Franklin will kick off it’s Sesquicentennial celebration at 12:30 p.m., Feb. 10, with an opening ceremony to be held at the First United Methodist Church in downtown. Franklin was officially incorporated on the tenth day of February in 1855.

“The Sesquicentennial Steering Committee has been working diligently to make this entire year a special one in Franklin,” said Chair Janet Jacobs Greene. “Feb. 10 is designed to officially begin our celebration and we encourage everyone to come out and enjoy this very special event.”

The opening ceremony begins at 12:30 p.m. and will include comments by area officials, recognition of dignitaries, entertainment with bluegrass fiddler John Harper Duncan, a presentation of a time capsule and unveiling of “Then and Now – A Pictorial History of Franklin.”

The ceremony is expected run approximately one hour and will be followed by a reception at the McCollum House from 2 to 4 p.m. Period dress is encouraged for all Sesquicentennial events.

“Those attending this official beginning of our almost year-long celebration are encouraged to dress in period clothing,” Greene continued. “We want everyone to get in the spirit of this event.”

The information book has sources for men, women and children’s period clothing and accessories. A handout is also available which lists local as well as online resources.

Themes for dress will be 1850s for February and May activities and 1950s for July’s events.

Among May’s Memorial weekend’s events will be tours of a Civil War re-enactors camp, parade, costume contest, and historical representations of the way people lived in the mountains in 1855.

“For folks who do not comply with period dress, there will be a jail provided by the Historical Society,” Greene said. “You can either dress up or buy a pass that will exempt you from serving a sentence!”

The Memorial Day festivities will run Saturday through Monday. Saturday’s events will include a Sesquicentennial Parade, contests and demonstrations of life in the mountains from that era. Sunday will feature an afternoon of music, food and fellowship as an old-timey singing and dinner on the grounds will take place. On Memorial Day Monday, there will be a veteran’s parade and a reenactment of the confederate surrender at Dixie Hall on the courthouse square.

For more information about period dress, contact the Macon County Historical Museum at 828.524.9758. For details on Franklin’s 150th Anniversary Celebration contact Greene at 828.421.4571.