PORT TOWNSEND — The New Old Time Chautauqua, that traveling troupe of aerialists, jugglers, magicians and musicians, returns to its Port Townsend roots this weekend, with a flock of performers hoping to fill the Palindrome, the very venue they reveled in two decades ago.
“We never dreamed we’d get to stage another Chautauqua event here,” said organizer Sophie Pipia, who along with her sister, musician Phina Pipia, and her father, illusionist Joey Pipia, will be part of the shows Saturday and Sunday.
The Palindrome, 3 miles south of downtown at 1893 S. Jacob Miller Road, was home to the New Old Time Chautauqua’s founders, the Flying Karamazov Brothers performance troupe, from the 1980s into the mid-’90s.
It was a private residence until last year, when Eaglemount Wine & Cider owners Jim and Trudy Davis, along with Trudy’s sons Ben and Jesse Thomas, bought and reopened it.
This summer, KPTZ radio held a fundraising party at the Palindrome, while the owners spoke of holding more public and private events.
All that happens this weekend, as the New Old Time Chautauqua has its homecoming.
For the past 35 years, Sophie Pipia noted, ensemble members have volunteered their summer months to bring live entertainment and arts education to rural towns, reservations, schools, prisons, juvenile detention centers and other venues across the country.
In 2016, the Chautauquans plan a tour of Washington state parks and their surrounding communities, she added, and funds from this weekend’s shows will help foot the bill.
To warm things up Saturday, the entertainers will hold a free parade and teaser show — with snippets from the weekend’s performances — at 11 a.m. at the Port Townsend Farmers Market space on Tyler Street at Lawrence Street.
Then come the rest of the activities open to all ages:
■ Free arts workshops at the Palindrome will start at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Participants who show up before 1 p.m. for the first set can choose from juggling, marimba, acrobatics, magic, a community boat project, qigong, Chautauqua history, a blues workshop and lecture or a ukulele class.
At 2 p.m. comes another slate, with subjects including juggling, hula hoop, drumming, a ukulele jam, singing, word portraits and puzzle creation. More details await at www.Chautauqua.org.
■ Then come the two big shows: Saturday night at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Palindrome.
The Flying Karamazov Brothers, magician Joey Pipia, the amazing Noodlini, the Mud Bay Jugglers, aerialist Carey Cramer, the Two of Clubs jugglers featuring local performers Rio Sabella and Daniel Berg, tuba duets by the Pipia Sisters, puppetry with Godfrey Daniels, local bandoneonist Bertram Levy and the Fighting Instruments of Karma Marching Chamber Band/Orchestra are all on the agenda for both performances.
Saturday night will bring special appearances by PepperJill and Jack and poet Kevin Murphy.
On Sunday, the Blue Crows band and hula hoop artist Harmony Lyrics will join the festivities.
Tickets to each show are $16 for adults and $12 for children younger than 12 at www.brownpapertickets.com and, if any are left, at the Palindrome starting at 1 p.m. Saturday.
■ The finale comes Sunday evening with a free all-ages dance at the Palindrome.
A short swing-dance lesson will start at 4:30 p.m., and the party starts at 5 p.m. with the Blue Crows band.
“Come to the workshops and stay for the show,” said veteran Chautauquan Joey Pipia.
“If you tell friends and they come too, they’ll thank you for the rest of their lives.”
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Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5062, or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.
