NORWICH – With 100 years of history to commemorate, the City of Norwich Centennial Committee is gearing up for the city’s year-long centennial celebration with a list of events to honor the trials and triumphs of the city in years past.
According to Centennial Committee Co-Chair Kay Zaia, Norwich has a rich history that’s worthy of celebration. In spite of rocky economic times in recent years, there’s plenty of potential for Norwich to return to its heyday, she said, and a reason for city residents to look forward to what’s to come.
“I think our greatest accomplishment is that we’re still here,” Zaia said, noting the hardships the city has endured over the century. “There have been a lot of changes over the years, but we have a rich history and we should recognize that.”
The Centennial Committee plans to kick-off 100th anniversary celebrations with an opening reception at 11 a.m. on March 15 at the Northeast Classic Car Museum. The event will feature local leaders of past and present, and also highlight 100 years of accomplishments, Zaia said.
The reception will be closely followed by a special admission price into the Classic Car Museum on March 15 and 16. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on those two days only, City of Norwich residents will be able to tour the museum for only 25 cents.
Centennial celebration events continue in April, starting with the opening of a special exhibit of Norwich memorabilia at the Chenango County Historical Society Museum from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free and the exhibit will be on display through November. And on April 25, the Norwich Garden Club will plant a centennial Tree at a time and place yet to be determined.
“The Centennial Parade is going to be one of our biggest events,” explained Centennial Committee Co-Chair Marylou Stewart. This year, the Committee will help ring in the summer season with an old fashioned parade that includes music, old cars, floats and fireworks at dusk. The parade gets underway on Friday, May 23.
In June, the committee will work closely with the Chenango Arts Council as the two organizations unveil “Norwich Through the Artist’s Eyes” at the Arts Council Gallery. The unique exhibit will spotlight artists who have been in the city throughout its 100-year history and remain on display through August 15.
“We’ll also be holding a class reunion for anyone who’s graduated from Norwich High School,” Stewart said. On July 5, the NHS all-class reunion will be held at the Chenango County Fairgrounds, open to anyone who graduated form 1914 to 2014.
In addition, the Centennial Committee will sponsor an ice cream social during the Norwich City Band concert in East Park on Aug. 1; a combined quilt show and tabletop flower show, sponsored by the Chenango Piecemaker’s Quilt Guild, will be open at the Monsignor Festa Parish Center on Sept. 26-28; and on Oct. 11, a walking tour of Mount Hope Cemetery will allow current city residents to “get up close and personal” with past residents.
In November and December, the Jewish Center and the Colonia Theater – both of which celebrate a 100-year anniversary of their own this year – will team up with the Norwich Centennial Committee. In November, the Jewish community will present a free musical program featuring Robin Sletsky and the Catskill Symphony Cabaret. And in celebration of its own centennial milestone, the Colonia will present a series of silent movies with piano accompaniment in December.
“We really think it’s important to recognize our history and what it means,” added Stewart. “I was born in Norwich and lived here my whole life. Now, so have my kids and grandkids ... This is a great place to grow up and raise a family, and I think anyone who lives in Norwich would agree.”
The City of Norwich Centennial Committee has set up a website and Facebook page to keep residents updated on events to come. For more information, visit cityofnorwichcentennial.weebly.com or find the “City of Norwich Centennial” page on Facebook.