Bucyrus bicentennial starts May 1 with Bratwurst Drop
BUCYRUS – The city’s celebration of its bicentennial year will officially kick off May 1 with the long-awaited Bratwurst Drop.
Originally, members of the Bucyrus Bicentennial Commission planned to welcome the new year with a celebration at noon on New Year’s Eve. A 10foot-long fiberglass-coated bratwurst was to be hoisted between two Bucyrus Fire Department ladder trucks at Washington Square for the big countdown.
That event was postponed because of COVID-19 concerns.
“We think that we’re ready to roll,” Kelli Patterson, commission chairman, said Friday. “We’ve tried to push that Bratwurst Drop out to make sure things are a little safer with COVID, maybe the weather, that kind of stuff.”
The full lineup of events for May 1 is still in the works, she said. Organizers are hoping to have many of the same activities that were planned for Dec. 31, such as food trucks and entertainment. They plan to talk to schools to see if any of their organizations that have food trucks want to participate.
“We want to really involve the kids and the students,” Patterson said. “That is our biggest thing: family oriented.”
“We will also be having a couple of kids’ activities, so they’ll be a little bit entertained,” said Bicentennial Commission member Emma Crawford, a Wynford High School student.
“We originally had coloring pages made for a coloring contest that will be
going to the schools. If they bring their paper back, we will have goodie bags for them.”
For the New Year’s Eve celebration, FC Bank had planned to bring back the popular no-ice skating rink that was part of downtown Christmas celebrations in recent years.
“I don’t think too many people want to ice skate on May 1st,” Patterson said, chuckling. Event organizers plan to reach out to bank officials to see if they might be willing to provide some other activity.
Event planners are developing activities that highlight the city’s history, she said.
Other events planned for the bicentennial year include a special Memorial Day celebration on May 31 and Founders’ Day weekend, July 3-5, which will feature a big fireworks show downtown and a parade.
The big push right now is to find volunteers to help with all of the events.
“Anyone can help us in any area that they feel comfortable with,” Patterson said. “If they want to help with the brat drop, that’s great, but we do have a lot of other events planned, and other areas that we do need help.”
People who would like to volunteer can email emma@bucryus2021.com or call 419-562-6767 ext.221.
“Since we have our date, we’re going to see what kind of volunteers are available and who wants to come help, and we’re going to make this celebration happen,” Patterson said. “And happy birthday, Bucyrus.” ggoble@gannett.com 419-521-7263