BAYFIELD, Wis. (SPECTRUM NEWS) – Tradition is woven through the canvas at the Big Top Chautauqua overlooking Lake Superior. It is one of the last Chautauquas left in the country and is still going strong thanks to modern-day improvements.

“Teddy Roosevelt said of the Chautauquas that they were the most American thing in America,” said Operations Manager Phillip Anich, the first employee of the Big Top Chautauqua in 1989.

The Big Top was founded by Warren Nelson and Betty Ferris in 1986. It started with humble beginnings, advanced to community plays, bringing community stories to life. Since then, big acts have performed at the Big Top, like Willie Nelson, B.B. King and Johnny Cash.

“It’s seeing really intimate shows in a very unique setting—just the magic, the nostalgia for a simpler time; it’s quite simple here, and it’s very friendly,” said Anich.

The charm of the Chautauqua makes people forget that it is just a tent. The founders got their first new tent in 1988, and they last five to six years. Wisconsin weather takes a toll on the tents, and they’ve lost one to a fire, another to hail and one to wind.

“These tents are canvas; we have to replace them every six years,” said Executive Director Terry Matier. “This one’s in its sixth year right now, and the art of canvas tent making is a lost art. They’re not making them any longer…We had to figure out a way to save the last canvas tent in the country—this is it. We’ve put it over the top to keep it out of the sun, out of the weather, and it should be able to stay here for several years like this.”

The Big Top Chautauqua will continue to provide the community with entertainment and nostalgia for years to come. This summer’s Big Top schedule runs through Sept. 21. For the full schedule, click here.