua Lake.

Dalpra reintroduced the newly named Chautauqua Lake Pops concert series in 2019. The series featured performances by the best headliner tribute acts throughout the summer along with the forty-four member Chautauqua Lake Pops Symphony Orchrestra on Labor Day weekend.

With the absence of the 2020 season, beginning in 2021 the stage will be known as the Allegheny Health Network Floating Stage.

AHN will present an official ribbon cutting, celebration and inaugural concert to kick off the 2021 season at the AHN Floating Stage next summer.

Dalpra explained how valuable having AHN as the Chautauqua Lake Pops new major community sponsor would be for the entire Region. “Their hands-on partnership brings an enormous support group and resources to assist our efforts to grow this program along with Westfield and Mayville as an exciting destination for the entire region. We are excited to have AHN join the Pops family and share this great opportunity with the community.”

“Residents of this region treasure every day of summer and value every opportunity to enjoy life outdoors during the season, which is why we are so pleased to put the Allegheny Health Network name on this stage and help unite music and the beauty of nature for the people of this region. This stage carries a great tradition that the newly named Chautauqua Lake Pops concert series has brought to Mayville and we at AHN are really excited to help ensure that it continues. At Allegheny Health Network, we know that having a healthy community goes beyond providing top-quality advanced care to people when they are sick or injured and we are committed to helping make the communities we serve a better place to live, work and play.  We believe the Allegheny Health Network Floating Stage delivers on that commitment.”

Karen Surkala, President Westfield Memorial Hospital 

Labor Day Finale Concert 2019

Be Safe.

Pat Locke

Maestro Muse

The History of Labor Day

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

More than a century after the first Labor Day observance, there is still some doubt as to who first proposed the holiday for workers.

Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, was first in suggesting a day to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold."

But Peter McGuire's place in Labor Day history has not gone unchallenged. Many believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, not Peter McGuire, founded the holiday. Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. What is clear is that the Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic.

The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.

By 1894, 23 more states had adopted the holiday, and on June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed a law making the first Monday in September of each year a national holiday.

The form that the observance and celebration of Labor Day should take was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday — a street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations" of the community, followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families. This became the pattern for the celebrations of Labor Day. Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the economic and civic significance of the holiday. Still later, by a resolution of the American Federation of Labor convention of 1909, the Sunday preceding Labor Day was adopted as Labor Sunday and dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement.

The character of the Labor Day celebration has changed in recent years, especially in large industrial centers where mass displays and huge parades have proved a problem. This change, however, is more a shift in emphasis and medium of expression. Labor Day addresses by leading union officials, industrialists, educators, clerics, and government officials are given wide coverage in newspapers, radio, and television.

The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pays tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation's strength, freedom, and leadership – the American worker.

I could not complete a story about Labor Day without mentioning a silly rule that many have adopted with no idea where it came from in our history.

I found this explanation though 'beautiful brides in white after Labor Day' are excluded!

The "you can't wear white after Labor Day," rule was created to separate the old money elitists from the new money group. For those who had money and could leave the city during warmer months, white was considered vacation attire.



Be Safe.

Pat Locke
Maestro Muse 

Joe Gustafson, Chautauqua Lake Pops Official Photographer

Joe @ Work @ the Pops

"My experience working with Dan Dalpra filming and taking photos for the Bemus Bay Pops and now the Chautauqua Lake Pops has always been an amazing time!  The quality of performers are the best in the world, matched up with Raven Sound .. the best in the business.  It's a Win-Win combination!  The high level of organization and communication is obvious.  I get to witness the behind the scenes operation and see all the work involved from start to finish!"

"We truly are blessed to have the arts at this caliber in such a small community."

Joe Gustafson

We Made It Bemus Point Then!

These photos were taken by Joe Gustafson, an FAA Licensed Commercial Drone Pilot, of the Bemus Point area showing the Bemus Bay Pops and the crowds that gathered for many years along the shore in Bemus Bay.

Chautauqua Lake Pops/Mayville with the Chautauqua Belle

On Stage with Boogie Wonder Band

 Chautauqua Lake Symphony Orchestra featuring John Cross

Make It Mayville Now!

These photos were taken by Joe Gustafson in 2019, the inaugural year for the newly named Chautauqua Lake Pops relocated in Mayville NY near the historic train station.

"Music is transforming.  It can carry us to another time and place." 

See you in 2021! 

Pat Locke

Maestro Muse