Pittsfield Has Big Plans for 250th Birthday Bash
 Mayor James M. Ruberto expresses his excitment about the city's 250th anniversary. |
"I was the youngest guy. I was 15 at the time and it was fun, it was frivolous, there were no dues, no structure," Arpante said on Wednesday night. "We'd get together and talk. We'd plan what we were doing for the parade and talk about each other's beards. I can't remember any meeting in particular because it was just fun."
Some guys wore oddly styled mustaches, other just grew them long. The group made buttons and cards for mementos. They all bought derby hats and took a lot of photos, which he still has. It was that simple celebration that stuck in Arpante's mind and had him sharing those memories because Pittsfield has reached another milestone. It's 250 years old next year.
The Pittsfield 250 Committee held its first public input meeting on Wednesday to engage the public for a citywide celebration. With some events already planned, the group asked for more ideas and about 50 residents had plenty.
"I think it went great. I'm really excited. Some of the ideas the people who generated them said they'll start talking to groups," Mary Rentz, committee co-chairman, said.
Some ideas generated Wednesday include a historic bus tour, revival of Boys' Club dances of the 1950s, a blocklong pancake breakfast, merchandising hats, postcards and Christmas bulbs and, of course, a beard and mustache growing competition. The committee will now take these ideas and put volunteers to work to make them happen.
"Our main thing is to get people excited about the city," Rentz said. "We want this to be celebrated everywhere."
From motorcycle groups to church groups, Rentz hopes to celebrate all aspects of the biggest city in the Berkshires, and despite forming in May, the committee already has an array of events planned. The biggest features include an opening celebration the weekend following the anniversary of the city's incorporation in April, a welcome-back weekend with class reunions and dinners in July and homecoming in November.
The Pittsfield 4th of July Parade will have a then-and-now theme and local teachers have developed curricula for all grade levels focusing on the city's history.
"If we can get our kids excited about the place we live, we have a future that's more exciting," Kit Dobelle, the committee's other chairman, said. "A lot of interesting things have happened over the years."
However, with all the planning, organization and fundraising to do the group and the volunteers do not want to lose focus on what matters: fun.
"The celebration should be more. It should be about brotherhood and commonality. It should be about that common thread we all have," Arpante said.
The committee will meet next in December and expects civic involvement to continually increase.
"I often say and I believe this is the best small city in the Northeast," Mayor James M. Ruberto said.
Pittsfield 250 Event Calendar
