City Clerk Richelle Pasceri assists Historic Palace Theatre Executive Director Christopher Parada in launching a sky lantern this morning as Niagara History Center Executive Director Melissa Dunlap looks on. The three are part of the Lockport Sesquicentennial Celebration Committee putting on a birthday party for the city Saturday night. (HEATHER N. GRIMMER / ENP Photographer)

By +Scott Leffler 
scott.leffler@eastniagarapost.com

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Downtown motorists this morning may have caught a preview of Saturday night's birthday candles for the city's 150th birthday celebration.

The Lockport Sesquicentennial committee watched as committee member Christopher Parada, executive director of the Historic Palace Theatre, tested out a sky lantern in front of the Palace. The lantern floated in front of the East Avenue landmark before taking off northwest.



Saturday night, 150 of the lanterns will be launched from the same location to conclude the city's birthday party, taking place at the Palace beginning at 7 p.m. The lanterns will be launched by patrons who purchase any of the commemorative items being sold during the sesquicentennial celebration, including lawn signs, DVDs, banners, and pins.

Earlier in the evening, several guest speakers will commemorate the city's birthday, musical groups will perform, and sampling of the vignette video will also be shown. Cake and ice cream will be given out to patrons, as well.

Saturday morning, teams will participate in a scavenger hunt across the city, going to 14 locations to collect stamps on a commemorative certificate. The first teams to finish and return to City Hall will receive prizes. Sign ups for the free event are available online at Lockport150.com.

Later this year, the committee will host 150 events across nine days beginning June 27 with the annual Downtown Arts and Crafts festival and concluding on July 5 with the Taste of Lockport.

RELATED LINKS: 

• #Lockport150 scavenger hunt registration available online
• Sesquicentennial celebration to light up the night
• Lockport to hold week-long birthday celebration
• Lockport150.com

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