Barre planning bicentennial bash from June 29-July 1
Press Release, Barre Bicentennial Committee
BARRE – The Town of Barre will celebrate its Bicentennial June 29-July 1, with events primarily at the Barre Town Park on Route 98. A full weekend of entertainment is planned including an antique car and tractor show, game booths, a parade, contests, fireworks and live music. A delicious array of food will also be available all weekend long.
History will be on display with photos, recipes, and stories from Barre’s past highlighted throughout the weekend. Many organizers will be in period dress and attendees are encouraged to dress in historical costume as well.
Historical exhibits will highlight notable residents such as former US Congressmen Lorenzo Burrows and John G. Sawyer, American anthropologist and ethnologist Frank Hamilton Cushing, and Marvin V. Frey, an evangelical minister and writer of the well-known spiritual song “Kum-Ba-Yah.”
The event’s planning committee is looking for historical contributions from the public. If you have a story or item of significance from Barre’s history, or would like to be involved with the planning or fundraising for the event, please contact one of the committee members or the Town Hall.
Several fundraisers are planned, including can/bottle drive bins available for returnables located at the Town Hall and the Barre Deli. Several fundraiser dinners are planned with the next one, a spaghetti dinner, on Feb. 3 at the West Barre United Methodist Church. Tickets will be available at the door. Any monetary donations would be gladly accepted as well.
There will be contests for residents to participate in including beard growing and photography. Participants can start growing their beards now.
In addition to the weekend-long celebration at the end of June, the town will officially mark its 200-year anniversary on March 6, 2018. There will be a recognition ceremony at the Barre Town Hall on that date and another ceremony on March 3, 2018 at 1 p.m. with local politicians and press invited.
About Barre:
The Town of Barre was founded in 1818 and was named after the birthplace of an early settler, Judge John Lee. The town, at 55.1 square miles, forms the southern border of Orleans County. In the quiet Town of Barre, there are country roads, small churches, friendly neighbors, and some of the best chicken barbecues around.
The Town of Barre remains much the same today as when it was founded; it is still a friendly agricultural community. The farms in the town are small family owned operations and among these are several century farms.
The town also contains approximately 4,000 acres of muck land. Along with the farms are some small businesses and other community services including two churches, a volunteer fire company, and an airport. There are also two sportsmen clubs in town and many acres of wide-open spaces providing countless opportunities for outdoor fun, hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, and trail riding.
For further information, please contact the Town of Barre Bicentennial Planning Committee:
Sean Pogue (585) 589-5100, ext. 6
Maureen Beach (585) 589-5100, ext. 1
Adrienne Daniels (585) 589-5100, ext. 1
Kathy Klein (585) 409-5635
Kelly Dudley (585) 746-1677
