By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
It’s another big weekend of activities coming up in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the city of Hays, Ellis County and historic Fort Hays.
City Commissioner Sandy Jacobs was a young Hays resident when the town’s centennial was celebrated.
“I was here for the 100th year,” Jacobs recalled. “I was a little girl. I remember my aunt made us beautiful clothes. It was fun.”
Now, 50 years later, the sesquicentennial observation is filled with activities throughout 2017.
A four-day city-wide event presented by Downtown Hays Development Corporation (DHDC) and the Hays Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) kicks off Thu., July 20 with the Sesquicentennial Art Exhibit at the Hays Arts Council, 112 E. 11th, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the same hours on Friday. The Hays Larks will take on El Dorado at 7 p.m. in Larks Park with historical special guests. Admission is free to both events.
Friday, July 21, features Main Street Cruise Night starting at 6 p.mm. Participants should meet in the ACE Hardware parking lot, 3300 Vine, to cruise on down to Main Street and dance the night away to the Jimmy Dee Band. The street dance begins at 7 p.m.
Saturday, July 22, starts with Bargains on the Bricks, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., the annual sidewalk sale in downtown Hays. The Downtown Hays Market will be open the same hours in the 10th Street parking lot. Runners will be hitting the bricks at 7 a.m. for the Cancer Council of Ellis County annual race and fundraiser. More than 300 of the top custom cars, street rods, sports cars, pickups, 4X4s, race cars, classics, antiques, and motorcycles will be competing for top awards at the Thunder on the Bricks Car, Truck and Cycle show, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Municipal Park. The Sesquicentennial Art Exhibit will be open again 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hays Arts Council. Join the Sister Cities of Hays committee and city officials at the Hays Public Library at 1 p.m. as they welcome partners from Santa Maria, Paraguay. They’ll be celebrating and dedicating the permanent display “Worlds Apart, Cities Together” created by Cody Custer, which honors their Sister City relationship.
Sunday, July 23, opens with a Christian multi-faith church service at 10 a.m. in the Municipal Park. All are welcome to participate with 15 churches represented. It will be followed by a sesquicentennial picnic with free brats, hot dogs and cake for the first 750 people, along with a 150th year proclamation by city and county commissioners and historical reenactments. There’ll also be a free inflatable bounce village for the kids and free admission to the Ellis County Historical Society museum, 100 W. 7th, 12 to 5 p.m. The Hays Aquatic Park will offer a free swim day from 12 to 6 p.m.
More information is available on the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau website, www.visithays.com.
