Atlantic is celebrating its 150th year of being a city, and there are many events going on throughout the year, as evidenced by the continually updated list on the City’s Website, but many have questioned when a “big event” to commemorate the celebration will be held. Today (Tuesday), it was determined that all the elements will come together October 13th, in conjunction with the Atlantic Fireman’s Parade. PLEASE NOTE, this is a change from what was first announced on KJAN and posted on our social media pages. The change came late Tuesday evening. What happens in between, is up to YOU.

During a press briefing Tuesday afternoon, at City Hall, Mayor Dave Jones, City Clerk Barb Barrick and Steve Livengood (The latter two form the Sesquicentennial Committee), stressed this is YOUR celebration, Atlantic, and it’s up to your group, organization or committee, to come up with a plan on what you want to see happen, and then make it happen through volunteers. Livengood says nothing is off the table.

He said people can organize a quilting bee, a thresher’s show, a baseball game or anything you want, and the Committee will help to coordinate those events to the benefit of the visitors and citizens. There’s no shortage of ideas, according to Barrick, Livengood and Mayor Jones, just the means to pull off the event with volunteers.

Mayor Jones said there’s a lot of talk, a lot of chatter, about the Sesquicentennial Celebration what’s not happening, what’s going to happen. And for those things, groups of people can get together…and make it happen. It’s YOUR Sesquicentennial. Jones was asked why the Chamber isn’t involved in the Sesquicentennial. Their Board, he said, told him they have too much going on, with AtlanticFest. They said “We’ll support you all you want, but we’re going to do AtlanticFest. You do what you want.” He asked the Board if they can’t tie in the Sesquicentennial…the short answer was “no.”

A meeting of the Sesquicentennial Committee will take place 5:30-p.m. Tuesday, May 22nd, in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. Bring your PLAN…not your idea…and how you or your group will pull it off. No matter how big or small your plan is. And that doesn’t mean that if your group or organization has something planned for later in the year, that it can’t be done. The main focus now, is having events going on all day, or at least most of the day, on OCTOBER 13th.

For a list of current events taking place this year, go to the following website: http://www.atlanticiowa.com/atlantic/ and look for the Sesquicentennial Celebration link on the front page, which will take you to a PDF calendar that is updated as events or activities are made known. There’s also information on the Atlantic Sesquicentennial Facebook page.