KENT, Conn.—The clock is ticking and, with the entire nation getting ready to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary on one weekend in July 2026, the town’s 250th Subcommittee is busy trying to ensure that the local semiquincentennial is an “amazing weekend.”
The subcommittee is working to quickly line up items and events where it believes there will significant competition for limited resources.
At its meeting Tuesday, Feb. 18, subcommittee member Darlene Brady offered to facilitate the Kent Memorial Library’s efforts to secure a 18th-century re-enactor to portray Founding Father John Adams.
Re-enactors for that era are considered to be in particularly high demand as every town and organization in the nation will try to book them for the same day.
Library Director Sarah Marshall asked subcommittee members whether grants would be sought through the town or by individual organizations.
Vice Chairman Melissa Cherniske said she thinks that each entity should seek is own grants. “If the library applies for a grant and town applies to the same entity, I don’t believe we would be double-dipping. It might work better.”
Marshall said the library does not often pay for adult programming and that she did not know where to look for such a grant. She indicated some urgency about booking the re-enactor.
Brady stepped in and said that, as town clerk, she has discretionary funds in her historic preservation account. She said she would guarantee the booking fee, providing Marshall with more time to look for a grant.
Kent’s centennial celebration is set to occur over three days, July 3-5, 2026, and the group discussed having the town’s parade on Friday, July 3, to avoid conflict with a major event planned in Hartford on July 4.
“A Friday parade could be the kick-off to the weekend,” said Cherniske.
While some committee members did not feel that July 3 would resonate with viewers, it was noted that Americana artist Eric Sloane, whose studio and museum are in Kent, strongly advocated for the early tradition of ringing bells on July 3 to usher in the celebration of the Fourth.
Sloane’s predilection for bells, captured in his book, “The Sound of Bells,” and the annual tradition of ringing in Independence Day at his museum, came up again when the group discussed the town’s logo for the centennial.
Discussion focused on a “red, white and blue” motif, the town’s name and the numerals “250,” until Sarah Chase mentioned using Sloane’s bells.
“That would be very ‘Kent,’” agreed member Marge Smith, who suggested that the font used in the logo reflect Revolutionary period lettering.
The group paused further action on the logo until it can determine if one of Sloan’e bell sketches can be used in the design.
The subcommittee wants to form three-to-six working groups to help organize the town’s observance of the semiquincentennial.
A public session will be held Thursday, April 24, at 7 p.m. at town hall to detail plans for the public. Interested persons will be asked to sign up for the working groups.
