Events and Activities : \'Spirit of Chautauqua\' Concert set for June 29 at Nature Center

Will Schmidt will perform a free concert June 29 at the Benton Co. Nature Center.

Will Schmitt will perform a free "Spirit of Chautauqua" concert on Wednesday, June 29, at the Benton County Nature Center, 5718 20th Avenue Drive, just west of Rodgers Park northwest of Vinton.

The public is invited; there will also be a potluck dinner at 6 p.m. The concert begins at 7.

The “Spirit of Chautauqua” is a music tour coming to 45 Iowa counties this summer. The name is a tribute to the lively Chautauqua festivals that brought a world of entertainment to Iowa communities a century ago.

About the concert tour

Brought to you by Will Schmitt and county conservation departments across the state, the tour will kick off June 3rd at Hillview Recreation Area in Hinton, and spend 2 months traversing Iowa's vast network of public lands.

The idea came to Will as he was backpacking along the Pacific Crest Trail last year.

“After 700 miles of desert hiking, I reached the Sierra Nevada mountains and was awestruck by the natural beauty of the area. I felt a deeper appreciation for the public lands of America and a curiosity about the many parks that dot the landscape in my home state. I initially thought of doing a bicycle tour, but felt that by hosting concerts I could better share the experience with others," he says.

Will was born and raised in Winterset, Iowa and for ten years led the Midwestern rock band, Funks G. Five years ago he put his electric guitar down to work at a wilderness therapy school in Vermont and has gone on to hike over 4,000 miles up the eastern and western parts of the United States. His time spent in nature has informed his songwriting and overall approach to life and he's excited to share the songs and stories he's picked up along his way.

"I look forward to spending the summer exploring Iowa's parks and grateful to the county conservation boards for helping me put this together. They do a wonderful job of preserving Iowa's natural heritage and making it accessible to everyone."

All concerts are free of charge and CDs and a tip jar will be available for donations.