Press Release
Event Dates:
September 28, 2016
October 1, 2016
For further information contact
Or
Laura Rager, 260-982-7644
North Manchester Celebrates the Bicentennial
North Manchester has been celebrating Indiana’s
Bicentennial for the past year, from mini bison on display throughout town, to
the ancestor Timeline in the Center for History’s window.
The Bicentennial flag has been flying at Town Hall, and the Historical
Society has created a crowd sourced genealogy project and hosted a number of
programs inspired by the state’s 200th birthday.
But things are really heating up the last week of September!
Torch Relay
The Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay is one of the
major commemorative events of the 2016 Bicentennial celebration.
Patterned after the Olympic Torch Relay, Indiana’s version will pass
through all 92 of the state’s counties, covering 2300 miles over a five-week
period. The torch comes to Wabash
County on Wednesday, September 28.
It enters the county from the south, circles Wabash, and arrives in North
Manchester at about 5:25 p.m. You
won’t be able to miss it—it’s accompanied by an honor guard of state police, a
trolley full of local Bicentennial volunteers, and several other support
vehicles. Everyone is invited to
cheer the torch as it passes by (see route and torch bearers below)!
The torch trolley will enter North Manchester after
travelling from Wabash on State Road 13.
It will continue on 13 to East Street, arriving at about 5:30.
At that point, torch bearers will carry the torch on foot through the
Manchester University Campus. At
College Avenue, it will proceed west to Market Street, then south to the Thomas
Marshall House next to the library, where it will be received by “Thomas
Marshall” on behalf of North Manchester.
A brief program will follow, with a glimpse of what North
Manchester was like 200 years ago and music by the Peabody Entertainers.
After the crowd sings Happy
Birthday to Indiana, they will be treated to 200 birthday cupcakes.
The torch will return to Wabash for further celebration at Paradise
Springs Park.
Pioneer Days
Also on Wednesday,
September 28, North Manchester 4th grade students will celebrate
Pioneer Days in Warvel Park.
The festivities start at 12:55 p.m.
Students will make candles and funnel cakes, press and sample apple
cider, play pioneer games, and learn tin punching.
Carriage rides and pioneer music are also planned.
After a break from 3:10 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., volunteers will reopen Pioneer
Days for the general public until 5:50 p.m.
Visitors waiting for the torch to arrive are invited to come early and
enjoy the activities, then proceed to the Thomas Marshall House for the Torch
Relay program.
Harvest Festival
The North Manchester Chamber of Commerce is holding its
annual Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 1 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
This year, the Harvest Festival’s theme is Celebrating Indiana’s
Bicentennial. Sponsored by the
Chamber Tourism Committee, a division of the North Manchester Chamber of
Commerce, the festival offers a packed schedule of events that celebrate the
fall season, in addition to quality craft and specialty food vendors.
Most events take place in Market Square in North Manchester.
Thank You.
North Manchester Bicentennial Planning Committee: Karen
Fawcett, Laura Rager, Mary Chrastil, Cindy Pyle, Sebrena Cline,
Harvest Festival: Chamber of Commerce
Tourism Committee, Dawn Reed and Bernie Ferringer.
Pioneer Days: Joel
Eichenaur and 4th Grade teachers and parents.
Underwriters for Pioneer Days:
North Manchester Rotary, North Manchester Kiwanis, and North Manchester
Lion’s Club. Cupcakes and Chime:
Manchester University, Chartwells Food Service.
Torch Program: Scott Strode,
David Lawrenz, North Manchester Public Library, Peabody Entertainers.
Carillon music: Peabody
Retirement Community. Wabash County
Bicentennial Committee.
North Manchester Bicentennial Torch Relay Route
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
***ALL TIMES ARE
BEST ESTIMATE***
5:25pm Trolley No. 85 will stop on East St. just North of Orchard St. and Brady
Burgess will exit the trolley and continue South on East St. on foot with the
torch.
5:30pm Dave McFadden will receive the torch in front of the Student Union
building and continue South on East St. He will turn West on College Ave. and
continue to just East of Wayne St.
5:35pm Joel and Joshua Garber, who are representing their father Christopher
Garber, will receive the torch on College Ave. just East of Wayne St. and will
continue west on College Ave. to Walnut St.
5:40pm Mike Pyle will receive the torch and continue West on College Ave. and
then turn South on Market St. and continue until 9th St.
5:45pm Sally Krouse will receive the torch just South of 9th St. and continue
South on Market St. to the Thomas Riley Marshall House.
5:50pm There will be a brief pause at the Thomas Riley Marshal House for
approximately 15 minutes.
6:05pm Jeff Hawkins will receive the torch in front of the Thomas Riley Marshall
House and will continue South on Market St. to just North of Main St.
6:10pm Jabin Burnworth will receive the torch and will continue South on Market
St. turning West on Main St. and continuing to the North Manchester Public
Safety Building.
6:20pm Sam Frazier will receive the torch in front of the North Manchester
Public Safety Building and will then enter Trolley No. 85 for the return trip to
Wabash.
Official Torch Relay logo, provided by Indiana Bicentennial Committee
Official Indiana Bicentennial logo, provided by Indiana Bicentennial Committee