craigdailypress.com

You only get one shot at celebrating a 100th birthday.

With that in mind, members of the Craig 100th Birthday Committee, a group of city officials and local residents charged with organizing next summer's centennial celebration, are preparing a grand offering for the city incorporated April 21, 1908.

"It's not every day you turn 100," said Christina Currie, Craig Chamber of Commerce executive director and a committee member. "The people I've talked to are really excited about what should be a really impressive event."

Although definitive plans for the celebration are not yet final, committee members are considering a range of ideas. Those ideas run the gamut from a beard-growing contest to community picnic to a Black Mountain Theater play.

Celebration planning was expected to continue today with a meeting at City Hall, however, the meeting has been canceled.

Craig Mayor and Birthday Committee member Don Jones said the meeting is tentatively rescheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 300 W. Fourth St.

Jones said the committee has made some mild strides in its previous two celebration meetings.

"The wheels are spinning, we're just not going very fast yet," he said. "But, we'll get going. Our meetings have been productive, I feel."

Questions still remain as to the event's schedule, entertainment and funding source.

A ballpark cost estimate for the celebration, expected to be span several months beginning April 21, 2008, is about $50,000.

A concert, which could be billed as the celebration's grand finale, would account for the lion's share of the cost.

Jones said the concert could cost $25,000 to $30,000. The city will contribute to the celebration, the mayor said, though it's uncertain as to what degree.

Currie, who is in charge of finding funding sources for the celebration, is in the process of seeking sponsorships. No financing plans are final, but Currie said she anticipates the business community will be a willing contributor to the centennial.

"We've got a lot of people interested," she said. "There will definitely be some backing."

Joshua Roberts can be reached at 824-7031, ext. 210, or jroberts@craigdailypress.com.