Off Shore Muse

A Microphone and the Bemus Bay Pops

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The Bemus Bay Pops was a series of outdoor concert events of historic proportions featuring world-class musicians from the Chautauqua Region as well as national acts performing on its unique floating stage. Each weekend during the summer the Pops program provided a variety of concerts that included swing, disco, Motown, jazz and country. Every Tuesday night, the Pops offered Lake Night at the Movies.

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The Bemus Bay Pops and the Chautauqua Lake Pops were the creations of Dan and Sue Dalpra, previous owners of the popular Italian Fisherman Restaurant in Bemus Point, New York. Dan and Sue wanted to celebrate Labor Day by having the creation of the Bemus Bay Pops Symphony Orchestra perform a unique concert on the roof of the Italian Fisherman with fireworks. In later years, the Dalpras brought to the area, Light Up the Lakes which included fireworks throughout the county with a local plane flying overhead communicating with the Pops.

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The Chautauqua Belle made many time-honored visits to the Pops.

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In 1998, the inaugural year of the Bemus Bay Pops, they had great success attracting an estimated 4,000 people who gathered for concerts on the lawn, on the decks and on the water arriving by foot, by car, by plane, by boat and by kayak. The Bemus Bay Pops Symphony Orchestra performed a diverse program featuring works from Gershwin, Sousa, The Beatles and beyond.

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Kayaks Galore

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Members of the Chippewa Lake Water Ski Team

with

Pat Locke

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Mike Ferguson

The Pops Official Announcer

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Cheers!

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"The Fab Four"

In 2003, the summer concert season was expanded to include performances on Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons with a new and exciting concert venue addition .. the floating stage. During the week the Pops presented a singing contest titled The Choice complete with bright red swivel chairs for the judges.

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On the weekends talented tribute artists from around the world graced the floating stage such as Brass Transit, a Chicago tribute band from Canada as did many other tribute shows and music genre groups featuring Disco and Motown.

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John Marcellus with a Motown Forever fan!

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Cindy Capestrani and Anna Fales

Concert Ticket Sales

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To add to the excitement during the summer season the Pops would offer a ticket raffle to win either a car, a boat or a pontoon.

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The Pops scene from the roof of the Italian Fisherman

with the 'Pop'-ular

Chill Lounge in the foreground.

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Russ Illig, Soundman

with

Raven Sound

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The Bemus Bay Symphony Orchestra

with

Maestro John Marcellus

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Dancing Waters at the Pops

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The Bemus Bay Pops and the Chautauqua Lake Pops were extraordinary musical gifts to the community, the Chautauqua Lake Region, Western New York State and beyond.

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