2018 is set to have one of the biggest celebrations Potterville has seen in the last few years. In July the city will celebrate 150 years as a mid-Michigan community with a two-day festival of parades, carnivals, fireworks, history observance, and more. The planning for the celebration began in February of 2018 with the establishment of a planning committee and initial brainstorming.
The planning committee for the celebration has created only a tentative schedule of events, but the dates for the event are Saturday, July 28 and Sunday, July 29. The tentative events and activities include a carnival, a vendor and craft show, a classic car and tractor show, a parade, period games, a walk through history, an evening block party, and fireworks on Saturday. Sunday is set for a continuation of the carnival and a possible ox roast and potluck, as well as more period games.
For Potterville Mayor Katherine Schmidt, the event is less about the amount of activities themselves and more about the history and inclusiveness of the celebrations.
“I am hoping that this event will help bring our community together in a fun, positive way. The goal of this event is to commemorate the sesquicentennial anniversary of the incorporation of our city with a weekend festival that honors our heritage and celebrates the best our community has to offer today,” said Schmidt. “We want this to be a family friendly event that will be remembered for years to come.”
The most important component in planning for the celebration will be community input, according to Schmidt. While the committee will generate ideas and possibilities for the weekend, they don’t want to miss important pieces of history, or community highlights that shouldn’t be missed by visitors. Similarly, Schmidt doesn’t want to overlook various age groups community organizations. She and the committee hopes to include children, students, community leaders and elders, and seniors in the planning process.
Aside from the committee planning process, the event will no doubt need volunteers and able-bodied workers. The inclusiveness of the celebration will not only involve the inclusiveness of activities, but also the inclusiveness of skills to make the weekend run smoothly and whimsically. Schmidt encourages Potterville residents interested in volunteering, planning, and historical input to contact her by emailing kschmidt@pottervillemi.org. There is still room and time for adjustment and involvement.
