|
For Immediate
Release
9/5/06
CONTACT:
PA
Senate Republican Communications
(717) 787-6725
"Centennial Days" Celebration to Mark 100th Birthday
of Pennsylvania's State Capitol
Parade With Grand Marshal Vince
Papale, Kids Expo, Centennial Gala,
and Rededication Ceremony with Teddy
Roosevelt Reenactor Among Events Slated
HARRISBURG -- Pennsylvanians
are invited to Harrisburg to participate in a five-day "Centennial Days"
celebration marking the 100th birthday of the State Capitol.
The events are
scheduled to take place between Sat., Sept. 30 and Wed., Oct. 4 in and
around the Capitol complex. Featured will be a parade through downtown
Harrisburg, a kids expo and treasure hunt, an ecumenical church service,
a symposium on Pennsylvania politics over the past century, a
ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new rare collections section in the
State Library, a rededication ceremony for the state Capitol, and a
Centennial Gala.
Kicking off the
Centennial Days activities on Sat., Sept. 30 at 11 a.m. will be a
fun-filled Pennsylvania's Treasures Parade, featuring former
Philadelphia Eagle and broadcaster Vince Papale as
 Grand
Marshal. A native of Interboro, Papale holds the record as the oldest
rookie in the history of the NFL. A Disney movie based on his life,
"Invincible," starring Mark Wahlberg, is currently in theaters. Also
taking part in the parade will be numerous marching bands, floats,
military regiments, historical societies, arts groups, and various other
organizations from around the state.
From noon to 3 p.m.
on Sun., Oct. 1, a Treasure Hunt and Kids Expo will take
place on the Capitol grounds. Children of all ages will be able to
learn about the Capitol while finding the treasures hidden within. Each
participant will receive a passport providing hints to 12 locations
throughout the building. After solving the clue, the passport will be
stamped for entry in a Grand Prize drawing. The Grand Prize for the
event, provided by the Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company, consists
of a family four-pack of tickets to HERSHEYPARK and a complimentary
overnight stay at the Hershey Lodge. Historical characters such as
Joseph Huston, the Capitol's architect, and Violet Oakley, one of the
Capitol's mural artists, will be located at key areas throughout the
Capitol grounds.
In addition to the
Treasure Hunt, the day will feature an educational and entertaining Kids
Expo with 40 exhibitors from various state departments and non-profit
organizations. Parents and children alike will learn about the
multitude of programs that focus on families and children. Additional
activities at the State Library in the Forum Building will include
tours, storytellers, a scavenger hunt, and a visit from Benjamin
Franklin, Pennsylvania's first State Librarian. Combined with a number
of entertainment options, such as a balloon bounce, face-painting, and
strolling performers, the day promises to be a fun-filled and
educational adventure. The Treasure Hunt and Kids Expo will take place
rain or shine. WINK 104, Central Pennsylvania's top radio station, is
providing special promotional assistance to publicize the weekend
festivities.
Also on Sun., Oct.
1, an Ecumenical Church Service of Rededication will be held at
3:30 p.m. at Grace United Methodist Church, 216 State Street. The
church was the meeting place for the state Legislature following the
fire that destroyed the Capitol in 1897. The House Choir will perform
at the hour-long service.
On Mon., Oct. 2 at 7
p.m., a Pennsylvania Politics Symposium will combine the
Speaker’s Millennium Lecture 2006 presentation with a roundtable
discussion of politics over the last 100 years with a panel of
scholars. This free, public discussion will take place in the House
Chamber and will be carried live by the PA Cable Network. It will be
followed by a dessert reception.
On Tue., Oct. 3 at
10 a.m., the Office of Commonwealth Libraries and the Rare Collections
Library Committee will hold a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the
newly constructed Rare Collections Library housed in the State Library
of Pennsylvania. The ceremony will be held in the Forum Building behind
the Capitol.
The five-day
Centennial Days celebration will culminate on Wed., Oct 4 with a
Rededication Ceremony and Centennial Gala at the state
Capitol:
The Rededication
Ceremony will be held at noon. The event will take place in front of
the building and will be open to the public. A reenactor depicting
President Theodore Roosevelt will be on hand. Roosevelt famously
declared upon the Capitol's dedication in 1906, "It's the handsomest
building I ever saw." State leaders will be in attendance. Descendants
of the Capitol's designers and artists have also been invited to attend.
The Centennial Gala
will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Main Capitol Building and the
East Wing (enter from Third Street). The theme for the Gala is
"Yesterday and Today." Refreshments will be served and performers will
entertain in various areas of the Capitol. The evening will conclude
with a fireworks display. A limited number of Gala tickets are
available at $25 for adults and $10 for children under 12. To purchase
tickets, send your name, address, daytime phone number, and the number
of tickets you wish to purchase along with a check made out to: PA
Capitol Centennial Foundation, Gala Tickets, 632 Capitol Building,
Harrisburg, PA 17120 (deadline is Fri., Sept. 22). Or, you may purchase
tickets in person at the Capitol Shop in the East Wing Rotunda between
10 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. (After the mail-in
deadline, tickets may only be purchased in person.)
Other events and
activities leading up to the Centennial Days celebration included a
student commemorative coin design contest (won by George Caputo, a
student at Highland Middle School in the Blackhawk School District,
Beaver Falls); the sealing of a time capsule containing a collection of
items from state leaders and the Capitol Centennial Commission; and
special exhibits highlighting the various artists who contributed to the
aesthetic beauty of the Capitol.
For up-to-date
information on the Centennial Days celebration or details about visiting
the Capitol, go to
www.pacapitol.com.
The events are
sponsored by the bipartisan
Pennsylvania Capitol Centennial Commission, chaired by Lieutenant
Governor Catherine Baker Knoll, Senate President Pro Tempore Robert C.
Jubelirer and Speaker of the House of Representatives John M. Perzel.
 Print this page
E-mail
this page
|
