06/02/2026
THIS WEEK! Something for everyone at the Opera House...
Thursday, June 4 at 7PM - THE ERIE RAILROAD COMES TO DUNKIRK, NY - Commemorating the 175th anniversary. The New York and Erie Rail Road was the first railroad to link the Atlantic and the Great Lakes; and when it opened in 1851 it was the longest railroad in the world. Railroad historian William D. Burt will show how it happened — the choice of Dunkirk as the western terminus, the original line NY&E built and then abandoned in favor of a better one, and the 1851 grand opening celebration. He will discuss how railroad directors speculated in Dunkirk land and laid out several blocks of the city, and how many Dunkirk streets are named for them. What is the Erie’s legacy in Dunkirk? This well-illustrated presentation covers it all.
Bill published his first history article when he was in high school and has continued writing, off and on, ever since. Following a career in the railroad industry, he took up researching and writing about the history of the fascinating business, with a primary interest in Eastern railroading, particularly the Erie Lackawanna and its predecessor railroads. He holds a BA in Political Science from SUNY Geneseo and a dual MS in Transportation Planning and Engineering and Management Science from Polytechnic Institute of New York (now part of NYU). He culminated a 27-year career in the railroad industry as President and COO of the Livonia, Avon & Lakeville Railroad and its subsidiaries B&H Rail Corp. and WNY & Pennsylvania Railroad.
Presented in Partnership with the Dunkirk Historical Society as part of Here & There – Chautauqua County History, Travelers, & Memories. Admission is FREE, although donations are gratefully accepted.
Friday June 5 at 7PM - DOWNBEAT PERCUSSION, Official Drumline of the Buffalo Bills. Composed of world class percussionists who thrive on energy, precision, and performance, DownBeat Percussion performs in front of more than 70,000 people every home game during the NFL season. Founded by a group of guys who went to Jordan-Elbridge HS together, their first performance with the Bills was during the 2013 Christmas halftime show. Since then, the group has been the team’s official drumline, performing at every home game. They play in the parking lot for all the tailgaters and those entering Highmark Stadium. Before Kick-Off, DownBeat plays a three-minute pregame show on the field. During the game, the group is stationed just to the side of the tunnel and plays throughout the game to hype the crowd after a good play! During holiday games, the group plays during halftime.
The members of DownBeat Percussion are all active in the field of education and have spent a large portion of their lives spreading the art of percussion and all of the opportunities it has to offer. They are dedicated to helping students become the best musicians they can be.
Tickets are only $5 each. Call 716.679.1891 or visit fredopera.org.
Saturday, June 6 - 9AM-1PM - Our annual BAKE SALE & BASKET AUCTION, held as part of the Fredonia Farmers’ Market in East Barker Common. Proceeds benefit Opera House programming and operations.
A variety of delicious baked goods made by Opera House supporters will be for sale and 11 baskets and pieces of artwork will be raffled off in athe Basket Auction. Included are a framed print of “First Snow,” a watercolor painting by the late Vermont artist and Professor Emeritus Gary Eckhart, handmade pottery coffee mugs crafted by SUNY Fredonia Professor Ted Lee and donated with Honduran coffee beans, a Christmas-themed basket, and a Fredonia-themed basket, as well as four wine and cordial baskets that each come with lottery tickets and local restaurant gift cards. The cordial baskets include vintage hand-turned wooden cordial glasses and a vase by Gowanda artist Francis Scott. Begins at 9am and runs through 1pm when the Farmers’ Market closes.
