By Kate Bartlett
This month, come explore the hidden charm of Jamestown with Doors Open Jamestown next Saturday, January 28th. For one day only, 16 area businesses and organizations will welcome the public for tours and special activities, all free of charge.
Carrie Swanson, Jamestown Community Coordinator for the Chautauqua Chamber of Commerce, has coordinated the event for the past 2 years. “This unique annual event provides a way for local residents and visitors alike to view local attractions that they might not normally visit. It’s a great way to get out in the community, see something new and beat the winter blues.”
While the Chautauqua Chamber of Commerce has only been organizing the event for the past 2 years, the event has been going on for almost 20 years. Prior to Chamber involvement, the event was coordinated by the Jamestown Renaissance corporation.
Participating organizations offering tours for 2023 include the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) House, Lucille Ball Little Theatre, Martz-Kohl Observatory, Marvin Community House (self-guided also available with QR code), Reg Lenna Center for the Arts, and the Robert H. Jackson Center. The Lucile M. Wright Air Museum will offer tours as well as the opportunity to sit in the helicopter. This is a great opportunity to check out these organizations, as some are not typically open to the public, or have limited hours, including the Air Museum and Marvin Community House. Tours will be led by staff and/or knowledgeable docents providing a wealth of information for visitors, all free of cost.
The Roger Tory Peterson Institute will offer Gallery Walks at 11am, 1pm, 3pm with curator Maria Ferguson as well as Art activities for kids in Roger’s Art Studio throughout the day. The Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum and National Comedy Center will have a limited amount of free tickets available for Chautauqua County Residents. Pre-registration is required, which opens on Jan 19th at 2PM at ComedyCenter.org/DoorsOpen.
Families especially will be interested in the Infinity Visual and Performing Arts tours as well as stage experiences, karaoke, and an arts & craft class and the Makerspace at the James Prendergast Public Library. The Northwest Arena will have a Free skate from 1pm – 3:30pm (skate rental additional cost). Visitors to the Audubon Community Nature Center can access the walking trails as well as the indoor space with a variety of interactive stations for families. Coloring activities will be avail-able at Robert H. Jackson Center.
Two noteworthy participants will be celebrating double in the weeks around Doors Open Jamestown. Pearl City Clay House will be celebrating their Grand Opening on January 24th and will kick things off at Doors Open Jamestown. They’ll offer tours as well as painting and clay classes and demos in the clay studio. The second organization is celebrating on the other end of the spectrum with 100-year anniversary. Reg Lenna Center for the Arts officially turns 100 on February 5th, a huge milestone and cause for celebration! In addition to tours throughout the day, Reg Lenna will host a showing of the movie Black Panther: Wakanda Forever at 4pm (additional cost).
Doors Open Jamestown is a great opportunity to for visitors and the community alike. “The organizations and area businesses have been planning for this and are excited to welcome the public” says Carrie. “It’s such a great event to promote local businesses and see everyone come together.” Past years have attracted visitors from surrounding counties, as well as Fredonia, Erie, Bradford, Buffalo, and beyond.
Area businesses will also be hosting a virtual scavenger hunt for added excitement, and the opportunity to win prizes. Each participating location will have a trivia question that will be within their organization somewhere. Once visitors find the hidden question, they submit answers via text message. Participants are entered to win one of three gift baskets full of gifts from the participating organizations. Each submission is a separate entry, so the more you play, the better your chances to win! Carrie plans to have between 10-15 businesses participating, including cafes, restaurants and shops. “It’s a great way to get out and discover new places, and meet new people. Browse the shops and grab a bite to eat while having fun and supporting local.”
A digital map will be available online at www.jtny.events to assist in planning and plotting a route. Maps of each location are also available in large paper copies at the Chautauqua County Chamber offices at 300 North Main in Downtown Jamestown. Follow the event on Facebook @jtnychamber for updated information and featured organizations leading up to the event. More information and videos regarding the virtual scavenger hunt will also be shared via social media. Carrie can be reached at cswanson@chautauquachamber.org or (716) 474-484-1101 x201 with questions or more information.