Flandreau’s 150th birthday and all-school reunion kicks off Saturday night with a free concert by Tonic Sol-fa.
The 7 p.m. event will be held at the city band shell with food and beverage vendors available beginning at 5 p.m. Those who attend are encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs and bug spray. Some metal bleacher seating will be available.
Because of limited parking, including areas that will be blocked off near the band shell beginning at 3 p.m., people can catch a shuttle bus starting at 5 p.m. at the high school parking lot. The bus will return concert goers to their cars after the concert ends. People also are encouraged to ride their bikes or walk to the event. There is no parking on the south side of Pipestone Avenue.
Sesquicentennial committee organizer Dan Sutton said he has heard from a number of people from other communities that plan to visit Flandreau for the weekend celebration. “It sounds like there are going to be people coming to enjoy some of the activities we have that aren’t Flandreau residents or Flandreau alumni,” he said.
The committee has made an effort to provide some beautification for the community with street banners and school desks planted with purple and yellow flowers along Second Avenue. There still is time for residents to spruce up their properties before the 150th birthday.
Parade entry free signups are being taken at City Hall. So far more than 70 entries have indicated they will participate, Sutton said. He is hoping for 150 to match the town’s age.
Over 900 guests registered for the all-school reunion are encouraged to pick up registration packets July 2 and 3, instead of waiting until July 5, said Sandy Sheppard with the reunion committee. The elementary commons will be open from 4 to 8 p.m. July 2 and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 3. Sesquicentennial items and all-school reunion t-shirts will be available for purchase during those times.
The all-school reunion committee also is sponsoring a memorial wall where people can put pictures of deceased alumni and staff. The area along the fence west of the entrance to the city park will be designated for that space, and those who have pictures can start putting them up this week, Sheppard said. Zip ties will be available by a banner designating the space.
Look for a detailed schedule in next week’s Moody County Enterprise.
