Full food menu is back!
Great Food  |  Full Bar  |  Year-round  |  The Backstage is located in the Big Top box-office at the intersection of highways J and 13 in Bayfield, Wisconsin. 
​Opened in 2022, The Backstage is Big Top Chautauqua's new year-round venue, event center, and home to our famous house band the Blue Canvas Orchestra. With a full-service bar offering beer, wine, cocktails, specialty drinks, and a mouth watering menu, The Backstage is the perfect place to enjoy a unique night out. 

This intimate performance space hosts our off-season shows featuring local artists and touring performers November-May, and engaging community events like our weekly Open Mic Nights all year round. The Backstage is one of the few establishments in the Northwoods where you can enjoy quality live entertainment, drinks, and food all under the same roof.

Open Mic Nights

Get up on stage or just grab a seat and listen. Join us for open mic nights every Wednesday at Big Top's new year-round venue The Backstage! Every week we will be joined by special guest hosts, including some of your favorite Blue Canvas Orchestra musicians! Enjoy live entertainment, drinks, and great food during a unique night out.

Event Details:  Join us at The Backstage every Wednesday night, year-round, from 6:00-9:00pm.

Tickets: No tickets. No cover. No reservations. ​Open Mic Nights are FREE and open to the public.

Whisper Policy: The Backstage is a listening room and while the performers love to hear your applause, laughter, and often even singing along, excessive conversation distracts other listeners and is disrespectful to the performers who we all came to hear. We encourage talking before the show, between sets and after the show but ask that during the performances, audience members keep their voices low and talking to a minimum.

Upcoming Events at The Backstage

​Open Mic Nights continue all year round. See full event schedule here. 
Watch for special holiday shows and monthly events in the Big Top's off-season, Nov-May.

The Backstage's 2024 Show Season is sponsored in part by Jim Bryan & Dee Johnson
Corey Carlson’s newest project— The Moth
at The Backstage
Saturday, November 16, at 7pm

FREE Branding Workshop with Brandgarten
​at The Backstage
Tuesday, November 19 at 9:30 am

Holiday Club Night with the Blue Velvets
​at The Backstage
Saturday, November 30, at 7pm

Trio Fantastico
​at The Backstage
Friday, December 6 at 7pm

Blue Canvas Christmas— 4 shows! 
​at The Backstage
7pm shows: Thursday, Friday, Saturday. December, 12, 13, & 14
 Saturday Matinee  at 2pm! December, 14

More coming, check back soon!

Location & Directions

The Backstage is in the Big Top box office, located just outside Bayfield city limits, at the intersection of State Highway 13 and County Highway J (in the remodeled building formerly known as The Fore'n Aft / The Northern Edge.)

84810 State Hwy 13, Bayfield, WI 54814

For additional questions, please call the Box Office at (715) 373-5552.

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