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McLean Street in front of the
courthouse will be blocked off most of the day so that workers can
erect two stages at either end of the block. They will provide the
setting for six hours of dance music. Greg Pelc is in charge of
music and technical systems.
From 6 to 9 p.m. Bobby Remack performs
from the stage in front of the post office. The Bobby Remack Band
specializes in ballroom, swing, polka and ’50s and ’60s music.
At 9 p.m. the focus shifts to the
corner of Pulaski and McLean, where Imagine That will entertain with
music of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, classic rock and Top 40 tunes. The
performance continues until midnight.
Cover charge for the evening is $3 per
person, with children under 12 admitted free. Jodi Duncan heads the
committee to provide games and prizes for the younger crowd. Lincoln
Public Library District is supplying the arcade-like games, such as
ring toss. Children’s activities run from 5 to 8 p.m.
Refreshments are available starting at
5 p.m. Drinks for sale include beer, soda pop and bottled water.
Designer water sporting the sesquicentennial logo will premiere at
the fund-raiser. Bottled by Gold Springs Water in Hartsburg, it
sells for $1 per bottle. Other sesquicentennial souvenirs for sale
include T-shirts, red polo shirts, soft-brimmed caps and locally
made small wooden watermelons.
Sharon Awe is in charge of souvenir
offerings from now through Aug. 21-31, 2003, the time set for the
celebration of the city’s 150th birthday. She thanked Zonta Club for
choosing to help sell sesquicentennial souvenirs as one of its
projects for the year.
In other business at the monthly
meeting of the sesquicentennial planners, treasurer Paul Short
reported a current balance of $3,152, not counting approximately
$1,000 realized from shirt sales at the Lincoln Art & Balloon
Festival and the Railsplitter Festival. Short’s committee is
preparing brochures and letters to be used to solicit corporate as
well as individual contributions. The brochures will emphasize some
of the main events planned for the sesquicentennial, including a
Civil War re-enactment and ball, a display of historical artifacts,
a Lincoln Community Theatre play on Mary Todd Lincoln, a display
highlighting Underground Railroad activities in Logan County, and an
interdenominational church service.
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Organizers of the church service are
investigating engaging a circuit rider-style preacher who arrives on
horseback. Wallace Reifsteck and Glenn Shelton are co-chairmen of
the committee. Local clergy will participate in the service, and
Jodi Duncan and Ruth Freesmeier will conduct youth and adult choirs.
Roger Matson, who co-chairs the
committee to plan the sesquicentennial parade, has his eye on an
earlier parade. "We need to splash this Christmas parade," he said,
calling for a banner advertising the sesquicentennial to be carried
at the Dec. 5 downtown event.
Mayors and bands from the 27 American
towns and cities with Lincoln in their name have been invited to
participate in the sesquicentennial parade. President George Bush
and Vice President Dick Cheney head the list of invitees.
Ethnic foods chair Marshall Jacobs
reported progress in securing the main course for scheduled feasts,
including chicken, pork and corn dinners and an evening ethnic
festival. German and Italian cuisine will be included in the ethnic
offerings. Jacobs is looking for local groups interested in
preparing the meals.
Charles Ott chairs the beard contest
committee. He is seeking Abraham Lincoln impersonators. Ott reported
on a beard contest held in conjunction with the recent celebration
in Ottawa of the Lincoln-Douglas debate there. Trophies were awarded
to Lincoln presenters in both bearded and unbearded classes.
Lincoln
Mayor Beth Davis heads the committee to plan the city’s 10-day
birthday party. Committee members noted that Atlanta will also reach
150 years in 2003 and will be asked to join the celebration.
[Lynn
Shearer Spellman]
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