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City to celebrate bicentennial at Bean Festival

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By Lauren Eissler

For the Gazette

JAMESTOWN — Jamestown’s Lion’s Club is putting on their yearly festival – the Bean Festival. But this year, there’s an extra reason to bring the community together because Jamestown is celebrating its bicentennial.

The Jamestown Village Council decided they needed to do something to commemorate the bicentennial. And, instead of creating an event on a separate weekend, the council worked with the Jamestown Lion’s Club and joined the weekend of the Bean Festival.

Councilwoman Cindie Mash-Price described the bicentennial celebration which kicks off the festival Thursday, Sept. 15, as a mini-festival. She said they have to plan the electric, traffic control, food, and porta-potties, among other considerations.

In kicking off the festival, the bicentennial celebration is hosting food trucks, a community celebration service, and special music. Balloons will be making appearances in several places: they’ll be handing out balloons to celebration attendees, and they brought in five hot air balloons for a balloon glow, Mash-Price said.

The community celebration service begins 7 p.m. at State Route 72 and South Charleston at the Point, followed by recognition of dignitaries 7:45 p.m., music 8 p.m., and the balloon glow 8:30 p.m. Food truck concessions are available beginning 6:30 p.m.

Before the hot air balloons launch, kids can go around to the different balloons and collect a trading card from each, Mash-Price said.

And Jamestown Mayor Jerrod Pickens said during a village council meeting to pray for good weather for the celebration because the balloons won’t come if there’s bad weather.

The council and village leadership’s wish for this event overall is that it will bring the community together and help remind them that they are a community, Mash-Price said.

“We are one community united together for the good of future, pouring into our youth and looking forward,” she said, “doing things that remind us we’re all on the same team and we can work together in cooperation for the greater good of all.”

And while they’re hoping that the celebration will help people look forward, there will also be several opportunities to look back over the history of Jamestown.

The village council is sponsoring a fashion show Saturday, highlighting fashions throughout Jamestown’s history. Models will be wearing some of the looks of the different eras from Jamestown’s 200 years.

The cancer care group will have historical papers, pictures, and other items from the village’s history displayed in their booth. And the Jamestown Opera House will be open and displaying historical items as well.

“It’s the whole community working together to celebrate the 200 years that we have accomplished,” Mash-Price said. “And as we come together, let’s work another 200 years.”

The Bean Tent opens 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16. Opening ceremonies are 5 p.m. followed by crowning of the queen 5:15 p.m. Bingo games begin 7 p.m. The popular pancake breakfast is 7-11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 17. The cancer care walk is 9 a.m. followed by the balloon launch 10:30 a.m. The parade is 5:30 p.m. followed by Bingo games 6:30 p.m.

File Photo Carnival rides are always popular at the Bean Festival.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2016/09/web1_DSC06149.jpgFile Photo Carnival rides are always popular at the Bean Festival.

Lauren Eissler is a freelance writer for Greene County News.