Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE – With 22 programs offered in the 2025 Chautauqua-Wawasee Season, the most ever, just wait for the 2026 Season. You’ll find more programs with many favorites returning and five new ones, and more opportunities for volunteers to participate in the fun.
They start the 2026 programs with the Beginning Pottery Workshop, that sold out last year. It will meet March 12, 19 and 26 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. The workshop costs $65.87.
Circle March 28 on your calendar for the new Waterfowl Festival from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Oakwood Resort Event Center. Participants will learn to identify different waterfowl, take a guided field trip to nearby wetlands and build wood duck houses. The festival costs $20 (plus an additional Eventbrite fee) and includes all materials, lunch and afternoon snack.
For the second year, Old Fashioned Hymn Sing will return on March 29 at 5 p.m. at the Syracuse Community Center. A song leader and a piano accompaniment will lead some of our most loved hymns. This is a free program.
On April 17 at 7:30 p.m., the Purdue Varsity Glee Club returns. These gentlemen put on a high-energy show filling the auditorium with an array of musical styles, including gospel, jazz, contemporary hits, classical pieces and patriotic songs, utilizing small groups and outstanding soloists. Tickets are $20 and $30 (plus an additional Eventbrite fee) for this musical extravaganza at Wawasee High School auditorium. Tickets will be available in a few weeks.
On May 2, head on over to the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation for the free WACF Earth Day Celebration from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit the Chautauqua-Wawasee tent and discover scientific facts about caterpillars and butterflies. You can also plant seeds to grow in your garden to attract butterflies and create a butterfly-inspired craft.
Local historian Ann Garceau will narrate the popular Points of Interest Historical Wawasee Cruise on the SS Lillypad on May 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. The $28.52 tickets will be available online soon.
The free 12th annual Wawasee Fine Arts Festival returns to Oakwood on May 23, with a plein air art demonstration. The next week, May 26-28, you can sign up for plein air workshop. There is a fee to attend the workshop.
The sixth annual Taps Across the Water at Dusk on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, May 24, is a time to pay tribute to veterans who sacrificed their lives for America’s freedom. The Lake Webster Taps start at 6:15 p.m. with a 20-minute trumpet concert starting at 7:05 p.m. at Town Park. The Wawasee, Syracuse and Papakeechie Lakes Taps starts at 8:10 p.m. with a 20-minute trumpet concert at the Oakwood Gazebo. Afterward the musicians travel to their designated piers around the three lakes. At 9 p.m., there are a few moments of silence followed by the playing of Taps at 9:09 p.m.
Ladies, have you always wanted to learn the ins and outs of landing a boat and boat safety on the lake? On May 30, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. the DNR will present a free Ladies Boater Education Course.
Throughout the summer there are opportunities to gather for a Wednesday night plein air gatherings with Dave Broerman. The dates are June 3, 10, 17, 24 and July 8, 15, 22 and 29. These are free to attend and limited art supplies are available.
Do your dogs like to strut their stuff? On June 6, from 10 a.m. to noon, dress up with your dog(s) and join the fun in our third annual Pawasee Dog Parade at Oakwood. You and your dog could win a prize.
On July 5, celebrate the 250th anniversary of America and join Chautauqua-Wawasee for The Patriotic Speakers Series at Wawasee High School at 4:30 p.m. Later that day, head on over to the Oakwood Lawn for the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra’s Patriotic Pops Concert, 7:30 to 9 p.m., co-sponsored by Chautauqua-Wawasee. Bring your own chair for the concert. Both are free.
July 28, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Pickwick Theater, they will once again highlight Ralph Teetor, a Famous Hoosier, who was a successful inventor, and Wawasee resident as a child for many years.
New this year is a Pour Paint Workshop on July 28 and 30 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Syracuse Community Center. Kids are welcome to take the class and must be accompanied by an adult. There is a $40 fee (plus an additional Eventbrite fee) for the workshop.
How well can you land a boat and what do you know about the rules of boat safety on the lake? If you are new to the lake and boating experience or a teenager wanting to drive a boat this class is for you. On Aug. 1, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Department of Natural Resources will present a free boater education course.
Digging Through History, a two-day series, focuses on early Indiana history with local French military and fox traders, on Sept. 3 at 6:30 p.m. at the Syracuse Community Center. Join them the next evening, Sept. 4 at 6:30 p.m. to learn about forts in Indiana. Both presentations are free.
Dr. Luck Gascho, a retired Goshen College professor and executive director of Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center, will share research and lead a discussion on Potawatomi, Miami and settler history lives on at the WACF Pavilion on Sept. 12 at 10 a.m. This is a free program.
Create an artistic piece in the Mosaic Stained Glass Workshop on Sept. 17, 24, and Oct. 1 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Syracuse Community Center. The workshop fee is $65.87.
Don’t miss the Wawasee “Then and Now” Historical Cruise on Sept. 26 from 1 to 3 p.m., narrated by local historian Ann Garceau. If you’ve ever wanted to know about Lake Wawasee history, this cruise is both enjoyable and informative! Light snacks will be served. There is a $28.52 fee for the cruise.
On Oct. 17, join us downtown for a walking Syracuse ghost tour. What haunting secrets will you discover about infamous people with ties to downtown Syracuse? Kids under 10 free and 11 and above, $3.
The 2026 season ends with the annual community favorite Old Fashioned Christmas in Oakwood on the Saturday following Thanksgiving, Nov. 28 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. This is a great family fun evening and it’s free.
Chautauqua-Wawasee appreciates their program community partners including the Syracuse-Wawasee Historical Museum, WACF, WPOA, Kiwanis, Oakwood, Wawasee High School, Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber, town of Syracuse and Lakeland Youth Center.
Learn more and stay in touch with Chautauqua at www.chqw.org or ChautauquaWawasee on Facebook and Instagram. For the most up-to-date information, sign up for the e-newsletter by sending an email to info@chautauquawawasee.org
