A free Community Street Celebration will be held on Saturday, June 9, as part of the celebrations for Bridgetown’s 150th Anniversary with a number of activities aimed at getting everyone in the community together to meet and have a good time.
Bridgetown was formerly known as Geegelup, which is believed to be a name taken from the local Aboriginal term for fresh water crustaceans found in the local brook.
It was proclaimed as Bridgetown on June 4, 1968, and gazetted by Governor Hampton and printed in the Government Gazette on June 9.
The Shire of Bridgetown Greenbushes put a working group together, consisting of shire councillors, staff and community members, to provide a number of activities that will acknowledge those who have called Bridgetown home across the years, including our indigenous predecessors and those who have followed through the decades, to the community as it is today.
Local business woman and working group member Pip Mills, said the many activities commencing on June 9th would be a great way to mark the 150th anniversary with the whole town centre being transformed with lights, music and laughter.
“There is a lot of history surrounding Bridgetown and the 150th anniversary will provide a great opportunity to get the whole community together to enjoy,” she said.
“Commemorating the past, the present and the future, the celebrations will reinforce the responsibility that we have to care for our very special home, its environment and all its inhabitants.”
The celebrations begin at 2pm in the town site, with music and entertainment, before everyone is invited to come together at 3pm on two long tables to share their food, drinks and memories with their family and friends.
“The idea is to get everyone together in the one spot so they can all share their stories with each other about why they have chosen to call Bridgetown home,” she said.
“We will have two long tables that will be decorated by local photographers and artists and everyone is welcome to come along to be a part of this special event.”
The official part of the celebrations will commence at 4.30pm, followed by a light and projection show on the side of the Civic Centre that will share the story of Geegelup to Bridgetown.
The finale will consist of the many lanterns that have been made by local school children as a lead up to the snow that will fall from above.
This is just one of many events that Bridgetown will host over the coming months as part of the celebrations, with the annual Archies and Landscape Exhibitions being combined and renamed as the ‘People and Places” exhibition opening at Bridgetown Pottery on Friday, June 8.
Other upcoming events include a Masquerade Ball in July, the Banquet on the Bridge to be held in August and a Cavalcade of Transport in October.
All the events are able to be held thanks to funding from LotteryWest, Bridgetown Rotary, Healthway – Act.Belong.Commit. and the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.
For more information about the upcoming celebrations and events, check out the Bridgetown 150th Facebook page or contact the shire on 9761 1555.
