An exciting program of events has been planned for the coming weekend to mark the high point of Millicent’s 150th celebrations.
Millicent will come alive with market stalls, live entertainment, great food and loads of fun for the kids thanks to a range of organisations headed by Wattle Range Council.
The town will be buzzing with a range of exciting activities planned to celebrate the town’s 150-year anniversary.
The celebrations were originally scheduled for last year but were postponed on account of COVID factors.
The Millicent 150th celebrations will launch with the official opening of the annual Wattle Range Art Exhibition at 6.30pm tomorrow (Friday) at the Millicent Gallery.
On Saturday the focus of the celebrations will switch to The Domain.
The Millicent Lions Club will host the Twilight Market Extravaganza with over 40 stalls commencing at 3pm.
During the afternoon, Wattle Range Council Mayor Des Noll will launch the 150 Stories of Millicent and an interactive virtual history tour.
Historical photos collected from across the ages will be beamed onto an LED screen for all to see near the rotunda.
Similar images have been developed into an exclusive virtual reality spectacular to view through the VR goggles.
There will be the opening of the town time capsule with assistance from Kimberly Clark Australia.
More than 88 items collected from 25 years ago will be put on display.
Community members are then welcome to bring along their own item to add to the capsule which will be closed and re-opened again in 25 years.
The Millicent Business Community Association’s annual ‘Millicent Lights up’ and Kids Zone initiatives have been incorporated into the 150th anniversary program.
The Jubilee Park cypress pine tree will come alive with lights, there will be a visit from Father Christmas, as well as face painting, a jumping castle and a stack of exciting free children’s activities such as treasure hunts and a big movie.
Both Federal and State members Tony Pasin and Nick McBride MP have accepted the invitation to come along and judge a BBQ Cook Off, where local personalities will cook a Masterchef style mystery box at 3pm next to the RSL Hall.
Everyone is invited to come down and cheer on the local ‘celebrities’ with the opportunity to vote for a winner and go into the mystery box to draw for a prize.
Popular local musical duo JB and Crowey will be performing together for the last time at the 150 event.
They will be playing from 4pm until 9pm at the Millicent Rotunda.
This will be an excellent opportunity to meet friends, enjoy the local food and music, take in the ambience and farewell a fantastic local act.
Weather permitting council’s inflatable obstacle course will be on the Millicent Swimming Lake on Saturday afternoon and the team from YMCA Action Sports will be back at the Millicent Skate Park on Saturday and Sunday to stage the events that were postponed in July due to COVID.
Sunday will feature an Amazing Race at The Domain organised by the Wattle Range Suicide Prevention Network.
It will be followed by an open day at Millicent National Trust Museum with free entry.
Members of the National Trust have developed a program featuring blacksmiths, a close up look at the Helen Hughes clothing collection, costumed guides, horse-and-cart rides and a stroll down memory lane
The Millicent Gallery will be open over the entire weekend featuring the Wattle Range Art Exhibition.
Millicent was proclaimed in 1870 when a township developed on the limestone ridge in the centre of the newly-drained Millicent Flats.
It is named after Millecent Glen, wife of pioneering grazier George Glen, of Mayura Station.
She was the daughter of the first Bishop of Adelaide, the Right Reverend Dr Augustus Short.
