Sesquicentennial week planned: Activities to celebrate city's 150th anniversary

A week’s worth of events are planned to celebrate Brainerd’s sesquicentennial Sept. 18-26.

The celebration for the city’s 150th anniversary will begin with an event Sept. 18 at the Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport that is also meant to honor the airport’s 75th anniversary. The airport commission was signed into ordinance Sept. 3, 1946.

The event, running from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., will be a free carnival-themed open house with aircraft and equipment on display, food, a car show, games and prizes.

Other events planned across the city throughout the week include several downtown history walks, a rubber ducky race, a city council alumni event, a city hall open house, the Here for the Good Market, ping pong races, a time capsule hosted by the chamber of commerce, history-themed trivia, Stride and Seek, a bash at Gregory Park, a flapjack event and the Brainerd Jaycees annual StreetFest.

“Just a lot of really fun things happening that week,” City Administrator Jennifer Bergman told city council members during their meeting Monday, Aug. 16.

The city council approved the use of $1,829.68 from its special projects fund to cover expenses for the bash in Gregory Park and for printing costs to create schedules for the week.

The party in the park will include activities for all ages, including bouncy castles and yard games like giant Yahtzee.

RELATED: Gregory Park becomes historic gathering spot The 11-acre park with the historic bandstand between North Fifth and North Seventh streets has been a local gathering place for ages, including for demonstrations, protests and vigils.
The city budgeted $28,000 in its special projects fund for 2021, with about $8,500 spent on a donation to the Crow Wing County Historical Society and Fourth of July fireworks. The council agreed earlier this year to use money in that fund for the sesquicentennial celebration.

In other business Monday, the council:

Established a fire escrow account, which would gain money from insurance companies in the event a house burns down and the responsibility for repairs or condemnation falls to the city. The homeowner's insurance company would put 25% of the claim money in the city’s escrow account, and the city would hold this money until repairs are made or the property is demolished. If the city must demolish the building itself, the escrow funds would be used.

RELATED: Montessori permit approved: North Brainerd learning center to remain open The Brainerd City Council approved a conditional use permit from the Montessori School of Brainerd to operate a north Brainerd house as a private learning center.
Conducted the final reading of an interim ordinance putting a temporary moratorium on applications to amend the zoning ordinance. No one spoke at the public hearing for the ordinance.

Heard from a Barrows resident asking the council to consider creating a skate park in the city.

Adjourned to a budget workshop set for 6 p.m. Aug. 30.

THERESA BOURKE may be reached at theresa.bourke@brainerddispatch.com or 218-855-5860. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DispatchTheresa .