COURTESY
SUNAPEE — A long list of events has been planned for Aug. 17-19, for town of Sunapee’s Sestercentennial celebration to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Sunapee’s founding.
Sugar River Savings Bank has made a donation of $750 to help offset the expenses of the celebration events. The bank joins Stacy’s Smoothies in Sunapee Harbor as the major sponsors of the event.
A group of Sunapee quilters lead by Becky Rylander has completed a Sunapee history quilt, which debuted at the Sunapee Historical Society Museum fon Friday evening, June 8 during the “Spring Into Summer” festivities.
The quilt is made up of 30 squares crafted by 16 women. Most squares show a different scene from Sunapee’s past, while others include the town seal, the Sestercentennial logo, and more. Two squares came to the Sestercentennial Committee posthumously. Plans are to display the quilt in several locations, possibly the Historical Society Museum, the Livery, and the library for about a month. Other locations will be determined in the fall and may include the town offices and the new Sunapee Archives, in the old Abbott Library.
Events start on July 14 with the Sestercentennial Taste of Sunapee. It will take place at multiple locations around town, where residents and visitors can come for light refreshments hosted by the venue and talk to a committee member to learn about upcoming events. There is no charge for this. Details on venues will be announced as soon as they are set.
Friday night, Aug. 17 will be the big start of events with a fireworks show in Sunapee Harbor to rival the annual July 4 spectacle. Deb Pasculano and Stacy’s Smoothies helped underwrite the majority cost of the show.
The Sestercentennial Parade will step off at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 18 from the Safety Services Building. Vehicles from the Sunapee Police and Fire Departments will take part, as well as some of our neighboring community service agencies, Fred Gallup operating the Historical Society’s antique steam roller, local favorite Leaping Lena, the Bektash Temple Go Carts, the Kearsarge Community Band, animals and more. Plans are to have Sunapee oldest resident in the parade as well as some of others of that generation.
Community groups, organizations, local businesses, neighborhood associations and families are welcome to participate. Pre-registration is required and units must meet state regulations. To download a registration form, go to the News and Events page of the 250 website at www.sunapeenh250.org.
Many town organizations will be also hold events during that weekend. Everyone is welcome to start the big event day on Saturday with a free breakfast, courtesy of the members of the Methodist Church, at the church. Music will be going on all day in the Harbor thanks to Sunapee Recreation Department and Sunapee Cove Assisted Living. Organizers couldn’t get “Steve and the band,” but Aerosmith tribute band Draw the Line will be performing.
Closing out the weekend events will be the burying of a time capsule donated by Charlie and Marion Hafner of the Chadwick Funeral Home. Then all will move over to Veteran’s Field for community photo taken by Jonathan Ryba with his drone.
The weekend will include many more events in between what is listed; to see more, go to the website or events.projectsunapee.org/ for a full calendar of events.
Summer folks coming back to town can stop by the town clerk’s office or police station to purchase a Sunapee 250 license plate for their cars. If the car is registered to a Sunapee address, the front plate can be replaced with the commemorative plate. A Sunapee 250 window decal, designed and manufactured by Sunapee student Parker Reed, is available at the library and online, along with a limited-edition commemorative granite arrowhead designed and crafted by the Stocker Family at Sunapee Graniteworks. All commemorative items can be purchased at the website store.
The museum will be open 1-4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays through June and then more in July and August. Starting in the next couple of weeks, with the help of the Sunapee DPW crew and cooperation of Project Sunapee, residents will see 74 sponsorship banners going up around town, all according to a press release.
To participate, or to send in suggestions, contact Chairman Kathy Springsteen at [email protected] or any member of the Committee listed on the webpage.
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