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Mayor announces festival for Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday

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By the Lincoln Journal Star

Thursday, Jul 24, 2008 - 05:12:20 pm CDT

Mayor Chris Beutler announced Thursday that the city is expanding its annual Abraham Lincoln Birthday Celebration to four days in 2009 to mark President Lincoln’s 200th birthday. 

Highlights include a concert by the Jay Ungar and Molly Mason Family Band on Feb. 12; a new Civil War musical Feb. 13; the traditional Family Day event Feb.14; and a lecture by author and historian Doris Kearns Goodwin Feb. 15.

“As the largest city in the world to be named for this beloved leader, Lincoln, Nebraska, is proud to present this once-in-a-lifetime festival,” Beutler said. “I urge the entire community to support this celebration.”

Story Photo
The statue of Abraham Lincoln on the west side of the State Capitol. (LJS file)

Related Link(s):


Mayor's office press release on the celebration

This will be the city’s ninth annual Abraham Lincoln Birthday Celebration.

Event Chair Wayne Boles said the event will be funded through grants and donations, and a small admission fee will likely be charged for the events Feb. 12-13. Events Feb. 14-15 will be free.

Local advertising agency Bailey Lauerman has donated the services of its designers to create the celebration logo with the theme, “10 score.”

Boles said the volunteer committee began planning the 2009 event in 2007.

“Abraham Lincoln remains one of the most compelling figures in history, and his 200th birthday is generating renewed worldwide interest in this amazing man and his times,” Boles said. “We plan to market this outstanding festival to the entire region to draw visitors to our community.”

Boles said the committee hopes other community organizations will plan events or exhibits to complement the four main events.

Information on the celebration will be posted on the city Web site, lincoln.ne.gov, beginning in September. Those wanting to support the event can contact Boles at 434-5973 or Diane Gonzolas in the mayor’s office at 441-7831.


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Outside the Box wrote on July 24, 2008 3:56 pm:
" Few things in life get me more excited then the prospect of a Civil War musical. I'm looking forward to hearing the hit songs "Atlanta's Burning", "U Need Ulysses", "Appomattox Courthouse Blues", and the big finale when John Wilkes Booth sings "Assasination Nation". "

 CivilWarFan wrote on July 24, 2008 4:38 pm:
" Will they have Civil War battle re-enactments? It would be so cool to have the battles staged while the Civil War Musical is being played. Kinda like the Boston Pops playing Overture of 1812 with the cannons firing in the distance!! Or we can have a drum and fife music contests??
The possibilities are endless...LJK. "

 DC Husker wrote on July 24, 2008 5:10 pm:
" I am so jealous that Doris Kearns Goodwin is coming to Lincoln! "

 Beth wrote on July 24, 2008 5:27 pm:
" How much in tax doolars wiil this cost, and what programs will be sacrificed so we can have (pay)for a celebration? "

 JPC wrote on July 24, 2008 5:39 pm:
" Shouldn't we use the tax dollars this is going to cost us to help balance the budget??? "

 Late ODay wrote on July 24, 2008 7:11 pm:
" Look ... ANYTHING that brings Doris Kearns Goodwin to town is FANTASTIC and I fully endorse it. That said, do these people understand that we weren't named to honor Abraham Lincoln? It was a cynical ploy by Omaha politicians (upset that "Lancaster" was to be the State capital) and it was meant as an insult. It's sorta be like if we told Grand Island: "Okay, you can have the State Fair, but we're gonna rename you 'Obamaberg'." "

 Read wrote on July 24, 2008 7:49 pm:
" First, does it NOT say the festivities will be paid for with donations? How can anyone say "how much tax dollars...blah blah blah"? People...get the "tax dollar" complaints out of your heads! It's really clouding your common sense.

Second, does it really matter how Lincoln was named? This is supposed to be a celebration of President Lincoln, not the city of Lincoln. (But then again, anytime Omaha is outsmarted is cool.)

Third, do you really enjoy nit-picking every single thing that happens in the city? Does it really "trip your trigger"? Wow, just wow. "

 history wrote on July 24, 2008 10:54 pm:
" Lincoln was not named after Abraham Lincoln, but in spite of him. In order for Omaha to turn over the territory capital to the city of Lancaster, we had to rename the city after the president that made slavery illegal. "

 JB wrote on July 24, 2008 11:01 pm:
" What about the city of Lincoln's birthday. The city is suppose to be 150 in 2009. The city had a big celebation back in 1959, but now they are thinking about not counting when Lincoln was called Lancaster since the city seems to have spaced off it's own birth date. "

 Im with you wrote on July 25, 2008 5:40 am:
" Read, I'm about ready to stop even reading the comments cuz they sometimes makes me want to scream and claw my face. What about you? "

 John wrote on July 25, 2008 6:40 am:
" The closest Abe Lincoln ever came to what would be Nebraska's future capital was Council Bluffs, Iowa. He looked across the Missouri River to view a possible site of a starting point for a railroad to go across the country. Let the country as a whole celebrate Abe Lincoln's birthday and let us celebrate the city of Lincoln's 150th anniversary. "

 Waste of time wrote on July 25, 2008 7:41 am:
" This is a waste. These event is not heavily attended and really seems like a waste of time for the Mayor his staff. I would much rather see them do something within the CLC's to promote this rather than sinking time dollars and favors of Bailey Laureman for this event.

Congrats on informing me on something that only the elderly and hob nobbers will enjoy. "

 Marsha wrote on July 25, 2008 12:07 pm:
" Think about celebrating the city of Lincoln's 150th anniversary instead. The only reason our capital got it's name was the thought that some people would not want our capital be named after Abe Lincoln. In 1959 there was a parade and parts of "O" Street were closed off. A big celebration at the almost new Pershing Auditorium. "

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