Calling all activity and event organizers

Share your plans to mark Orillia’s sesquicentennial

The City of Orillia is gearing up for its 150^th birthday in 2017 and is looking for local activity and event organizers to share their plans to mark this historic milestone. 

With a vision of bringing the community together in a year-long celebration, the City of Orillia is compiling an inventory of sesquicentennial activities and experiences that are truly Orillian.

“Celebrating Orillia’s 150^th goes well beyond city hall and right into the heart of our community,” said Mayor Steve Clarke. “We want to encourage local event and activity organizers to think ahead about how they can help us celebrate this banner year together.”

To build excitement for the myriad of activities and events happening throughout the year, the City is working on a 150^th commemorative calendar and magazine. Together with the City’s 150^th webpage orillia.ca/150, our goal is to provide residents, visitors and organizers a central location to find information on sesquicentennial events, activities, and initiatives happening throughout the year.

“Next year will be a milestone year for Canada and Orillia as we celebrate 150 years since confederation and incorporation as a City,” said Jacqueline Soczka, the City’s Manager of Culture. “As we share in our nation’s birthday, we want the community to latch on to the spirit of Canada and Orillia’s 150^th and plan their 2017 events with Orillia’s sesquicentennial top of mind.”

In an effort to engage every resident in a meaningful way in Orillia’s 150^th celebrations, we are looking for a wide variety of activities that offer the public an opportunity to explore, experience or reflect on the people, places and moments defining our City’s past, present and future. Sesquicentennial events and activities can be a festival, concert, lecture series or exhibit focused on sport, culture, or development, for example. While the possibilities are truly endless, organizations do not have to reinvent the wheel. Existing events and activities with a 150^th focus can also be included as a sesquicentennial event in the City’s marketing materials.  

For more criteria or information on how to register, visit our website orillia.ca/150.

Activity and event registrations is just one way for the public to get involved as we gear up for Orillia’s 150^th celebrations; stay tuned to our website and social media feeds for more public engagement opportunities to come.

The City of Orillia is a city of 31,000 people in the heart of Ontario’s Lake Country on the shores of Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe. Visit our website at orillia.ca.

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Jacqueline Soczka
Manager of Culture
705-325-4530
jsockza@orillia.ca

Jennifer Ruff
Manager of Communications
705-325-8929
705-238-9209 (cell)
jruff@orillia.ca