Senator Bill Diamond, Chairman, Maine Bicentennial Commission Discusses Plans for Celebration.
Dana Connors, Maine Chamber of Commerce, Responsible for Fund-raising.
Some Members of the Bicentennial Commission at the Maine Historical Society. Steve Bromage, Maine Historical Society (L),Matthew Dunlap, Secretary of State (BackRow), Rep. Jim Handy, Who Introduced State Legislation for Event, Etc.
“The year 2020 will mark the 200th anniversary of our statehood and the Commission has been working hard to lay the groundwork for this momentous year,” said Senator Bill Diamond, Chairman, Maine Bicentennial Commission at the Maine Historical Society recently.
“We on the Commission and many others throughout the state, see our Bicentennial as a unique opportunity to honor our past, highlight our present and get inspired about our future. From Kittery to Fort Kent, we are indeed one state, with common interests and concerns. The Bicentennial allows us to come together in celebrations and observances across Maine, as we move from our first 200 years into the future.”
Maine separated from Massachusetts and became a state on March 15, 1820. That act followed years of war and negotiations at the national level because it was part of the Missouri Compromise.
A lot of programs state-wide have been scheduled for this celebration. So far, they include:
July 26, 2019 – Bicentennial celebration kick-off event, March 15, 2020 – Statehood Day celebration, July 16 – 19, 2020 Summer celebration, co-hosted by Maine’s first state capital of Portland, October 2020 – Finale: time capsule event. There will be a meeting on November 15, 2018 for “firming up of Bicentennial events and program planning.” An extremely well-done website is up and running. There will be a a license plate available for $25.00.
“This celebration will be a time to reflect on the past and to take stock of what has been accomplished and how it has been accomplished. Maine people are proud people. When a job needs to get done, we get together and stay together. To do it right, everyone needs to be included,” said Dana Connors of the Maine Chamber of Commerce.
“We will have the celebration of a century,” he concluded. Connors is responsible for fund-raising for Maine’s 200th birthday party.