Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1488524
DECEMBER/JANUARY 2023 | maconmagazine.com 71 concerts at the new amphitheater. People are going to be blown away with the quality of the facility and shows there, and music is just the perfect way to celebrate our heritage and our future. Andrea Cooke: I am most excited about attending all of the events and bringing parts of Macon into the fold that have traditionally been left behind. This Bicentennial celebration could be the great equalizer for us. Justice Verda Colvin: There are so many activities planned for the upcoming year in celebration of the Bicentennial, it's hard to highlight just one … but I am so excited about the Sneaker Ball because I think it will usher in what we anticipate for the year: an inclusive celebration honoring everything in our past, the hurtful and the triumphant, the struggles and the successes, and, most importantly, our growth as a community. Elijah Hanson: I'm especially excited about interacting with new people and getting to see different people's perspectives on Macon. How would you like to see others get involved in the Bicentennial celebration and/or Macon's future? Tracie Revis: I love the idea of making sure that we tell the stories of the past. I think, just like in life, when you have come through good and bad times, you have to reflect and see what lessons you have learned. I think the Bicentennial gives Maconites a time to reflect on what they have learned, good and bad …. Then you take the good and create a stronger future for the next generation to come. Justice Verda Colvin: Macon's future is incredibly bright; however, it can only be brilliant when we all get involved in promoting the positive aspects of our community. It is my hope that the Bicentennial Celebration will energize some, inspire others, and reinvigorate even more to invest in our future as a community. Elijah Hanson: I would like to see a variety of different opportunities for everyone to get involved. What do you hope to see happen/ change in Macon over the next century? Mayor Lester Miller: I want to see growth. That's growth in our strength