Medina Tourism planning time capsule, patriotic concert for 250th anniversary of US
Photo by Tom Rivers: Jim Hancock, chairman of the Medina Tourism Committee, speaks during last week’s Village Board meeting.
MEDINA – The Medina Tourism Committee is looking forward to special events to celebrate the country’s 250thanniversary.
The committee is organizing a patriotic birthday concert on Sept. 6 at State Street Park with a jazz band led by retired Medina band director Jim Steele, Jim Hancock, the Tourism Committee chairman, told the Village Board last week.
Retired broadcaster Mike Randall will be reading the Declaration of Independence. There will be 250 birthday cupcakes with red, white and blue frosting.
The Sons of the American Legion is contributing funds towards the event, Hancock said. The VFW will be playing Taps as well.
The Tourism Committee asked the Village Board for permission to have a time capsule buried at Rotary Park with the container to be opened in 2076. The board approved the request for the time capsule, which will be in a circular area in front of the Santa House.
Hancock and committee member Barb Gorham said they expect the time capsule will be buried by the end of October. They said they are discussing what to have in the capsule. They would like a little bit of Medina Sandstone and news coverage of notable events during 2026.
“We’re open to any suggestions about what people want to see put into it,” Hancock said.
The committee wants to reach out to the school district and ask kids what they think Medina will be like in 50 years.
Hancock said the Tourism Committee looks forward to welcoming about 600 cyclists when they visit and stay overnight in Medina on Sunday, July 12. It’s part of the annual Cycling the Erie Canal trip from Buffalo to Albany.
The committee also is working on its second annual Building Brick event at Sacred Heart Club on Sept. 19. Last year there were about 350 people – kids, parents and grandparents – making creations from LEGOs.
The Tourism Committee last week welcomed the Seneca Chief boat to the Canal Basin. This was the third year the replica of the famed canal boat visited Medina.
Hancock said the Tourism Committee also is working on plans for the Parade of Lights and the Christmas celebration on Nov. 28.
The Tourism Committee for the 17th year also is staffing a visitor center during the summer. This year a team of about 15 volunteers is managed by Barb Gorham.
“We see a great number of people coming into the village,” Hancock said. “We try to provide information to them.”
