Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1498135
LOCAL BUZZ Macon-Bibb's Bicentennial deepens connection with history and culture in signature events THE BICENTENNIAL COMMITTEE, also known as Macon200, hopes to leave an impact on Maconites with permanent infrastructure as well as knowledge shared with other citizens. Plans are underway to leave a lasting legacy in Macon with Bicentennial Park, which will be sited in the Mill Hill neighborhood in East Macon. The fundraising efforts made by Macon200 will not only pay for the year's commemorative events, but also commit major funding to the park effort. A committee co-chaired by Ethiel Garlington and Tracie Revis has met to begin the planning work. This location is adjacent to Macon's original "Main Street" from the city's founding. Since the site also backs up to Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Park, soon to be America's newest national park, and is part of a historically Black neighborhood, the space will have nuanced meaning for Maconites of all backgrounds and create a dynamic public space for locals and visitors to enjoy. The plans will celebrate the historic coming together of Macon and the Muscogee Nation to create a National Park and will complement plans made and requested for several years by East Macon neighbors during the development of the Mill Hill community by the Urban Development Authority. Upcoming events include the monthly history lecture series Macon200 Shines: A Light On Our Journey at Wesleyan College's Peyton Anderson Ampitheater, always on the third Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. April's theme of Transportation: River to Rail – Automobile to Air will feature representatitves from Macon-Bibb Transit Authority, while May's theme will explore Sports, with historic athletes and teams from Macon covered during the evening. After opening the Bicentennial Art Show in March, featuring Wini McQueen's Canopy Project, McQueen and the bicentennial artists continue to be available at the Macon Mall on Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m. and for special events. Check out the dynamic fine art gallery of 25 Macon residents and explore McQueen's legacy in these adapted fine art spaces. A music video of "Love My City" by CMD Styles will soon be released as a bicentennial song, featuring positive music recorded and engineered at Mercer Music at Capricorn. Finally, the bicentennial will invest in youth arts and education during Social Justice: Silence No More, a poetry slam featuring Macon-Bibb students presented by Bibb County School District and Griffith Family Foundation on April 21 at The Grand Opera House. Macon200 will be filming the event and distributing a highlight reel for posterity. You can contribute to the bicentennial efforts and invest in the future park by sending a donation to the Macon-Bibb Bicentennial Fund with the Community Foundation of Central Georgia at 577 Mulberry St., Ste. 1600 Macon, GA, 31201. Keep up with the bicentennial and learn more about these events by going to macon200.com or following Macon200 on Facebook and Instagram. — JULIA MORRISON 40 maconmagazine.com | APRIL/MAY 2023