Bemus Bay Pops Marks 10th Season
By NICHOLAS L. DEAN
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5/18/2007 - BEMUS POINT — Ready to entertain area residents and visitors to Chautauqua County throughout the summer, Dan Dalpra, Bemus Bay Pops chairman, will announce the organization's schedule of events today.
What started as a rooftop performance by the Bemus Bay Pops Orchestra on Labor Day in 1998 has grown into a summertime tradition in Chautauqua County with music, movie, dance and comedy events happening weekly as part of the annual entertainment series.
This year, the Bemus Bay Pops will feature music of every popular genre as well as movies, comedy events, a murder mystery and more.
''It keeps improving each year,'' Dalpra said. ''This is the 10th year for the Pops and we have a great schedule, which will definitely benefit the area. The success of the program brings people back and it's easy to see how the series has evolved over the years into what it is today.''
Since the orchestra first performed atop the Italian Fisherman restaurant in Bemus Point, the Bemus Bay Pops has grown into a summer-long series of events.
Now a not-for-profit organization, the Bemus Bay Pops has increasingly attracted more and more visitors to the area. With an estimated 4,000 people in attendance in 1998, the Bemus Bay Pops Summer Series has grown to have as many as 10,000 people attending the series in recent years.
''The cultural side of it is the fact that all these shows are free to the public and that has opened the doors up for a lot of people to come out and enjoy a variety of events,'' Dalpra said. ''It certainly has instilled a great interest in the arts and has provided everybody with an opportunity to be a part of something.''
In 2003, the organization built the Floating Stage — which now serves as a venue for world-class musicians and other performers throughout the summer. Located on Bemus Bay, the Floating Stage allows for viewers to watch events from land or by boat.
See BEMUS BAY On Page C-3
''Getting the stage was a real milestone,'' Dalpra said. ''We've been able to watch the program grow since then and the effects of the program have impacted the whole area. I mean, it has really made a significant difference. People are putting a little more energy into the community now and I think there is a new awareness level from both developers looking to build and people wanting to reinvest in the community. I think this has been part of the stimulation for that.''
In addition to providing a sure source of entertainment for local residents throughout the summer, the Bemus Bay Pops Summer Series has become a tourist destination — helping to fill area hotels and bring additional income into the area.
''It has had a great impact regionally, in terms of the economics for everybody,'' Dalpra said. ''It has helped to increase the marina side of things and surely helps fill the hotels and sell real estate.''
As the organization is a not-for-profit group, Dalpra thanked the many patrons and sponsors who have continued to make the series possible throughout the years.
This season's Bemus Bay Pops series starts on Sunday, June 24 with two shows.
At 9 a.m., the Bemus Point United Methodist Church will host a ''Praise on the Lake'' event and at 2:30 in the afternoon, the Germaine & Pappalardo Swing Band will perform a tribute to Louis Prima and Keeley Smith. Billed as a ''classy start to the 2007 Bemus Bay Pops Concert Summer Series,'' the Germaine & Pappalardo Swing Band will perform songs by Stan Kenton, Count Basie, Sinatra, Glenn Miller and more.
In addition to musical performances, the 2007 Bemus Bay Pops Concert Summer Series will again feature non-musical events — such as Lake Night at the Movies. A free movie-screening event which happens weekly at the Floating Stage, Lake Night at the Movies will feature a variety of films this summer — including ''March of the Penguins,'' ''Guardian,'' ''Invincible'' and others.
Similar to the movie screenings, the Bemus Bayfront Theatre will present two murder mystery events this summer — once on Friday, July 6 and once on Friday, Aug. 3. An interactive event, the murder mystery puts participants on the set of a movie being filmed. The idea is that those participating have been hired as extras in one of the big scenes. However, something deadly happens which is not in the script and the participants must sleuth out the truths behind the mystery.
The comedy troupe In All Seriousness will also perform as part of the summer series. Billed as ''Thinking man's comedy,'' the work of In All Seriousness blends sketch comedy, improv, political humor, song and commercial parodies for a unique evening of entertainment. The shows are scheduled for July 7, July 20 and Aug. 17. Additionally, the comedy event ''Whose Line on the Bay'' will again be held. An interactive event modeled after the popular television show of a similar name, ''Whose Line on the Bay?'' relies on audience suggestions to make up the material for the show.
