A celebration of Almonte kicks off Mississippi Mills bicentennial year

ALMONTE, ONT. -

A celebration 200 years in the making kicked off in Almonte, Ont. on Saturday with the first big event of the bicentennial year in Mississippi Mills.

Community activities, performances, displays, and contests were held across Almonte to celebrate the town's past and present.

"Our goal is to celebrate every corner of the municipality," Mississippi Mills Mayor Christa Lowry said.

"Certainly, there's a real appreciation of the heritage and history of the area that seems a lot of the residents hold dearly."

Comparative photos showcasing historic and present locations in Almonte were on display at the local library. Many residents also came out to design "My Mississippi Mills" banners that will hang in the library for the next year.

"Having people come together, celebrating the community, and being with their neighbours which many people have missed for quite a while," the library's CEO Christine Row said.

Puppet performances of Almonte's two most famous residents could be found at the library and Heritage Court - Dr. James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, and R. Tait Mckenzie, a physician, educator, artist, athlete, and soldier.

"We have a lot of stories to tell," Lowry said. "And whether it's stories like Dr. James Naismith with the invention of basketball; whether it's R. Tait Mackenzie who was one of his good friends."

Live musical performances were also on throughout the day at the legion and local businesses like Levi's Home Hardware.

"It is a business, but it's also more than that to us. It's part of our soul to be able to be part of the community," said Stephane Bourre, store manager at Levi's.

The hardware store has been a staple in Almonte for the last 40 years and was once owned by former mayor and community builder John Levi. It regularly hosts Remembrance Day displays inside the store as well.

Along with its famous former residents and affinity for puppets, Almonte was born out of the mill in industry. Many former mills can still be seen in town, now converted into modern day amenities.

"When you start understanding what [Almonte] is from and how it's based around hard-working Canadians that came out here because the land was affordable; to see that's where it grew from is nice," said Bourre.

The Celebrate Almonte event is one of dozens of events celebrating Mississippi Mills bicentennial year. A list of the year's upcoming events can be found here.