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MAYVILLE – A popular summertime concert series on Chautauqua Lake is looking for a new home.
The Chautauqua Lake Pops announced after lengthy discussions with their Board, sponsors and some ticket holders, they are looking to relocate out of the Village of Mayville.
The reason? Officials cite the lack of cooperation, trust, and financial support from the community. Last summer, concert organizers were sued in an effort to halt the production.
Plaintiffs from Mayville, Dewittville and Ohio accused the Pops and the Village of Mayville of attempting to operate without proper environmental permits.
They claimed the summer concert events create excessive levels of noise that disturbed the peace. Following the legal setbacks, the show did go on with a temporary permit issued last summer.
The concert’s founder Dan Dalpra tells us that the group is going to try to keep the program on Chautauqua Lake, however, is looking for a home around the region as well.
Dalpra says there is interest to bring the Pops back to Bemus Point, where the group originated 20 years ago, or to the Riverwalk in Jamestown behind the National Comedy Center, or even to the Village of Celoron near the Chautauqua Harbor Hotel.
“To me, it’s just a shame, after this many years, I don’t know how much more evidence or proof you need that this is a great program,” said Dalpra when reached by telephone. “We have gotten such a great response from around, from Buffalo, to Cleveland, to Pittsburgh, all over, people from Canada, saying ‘we are just so heartbroken’ by this.”
Nevertheless, wherever the Pops relocate to, the founder says they need to have a substantial sponsor to fund the series as the pandemic has been financially difficult.
If they can’t find a home relatively soon, Dalpra tells us performances will likely not take place this summer.
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