SCRANTON — In honor of the city’s 150th anniversary, a host of special events will be held on Charter Day, April 23, and throughout the month of April.

Under the direction of Scranton Tomorrow, a committee of volunteers is organizing the events, made possible through support from the City of Scranton, the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, and the Willary Foundation. Most programs are offered free of charge, as a gift to the community.

Festivities kick off on April 14 with symposiums dedicated to the 150th anniversary titled “Scranton Thinks” at local colleges and universities. The series runs through April 21. In addition, Restaurant Week will be held throughout the city between April 18 and 22. For the complete Scranton Thinks schedule, and more information on Restaurant Week, visit scrantontomorrow.org.

These events lead up to an exciting array of activities on Charter Day:

• Fire and Police Sirens: Throughout the city, sirens will ring at 9 a.m. for 150 seconds to initiate the 150th anniversary activities.

• Historic Walking Tours: The Lackawanna Historical Society (LHS) will provide four walking tours focusing on commercial and architectural history from 9 a.m. to noon. The tours are free, but reservations are requested by calling LHS at 570-344-3841.

Tours will be held at 9 a.m., meeting at the George Washington statue on Courthouse Square, corner Linden Street and North Washington Ave.; 10 a.m., meeting in front of the Saint Peter’s Cathedral for a Commercial District tour and 11 a.m., meeting at the Columbus statue, corner of Spruce St. and N. Washington Ave. for a Gothic District tour. The Gothic District tour will end at Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple in time for the Sesquicentennial Luncheon.

• Sesquicentennial Luncheon: The historic Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple is the venue for a 150th anniversary luncheon, from noon to 2 p.m. Guests will enjoy food stations with dishes representing the flavor of Scranton’s past and present followed by a program featuring special guests and a video presentation. Monsignor Quinn will emcee this historic and fun event.

Tickets are $75 per person. Tables of 10 and sponsorship opportunities are available. For details, visit scrantontomorrow.org.

• Quilting Club Display: Quilts representing Scranton’s history will be on display from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at City Hall.

• Lego Contest: Themed “Scranton: The Electric City,” participants will build unique designs using Legos. The competition will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. at The Mall at Steamtown. The contest is open to children age 5 to 8, 9 to 12, and teens age 13 to 17. Adults may compete in the 17 and older category.

Pre-registration is required. Visit scrantontomorrow.org to register.

• Choir Showcase: Local school and church ensembles will perform from 3 to 6 p.m. on Center Stage at the Mall at Steamtown.

• The Hunt: Hosted by The Pop-Up Studio, participants will receive clues on their Smart phones to locate the 150th anniversary logo in locations throughout the city. Participants may embark on this architectural scavenger hunt between 4 and 7 p.m.

Pre-registration is required at thepopupstudio.org.

• 150th Birthday Party: From 7 to 11 p.m., friends and family will gather at the Radisson at Lackawanna Station for a celebration. The 150th Birthday Party features a cash bar and food stations, gourmet popcorn, a birthday cake competition among local chefs, and live entertainment.

• Fireworks: Charter Day concludes with a fireworks display at 10 p.m. in downtown Scranton.

For more information, visit scrantontomomorrow.org or call 570-963-1575.

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For Abington Journal

Information provided by Scranton Tomorrow.