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Schedule for 250th
Here’s the schedule for Keene’s 250th birthday
celebration. The party culminates Saturday, May 31,
when activities are planned from noon to 9 p.m.; all
over downtown Keene. Running through the day:
historical re-enactments that include costumes from
1753, children’s games, storytellers, community
exhibits, craft and artisans exhibits, hot-air balloon
rides, and sale of commemorative merchandise.
Saturday’s finale, from 7 to 9 p.m.; , is a block
dance with the East Coast Swing Band.
Actually, the 250th activities were scheduled to begin
last Saturday with a Fireworks Festival, but it was
scrubbed by bad weather and postponed until September.
Historic tours were conducted Tuesday and Wednesday.
Today, May 29: Open houses at several Keene churches,
where information and tours will be provided by church
volunteers. On the walking tour are the United Church
of Christ, 23 Central Square; St. James Episcopal
Church, 44 West St.; Keene Unitarian Universalist
Church, 69 Washington St.; and St. George Greek
Orthodox Church, 70 West St.
Friday, May 30: Free tours at several of Keene’s
leading industries, including J. A. Wright & Co.,
Kingsbury Corp., and Markem Corp. Tours begin at 9:30
a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; , starting at the Historical
Society of Cheshire County, 246 Main St.
Transportation and tour guides are provided. Advance
registration is required; call Linda Bourke at
352-0133, extension 2.
Saturday, May 31:
Entertainment in downtown Keene from noon to 9 p.m..
Scheduled acts:
Westmoreland Town Band, 12:15 to 1:30 p.m.; ; Harvey
Tolman, 1:45 to 2:30 p.m.; ; Keene Barbershoppers,
2:45 to 3:30 p.m.; Jeff Warner, 3:45 to 4:30 p.m.;
Nelson’s Women Songwriters, 4:45 to 5:45 p.m.; String
Theory, 6 to 6:45 p.m.
7 to
9 p.m., block dance with East Coast Swing Band.
Dancers on the entertainment bill: Monadnock
Mavericks, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.; Morris Dancers, 1:45
to 2:45 p.m.; folk dancing, 3 to 4 p.m.; Terpsichorean
Dance, 4 to 4:30 p.m.; Monadnock Squares, 4:45 to 6
p.m.;
Additional entertainment: The Wheelmen, a national,
nonprofit group that promotes restoration and riding
of early bicycles, from 1918 or earlier, and promotes
cycling as part of modern life. Members will ride and
perform on big-wheeled cycles and many other types,
mainly from the 1880s and 1890s.
Community exhibits, planned on Main Street:
Toadstool Bookshop, PC Connection, Cheshire Medical
Center, Portex Inc., The Keene Sentinel, Precitech,
Keene Assembly of God, Trinity Lutheran Church,
Gordon-Bissell American Legion Post 4, Center Stage
Cheshire County, Keene Lions Club, Friends of the
Keene Public Library, Historical Society of Cheshire
County, Monadnock Developmental Services, Antioch New
England Graduate School, Keene State College, St.
Joseph School, First Baptist Church, C&S Wholesale
Grocers, Heritage Commissions.
Children’s activities: Marge Bruchac, Abenaki
storyteller; making felt balls with Stonewall Farm at
the Horatio Colony House Museum at 199 Main St.;
making a book with the Keene Public Library, at
Railroad Square; making a birthday card for Keene’s
250th birthday; and games and contests drawn from
history, such as rolling hoops, corncob darts, rope
ring toss, bubbles, hopscotch, jumprope, hula
hoops, and marbles.
Re-enactments: Camps and activities by groups that
specialize in re-enacting parts of the American
Revolution, Civil War, World War I and World War II.
The center of these activities will be the Wyman
Tavern at 339 Main St., a museum that preserves life
from the 1700s.
Commemorative Keene 250th merchandise for sale,
listing advance prices, and then prices on May 31:
T-shirts, $8 and 10, except for XXL and XXXL, which
are $10 and $12; hats, $12 and $14; mugs, $5 and $5;
commemorative plates, $20 and $25; and commemorative
books (“Places I Remember,” Keene Celebrates 250 Years
of History), $12 and $15.
Donations are still being welcomed to pay for the
birthday party. Make checks payable to: Keene’s 250th
Celebration, in care of Greater Keene Chamber of
Commerce, P.O. Box 592, Keene 03431.
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