Hillsboro slates 9 days of events in celebration of 125th anniversary

Hillsboro will celebrate its 125th anniversary with activities slated for Thursday through July 3.

The celebration will start with a Farmer’s Market on Thursday on the lawn of the Schaeffler House Museum at the corner of East Grand and Jefferson streets.

Friends of the Hillsboro Museums will serve a sloppy joe meal.

There also will be a bake sale by Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church ladies, and home-grown produce and handcrafted items will be available for sale.

Music will be performed by Three Docs and a Quack.

The celebration continues at 7 p.m. Friday with a birthday cake and ice cream provided by the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce.

The Schnigglefritz Band will play music.

Great Hillsboro Beard Contest will be judged, the centennial time capsule will be opened and there will be a presentation of gifts to the city.

Hillsboro’s past and present mayors then will be recognized for their service to the community.

The Schaeffler House’s Centennial Celebration will start at 10 a.m. Saturday with an antique car show.

Vintage Fashion Inc. from Abilene will present an 1870 to 1937 fashion show from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., followed by a Vintage Fashion Contest.

An old-fashioned chicken picnic will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Children’s games and activities will be offered from 2 to 3 p.m. at Memorial Park.

From 3 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, there will be a bed-turning program at Quilt and Quilt Racks and a player piano demonstration at Mollie’s on Main Street.

The evening will conclude with a free family swim time at the Hillsboro Aquatic Center.

On June 28, there will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new exhibit titled “Joining the American Mosaic” at 2 p.m. at the Mennonite Settlement Museum.

There will be a short presentation followed by free tours of the Peter Paul Loewen House.

The Farmer’s market will return on July 2 at the Schaeffler House. A meal will be served by the Kiwanis club.

Festivities will culminate on July 3 with events at the Schaeffler House.

Friends of the Museum will serve its traditional hot dog and ice cream meal at 5 p.m.

The American Legion Color Guard will start the program, followed by the Gettysburg Address given by “Abraham Lincoln,” and a red, white and blue children’s parade. There will be sparklers for the children,

Speakers for the evening will be Mayor Delores Dalke and State Rep. Bob Brookens.

The evening will conclude with music by Bob Delk and the Boys.

The event is open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs to the activities.

For more information about the festival, go to www.hillsboro-museums.com/125th.html.