Plans are underway for the city’s Bicentennial and, if discussions at a recent Community Council meeting are an indication, it will be a grand celebration.

Representatives from area community organizations gathered at Huntington Park on May 27 to report on recent activities and discuss Bicentennial news.

The Bay Village Bicentennial Committee will begin the Bicentennial weekend festivities on Oct. 9 with a 9 a.m. race. It will be followed by family fun activities in Cahoon Memorial Park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lolly the Trolley will provide shuttle services between the park museums and Bay Arts, the Lake Erie Nature & Science Center and the Bay Village Branch Library. Special programs are planned at each destination.

Sunday, Oct. 10, is the date of the Grand Parade, beginning in early afternoon. The day will culminate in the lighting of the new cupola and a candlelight ceremony attended by representatives of the 26-member Bay Ministerial group. A combined church choir of 200 will perform at the ceremony.

Bay Village native and actress Patricia Heaton is narrating a video, “Bay Village: 200 Years.” The commemorative CD will soon be available for purchase.

The Martha Devotion Huntington Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is celebrating Bay Village’s Bicentennial by sponsoring genealogical workshops at the Bay Library on June 17 at 6:30 p.m., and June 19 at 2 p.m. Learn who your ancestors were in 1810. Phone the Bay library at 440-871-6392 for reservations to “Climbing Your Family Tree.”

The chapter is selling raffle tickets for a handmade queen-size quilt. Tickets are $1 each, or six for $5. The drawing will be held on October 10, 2010. Call Doris Gorgas at (440) 835-0714 for tickets.

In honor of the city’s Bicentennial, the Bay Village Historical Society is offering a limited edition print of the historic Community House. Once the Cahoon barn, the Community House was constructed in 1882. Artist Thomas William Jones, a Bay High graduate, created the prints using archival paper and 12 separate ink colors. The cost for a print is $85. The original artwork is available for $22,000. Phone 440-871-7338 for details.

You can "Light up Bay’s History" by contributing to the historical society’s Bicentennial project, the reconstruction of the original cupola on the Community House. Checks should be made out to the Bay Village Historical Society Cupola Fund and sent to P.O. Box 40187, Bay Village, OH 44140.

Rose Hill Museum has opened for the season with the exhibit, “Looking Back 200 Years.” The Cahoon homestead is decorated to look as it did when the family was living there.

The Reuben Osborn Learning Center is presenting a display honoring Bay Village veterans. It will culminate in a July 17 dedication for Bay High graduate Sgt. Ken Henniger. Henniger was killed in Vietnam in 1969 and posthumously awarded the Silver Star. His medals will be presented to the learning center and put on permanent display.

The 41st annual Bay Village Country Festival takes place in Cahoon Memorial Park on June 19, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be antiques, fine crafts, live music by the Erie Travelers Appalachian String Band and delicious refreshments. Admission is only $3 and parking is free. Phone 440-835-2718 for information, or visit www.bayhistorical.com.

The Bay Village Historical Society presented its annual scholarships to two outstanding students of history, Bay High seniors Katelyn Waddle and Peter Kahnert.

The Bay Village Kiwanis co-sponsored the 50th annual Academic Achievement Program at Bay High School on May 25. Certificates were presented to students in the four grades who had a grade point average of 3.6 or above. Engraved plaques were given to seniors who achieved the 3.6 GPA in all four years. Kiwanis awarded $11,500 in scholarships to 10 students. Scholarships presented that evening by 27 participating community groups totaled $170,000.

The Kiwanis-coordinated Bay Days celebrations will take place on July 1, 2, 3 and 5, with fireworks on Monday, the legal holiday. Kiwanis will be among the food vendors, serving up their homemade curly fried potatoes. Proceeds go towards their Scholarship and Welfare Fund. The Classic Car Drive-In is July 2.

Bicentennial Memorial Red Buckeye trees were planted by Kiwanis on Arbor Day, April 30, at all four Bay Village public schools.

The annual Kiwanis pancake breakfast, which took place on April 18, served 557 attendees and netted $3,000.

The Bay Village Garden Club recently filled the city welcome sign baskets with red petunias. They donated and installed a new Community House sign in time for the Bicentennial celebration. The garden club also maintains plantings around the gazebo, city hall, and the Seascape sculpture.

Bay Village American Legion Post #385 organized the Memorial Day Parade, which included groups from the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Vietnam Veterans. City officials, distinguished students and band members also participated.

The American Legion participated in the Kiwanis Achievement Awards Night by presenting Outstanding Leadership awards to Elizabeth Butler and Jacob Faile. David Johnson was named as this year’s representative at Buckeye Boys State, with Carter Phillips as alternate. Laura Petto was named representative at Buckeye Girls State, with Emily Kukura as alternate.

This summer, the American Legion is sponsoring a team in the Pony Division of the Bay Men’s Baseball Program. Post #385 has been sponsoring teams longer than any other sponsor.

The Bay Village Women’s Club Foundation awarded six college scholarships to Bay High seniors. The awards totaled $12,000.

The Bay Village landmark afghan, a great gift for graduating seniors, commemorates the first settlement in 1810. This has particular significance as the city celebrates its 200th anniversary. The afghans are $45. Call Janet at 440-871-3910 for information.

The League of Women Voters awarded two $1,000 scholarships for students for outstanding citizenship. The league will commemorate the 19th amendment and its 90th anniversary on August 26, Women’s Equality Day.

The new “Bay Traditions II” cookbook, a Bicentennial project of the Women’s Club, includes the history of Bay Village, as well as some historic recipes. It is available at Bay True Value Hardware and at the Dwyer Memorial Senior Center. Cost is $12.

The Bay Village Education Foundation held its Tri-Bay Golf Outing on June 11. Proceeds benefitted the Bay Alumni Association, Rockets Association and Bay Village Education Foundation. The education foundation kicks off its 25th anniversary year this August.

Cynthia Eakin is Secretary of the Bay Village Community Council.