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GREENSBORO — The city's bicentennial celebration officially ended May 17 with a parade and party, but the light from 200 candles will linger for the rest of the year.

That's because a series of affiliated events has been scheduled to run through Dec. 21.
Those include archaeological digs, art exhibits, concerts, neighborhood tours and ecumenical services.

Official events began March 25. The dates coincide with the sale of the 42 acres on which Greensboro was founded (March 25, 1808) and when the sale was recorded (May 17, 1808).

Organizers described the 54-day event as the biggest in the city's history.

"There is nothing that will rival this," said Al Lineberry Jr., a co-chairman of the 30-member Greensboro Bicentennial Commission, which began working on the project in 2005. "It (was) a once-in-a-lifetime event."

The celebration featured eight major events, including a Heritage Festival & Celebrate 200! Dance, a World of Tomorrow expo and the Parade of Decades and birthday party.

The more than 80 affiliated events began in January.

The bicentennial also saw the creation of at least four new books about the city, including "The Beat Goes On," a collection of stories written by former News & Record reporter Jim Schlosser, and "Greensboro Roots and Renaissance," which contains paintings by artist William Mangum.

The most lasting aspect of the bicentennial will be the proposed Downtown Greenway, a 4.8-mile recreational loop around the center city.

The project, which will take years to complete, will cost an estimated $26 million.

Commission members say money will come from state sources, federal programs, local foundations and local bonds.

Organizers put on the bicentennial using about $2 million in privately raised funds and in-kind services. They say the time and effort were worth it.

"And the reason is, there are a lot of good things about our city that we have lost sight of," said Zana Wall-Rogers, executive director of the bicentennial commission. "This celebration... (focused) on the good things and the positive things that have happened."

Contact Donald W. Patterson at 373-7027 or don.patterson@news-record.com