Big River Chautauqua Continues Friday And Saturday

Bonne Terre, Mo. (KFMO) - The 2026 Big River Chautauqua presents "The Spirit of 1776" this weekend at Bonne Terre City Auditorium.

Friday night guests can expect a portrayal of Thomas Jefferson. Jeremy Meier will portray Jefferson and says he has chosen to represent Jefferson from the year 1799.

On Saturday Larry Bounds will portray Benjamin Franklin. Bounds says Franklin was an exciting role to prepare for.

Bounds will present as Franklin from 1788.

Both Meier and Bounds were in our KFMO Studio on Friday morning and got into character to portray what a conversation between the two Founding Fathers may have been if they met each other in Paris.

Big River Chautauqua is free to the public both nights. Dinner is offered by the Bonne Terre Nutrition Center at 4:30 p.m., the Chautauqua singers perform at 6 p.m., and the program begins at 7 p.m.