Tercentennial Plans Take Shape as Kick-Off Approaches
FALMOUTH, Maine—Falmouth’s 300th anniversary in 2018 is fast approaching and the Town committee charged with organizing activities to mark the occasion is busily preparing for a year-long slate of events kicking off on December 1, 2017. “It’s crunch-time, to be sure,” says Tercentennial Coordinator Erin Bishop-Cadigan. “But we’re on track.”
The Committee has secured presenting sponsors for several of its signature events, including OceanView at Falmouth as the lead sponsor, but still seeks businesses interested in supporting the Tercentennial. “We have sponsorship opportunities at all levels,” said Ellen Snyder, Chair of the Fundraising Sub-Committee. “This is a unique chance for businesses to support their community.” However, Snyder encourages businesses to act quickly. The deadline for sponsors to be recognized with an advertisement in the official program guide is October 13, 2017. The Program Guide will include a calendar of events and information on the many activities planned throughout 2018, as well as a short history of Falmouth and historic photos of the town. The Committee is raising funds for the guide and to offset the costs of Tercentennial activities through the sale of advertisements placed in the Program Guide. “It will be a wonderful commemorative keepsake for Falmouth families,” says Snyder, “but also serve as a directory of everything going on in 2018.” The Committee has reached out to businesses through personal solicitations, phone calls, emails, and two direct mailings. “The response has been really positive,” says Snyder. “There is a lot of excitement and enthusiasm for the 300th and it is growing daily.”
In addition to seeking sponsorship, the Committee is finalizing the calendar of events for the commemoration, dubbed Falmouth300. Events kick off with a fireworks display Friday, December 1, 2017 as part of the annual Very Merry Falmouth event. A travelling exhibit on the history of Falmouth, presented by Leavitt & Sons Deli, will be launched during the weekend and will appear throughout the year at various venues in town. The Committee is also planning additional signature events including its largest, which harkens back to the Old Home Days of years’ past. This community-wide festival, presented by Cumberland County Federal Credit Union, will be held in Community Park on May 26, 2018, and will feature food, musical entertainment and performers, historic demonstrations, games, and more. Other signature events include a Community Street Dance and Picnic on August 8, and an Incorporation Day event on November 12, held as part of an extended Veterans Day observation. This event will include musical performances, official proclamations, and a tribute to military personnel and their families. The year will conclude with another fire-works show during Very Merry Falmouth 2018.
The Tercentennial Committee is also working with partner organizations, including Falmouth Memorial Library, Maine Audubon, Falmouth Historical Society, Falmouth Conservation Committee, and Falmouth Land Trust among others, to develop a series of events and lectures focusing on Falmouth’s landscape history. “This series is going to offer a really unique perspective for exploring Falmouth’s story through land use, geography, art, public policy, and history,” said Jeanne Madden, Programming Librarian at Falmouth Memorial Library, who is spearheading this effort. The restoration and interpretation of an historic mural at Town Hall, generously sponsored by Southworth Products Corporation, is also underway.
Partner organizations, schools, churches, and neighborhoods throughout Falmouth are also planning their own activities and programs in 2018, including a 1950s-styled dance, historical guided tours and presentations, open houses, musical and theatrical performances, a shoreline dinner, a waterfront festival, beautification projects, and interpretive exhibits.
For those interested in getting involved there are a variety of ways to participate. “We are always looking for volunteers who are interested in lending a hand at any level of commitment,” Bishop-Cadigan stated. Interested individuals can sign up for updates on volunteer opportunities at Falmouth300.org. She says that any community group that would like to get involved is welcome to join in and participate by organizing an event or activity, and she encourages businesses to become sponsors. “It’s a great way to promote your business and give back to your community at the same time,” she says.
For more information on Falmouth300 events and activities, sponsorships, and partnership opportunities, Falmouth300 merchandise, and volunteering, visit www.Falmouth300.org. Regular updates, fun history facts, and historic photos of Falmouth can be found on the Falmouth300 Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/Falmouth300/.