City launches Aiken 175th birthday website

The City of Aiken has released several informational tools for residents to learn more about plans for its 175th anniversary.

On Monday, the City launched its website, began airing commercials and began offering brochures on its Celebrate Aiken campaign.

Residents can visit www.celebrateaiken.com to learn more about the City's plans or pick up a brochure that summarizes upcoming activities.

The brochures are available at the Municipal Building, Aiken Center for the Arts, the Aiken Downtown Development Association office, the Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce, Aiken Habitat for Humanity retail store, H. Odell Weeks Activities Center, Smith-Hazel Recreation Center, Aiken County visitor's center and the Holley Building. Commercials will air on Atlantic Broadband and CableVantage.

"You only celebrate Aiken's 175 anniversary one time, and we wanted to do it right," said Bill Reynolds, chairman of Celebrate Aiken.

More than 20 events have been planned for the City's anniversary, he said. They are scheduled to run from the Jan. 9 kickoff event to Aiken's 175th birthday celebration on Dec. 18. According to Reynolds, the kickoff event, called "Sights, Sounds and Tastes of 1835," is being held to give people a sense of what things were like when Aiken was founded in 1835.

The event will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Newberry Street Festival Site and several nearby locations which include Newberry Hall, Washington Center for the Performing Arts, the Municipal Building, Aiken Center for the Arts and The Alley.

According to a description of the event on the Celebrate Aiken website, during "Sights, Sounds and Tastes," historic interpreters dressed in 1835-era clothing will act as time travelers to show how residents lived 175 years ago.

Interpreters for the event include a potter, blacksmith, farm spinner and weaver, in addition to people making brooms, rope, soap, candles, baskets, butter and quilts.

There will also be a replica schoolroom with benches, books and slates. Entertainment for the event includes a flea circus, a medicine show, clogging, a gospel choir and a washboard band, all of which were popular during the era.

Residents will also have an opportunity to taste dishes and drinks from the mid-19th century.

Reynolds said planning for the anniversary began last March. There are nine committees involved and more than 100 volunteers.

"Each calendar quarter has an active committee that plans events for that quarter," Reynolds said.

The first quarter of activities is called History, Horses, Health and High Society and will run from January through March. The second series of activities, called Art Education and Entertainment, will run from April through June.

The third quarter, called Business, Innovation and Technology, will run from July through September.

The final quarter, called Aiken's Future, will run from October through December.

For more information on the City of Aiken's 175th anniversary and upcoming activities, visit www.celebrateaiken.com.

Contact April Bailey at abailey@aikenstandard.com.