Chautauqua Express is the name that Guy came up with for his traveling shows back in 1986.  It refers to the traveling chautauqua shows that were very popular in North America in the early 1900’s.  These shows traveled to even the most isolated frontier towns, most often setting up under large tents.  Under those tents, there would be all types of shows: music, lectures, dancing and more.  They would stay in town for two or three days, then travel on to the next town.

It is probable that these chautauqua shows took their name from the Chautauqua Institute in New York state, situated on Chautauqua Lake.  That facility was well known for its quality arts performances, and also well known for the educational materials that they mailed out across the country.  The traveling chautauquas may have used the name to imply the level of quality they aimed at providing.

Guy first became acquainted with the term chautauqua after reading the book, “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”, which proposed the idea of a “new chautauqua” that would blend classical learning with romantic idealism to create a new sense of quality in learning and the arts.