Camp Point to hold Chautauqua celebration Friday, July 4, in honor of Adams County Bicentennial

CAMP POINT, Ill. — As part of Adams County’s 200th birthday celebration, the Village of Camp Point will step back in time with a special Chautauqua-style program on Friday, July 4, at historic Bailey Park. The daylong event will feature dynamic speakers, live music, historical  reenactments and traditional family activities reminiscent of the original Chautauqua assemblies that filled Bailey Park from 1907 through the early 1930s.

Chautauqua programs were once a staple of cultural life across the United States and Canada, bringing together communities for days of inspiration, education and entertainment. Camp Point’s Bailey Park was once home to one of the region’s largest gatherings of this kind—and  this year, it will echo with the same spirit once more.

The day begins at 10:00 a.m. when Dr. Tim Jacobs, serving as master of ceremonies, opens the program by portraying famed orator and presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan, who himself spoke at two of Camp Point’s early Chautauquas.

Throughout the day, attendees will enjoy a rich variety of speakers, performers and events:

• 11 a.m. – Tim Good, noted Lincoln historian and author, will present a program on the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.
• Noon – Musical performance by The Pike Pipers, a recorder ensemble from Pike  County.
• 12:30 p.m. – Performance by local favorite band, The Giddy Up and Go Boys.
• 1 p.m. – A tribute to Camp Point’s founding fathers: Thomas Bailey, Benjamin  Booth, William Farlow and Peter B. Garrett.
• 2 p.m. – Dr. Curt Fields, nationally recognized Ulysses S. Grant interpreter, will  present a compelling program about Grant’s time in Illinois.
• 3 p.m. – Mike Anderson, “The Dulcimer Guy” from Jacksonville, will share stories and  music played on this unique folk instrument.
• 4 p.m. – Traditional baby contest
• 5 p.m. – Crowning of Little Miss and Little Mr. Fourth of July

All programs will take place at the Shelter House stage in Bailey Park. In addition to the  entertainment, Dean Huber has curated a special historical exhibit featuring photographs of historic homes and businesses that highlight Camp Point’s enduring legacy.

In a press release, Bicentennial chairperson Chuck  Scholz said, “This is more than a celebration of the Fourth of July—it’s a tribute to our community’s rich  history and its place in the broader American story.”

Bring a lawn chair, bring your family and bring your love for history and community. While there won’t be tents like the original Chautauqua days, the stories, songs and spirit will bring those  times vividly back to life.