Waxahachie Chautauqua

The Waxahachie Chautauqua celebrates the Chautauqua history and heritage of Waxahachie, Texas.  It produces an annual free day-long Chautauqua festival in its beloved unique1902 open-air Chautauqua Auditorium and surrounding parkland on the last Saturday of September.  The Chautauqua Preservation Society of Waxahachie is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which advocates for the continued preservation and use of the historic Chautauqua Auditorium and the surrounding shaded 22-acre Getzendaner Memorial Park. 

Each year the Waxahachie Chautauqua chooses a new theme and presents and celebrates that theme through history, art, music, science, technology, literature, religion, recreation, and so much more.  It brings in speakers, performers, exhibitors and demonstrators who are experts in their field.

The mission of the Waxahachie is to be an advocate for the restoration, preservation, maintenance, and use of the Waxahachie Chautauqua Auditorium and Getzendaner Park and produce educational and cultural events in the historic Auditorium and Park. The original Waxahachie Chautauqua ran from 1900-1930; in 2000, the organization was revived and has held a one-day event every September since. The historic Auditorium is the last known of the historic buildings in Texas. 

Texas House Bill 1254 was passed by the 85th Texas Legislature in 2017 and signed by the governor, designating July 26th as "Waxahachie Chautauqua Day" all over Texas.