CONFERENCE PROGRAM

6:00 p.m. Grange Hall Supper at Fredonia Grange #1, America’s First Grange

8:00 - 10:00 p.m. Round and Square Dance with traditional musicians from the region led by Dan Berggren and Sterl Van Aarsdale

8:30 - 9:30 a.m. Registration at the Four Points Sheraton in Dunkirk, refreshments

9:30 a.m. Welcome and Orientation

9:45 a.m. Insider’s View of the Chautauqua Institution with Chautauqua Historian, Ross McKenzie

Founded in 1874, the Chautauqua Institution is a summer center for the arts, education and religion in a National Historic Landmark setting. Originally the Chautauqua Lake Sunday School, it broadened almost immediately to include academic subjects, music, art and physical education. Although the founders were Methodists, after the first year other Protestant groups began to participate, so that today many diverse faiths from around the world are represented. By 1880, the Chautauqua platform had established itself as a national forum for open discussion of public issues, literature and science, including summer courses. Approximately 100 lecturers appear at Chautauqua during a season. The Institution also has a symphony orchestra, has performances by popular entertainers, ballet and opera companies, and the Chautauqua Conservatory Theater.

11:00 a.m. The Grange in New York State, with historian Carol Bailey and presentation of th "New York State Grange Photography Project" by photographer Andy Baugnet (including exhibit)

The Grange came into being in 1867 because of the vision of Oliver Hudson Kelley, a Minnesota farmer and activist. He had long held that farmers, because of their independent and scattered nature, needed a national organization which would represent them much as unions were beginning to do for industial workers. The Grange promoted and lobbied for farm cooperatives and rural education. The birth of the Extension Service, Rural Free Delivery, and the Farm Credit System are largely due to Grange Lobbying. Grange Halls have long been gathering places for community building and activities, and Andy Baugnet presents his project in which he photographed Grange Halls throughout the State of New York.

12:00 noon Box Lunch from Four Points Sheraton

1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Visit to Lily Dale

Lily Dale is thought to be the largest spiritualist community in the world. Belief that spirits can affect mortal affairs is ancient. Spiritualism in the United States became a wide spread movement in the 1800’s, and by the mid-eighteen hundreds there were over a million professing spiritualists in the country. "Societies of Freethinkers" and churches were established. The basic tenet of the faith is that there is an afterlife in which individuals are changed from corporal to spiritual beings, but retain identities and some of their former, mortal interests.

1:00 Walking tour with guide
1:30 Group visit with mediums at the Sacred Stump
3:00 Healing Ceremony at the Healing Temple
4:00 Break or individual readings with mediums

5:00 - 6:00 p.m. Members reception at Woodbury Winery with tour, wine tasting and sampling of local cheese

7:00 p.m. Lecture/demonstration by the Concertina All-Stars, at the 1891 Fredonia Opera House

8:00 p.m. Concert at the 1891 Fredonia Opera House featuring NYFS Board Member Dan Berggren and the Newton Street Irregulars, as well as The Concertina All-Stars, Dave Sturtevant and Kelly Armor, Dick and Carmen Gilman

9:30 a.m. NYFS Members Breakfast with buffet

1:00 p.m. Walking tour of the Chautauqua Institution with guide

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