For more on the Bemus Bay Pops or to view a complete listing of concerts, visit BemusBayPops.com.
Send comments to ndean@post-journal.com.
What started as a rooftop performance by the Bemus Bay Pops Orchestra on Labor Day in 1998 has grown into a summertime tradition in Chautauqua County with music, movie, dance and comedy events happening weekly as part of the annual entertainment series.
This year, the Bemus Bay Pops will feature music of every popular genre as well as movies, comedy events, a murder mystery and more.
''It keeps improving each year,'' Dalpra said. ''This is the 10th year for the Pops and we have a great schedule, which will definitely benefit the area. The success of the program brings people back and it's easy to see how the series has evolved over the years into what it is today.''
Since the orchestra first performed atop the Italian Fisherman restaurant in Bemus Point, the Bemus Bay Pops has grown into a summer-long series of events.
Now a not-for-profit organization, the Bemus Bay Pops has increasingly attracted more and more visitors to the area. With an estimated 4,000 people in attendance in 1998, the Bemus Bay Pops Summer Series has grown to have as many as 10,000 people attending the series in recent years.
''The cultural side of it is the fact that all these shows are free to the public and that has opened the doors up for a lot of people to come out and enjoy a variety of events,'' Dalpra said. ''It certainly has instilled a great interest in the arts and has provided everybody with an opportunity to be a part of something.''
In 2003, the organization built the Floating Stage — which now serves as a venue for world-class musicians and other performers throughout the summer. Located on Bemus Bay, the Floating Stage allows for viewers to watch events from land or by boat.
See BEMUS BAY On Page C-3
''Getting the stage was a real milestone,'' Dalpra said. ''We've been able to watch the program grow since then and the effects of the program have impacted the whole area. I mean, it has really made a significant difference. People are putting a little more energy into the community now and I think there is a new awareness level from both developers looking to build and people wanting to reinvest in the community. I think this has been part of the stimulation for that.''
In addition to providing a sure source of entertainment for local residents throughout the summer, the Bemus Bay Pops Summer Series has become a tourist destination — helping to fill area hotels and bring additional income into the area.
''It has had a great impact regionally, in terms of the economics for everybody,'' Dalpra said. ''It has helped to increase the marina side of things and surely helps fill the hotels and sell real estate.''
As the organization is a not-for-profit group, Dalpra thanked the many patrons and sponsors who have continued to make the series possible throughout the years.
This season's Bemus Bay Pops series starts on Sunday, June 24 with two shows.
At 9 a.m., the Bemus Point United Methodist Church will host a ''Praise on the Lake'' event and at 2:30 in the afternoon, the Germaine & Pappalardo Swing Band will perform a tribute to Louis Prima and Keeley Smith. Billed as a ''classy start to the 2007 Bemus Bay Pops Concert Summer Series,'' the Germaine & Pappalardo Swing Band will perform songs by Stan Kenton, Count Basie, Sinatra, Glenn Miller and more.
In addition to musical performances, the 2007 Bemus Bay Pops Concert Summer Series will again feature non-musical events — such as Lake Night at the Movies. A free movie-screening event which happens weekly at the Floating Stage, Lake Night at the Movies will feature a variety of films this summer — including ''March of the Penguins,'' ''Guardian,'' ''Invincible'' and others.
Similar to the movie screenings, the Bemus Bayfront Theatre will present two murder mystery events this summer — once on Friday, July 6 and once on Friday, Aug. 3. An interactive event, the murder mystery puts participants on the set of a movie being filmed. The idea is that those participating have been hired as extras in one of the big scenes. However, something deadly happens which is not in the script and the participants must sleuth out the truths behind the mystery.
The comedy troupe In All Seriousness will also perform as part of the summer series. Billed as ''Thinking man's comedy,'' the work of In All Seriousness blends sketch comedy, improv, political humor, song and commercial parodies for a unique evening of entertainment. The shows are scheduled for July 7, July 20 and Aug. 17. Additionally, the comedy event ''Whose Line on the Bay'' will again be held. An interactive event modeled after the popular television show of a similar name, ''Whose Line on the Bay?'' relies on audience suggestions to make up the material for the show.
For more on the Bemus Bay Pops or to view a complete listing of concerts, visit BemusBayPops.com.
Send comments to ndean@post-journal.com.
For more information on Chautauqua Lake real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
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